Focuses of Moisture and Water Damage in Lafayette Homes After Disaster

2/1/2024 (Permalink)

Our experts are here to restore your water-damaged hardwood floors to their former glory. #SERVPROHeroes #WaterDamageRestoration

The Biggest Factors in Helping a Damaged Home. 

Restoration and cleanup are not a one-size-fits-all solution for your home. Our professionals
must thoroughly inspect the situation to determine the best cleanup and recovery solutions possible. Did you know that moisture can impact a property in dozens of ways that threaten it strength, stability, and appearance? We understand the importance of regulating humidity and water migration to prevent more significant structural decay and deterioration.The processes necessary for cleaning up after water disasters can be split into three categories:

? Surface Water
? Trapped Water
? Airborne Moisture

Surface Water Woes
When dealing with water damage in Lafayette properties, the experts at SERVPRO® make sure
to eliminate standing water using advanced equipment. While this process removes most of the moisture, some remnants may still be present, which require wet vacuums, mops, and towels. Specialists also employ tools like carpet wands to ensure water does not seep into the
subflooring. This approach guarantees that all water damage is thoroughly addressed and that the affected area remains clean and dry.

Trapped Water in Structural Elements
Detecting and eliminating water damage can prove to be a challenging task. To ensure a
thorough job, we utilize state-of-the-art moisture meters and detection devices to locate any
damp pockets that may have gone unnoticed. Furthermore, we employ air movers to facilitate the
drying process of affected materials. In some situations, removing any wet building materials
may be more advantageous. In such cases, we collaborate with you to determine the most
optimal course of action.

Relative Humidity
Sophisticated moisture detection devices and sensors track changing environmental conditions
because gauging potentially adverse conditions for your home solely based on feeling a thick,
moist environment is not always the best method. Hygrometers can take measurements of
environmental moisture, which is calculated as a percentage known as relative humidity.

Each type of moisture and water damage plays a part in the speed and efficiency of our recovery
steps. Our educated experts understand the behavior of water and the best restoration practices to
help. Call us today at (765) 420-0077.

Water Restoration Projects in Lafayette Can Be Quite Wide-Ranging

3/10/2023 (Permalink)

Water leaks can impact your home and cost considerable time and money to rectify. Call SERVPRO today!

Lafayette Water Restoration Can Surprise You 

When faced with a water event, many Lafayette homeowners may need to pay more attention to the extent and severity of their problems. These residents might need to learn the true origin of leaks, what caused them, the difficulty involved in remediating them, or what is necessary to return their homes to livable conditions. Therefore, hiring a cleanup and restoration firm that knows the answers to these essential questions is crucial.

SERVPRO has solved many of Lafayette’s water restoration problems for several decades. Our emergency water damage services crews are experts at:

• Stopping drips at their source.
• Performing water cleanup work, including basement flooding extraction.
• Completing water damage repairs.

The following is a brief list of the specific issues we are skilled at resolving: 

• Ceiling leaks resulting from faulty or neglected roofing, debris-clogged gutters, and drainage networks, and damaging storms.
• Compromised pipes resulting from defects, age, corrosion, blockages of various types, water pressure variations, or acts of God.
• Malfunctioning appliances, leaky water containers, and groundwater seepage leading to basement flooding.
• Water-saturated structural elements that are in danger of collapsing under their weight or as a result of future dry rot.
• Homes that have extensive damage like pervasive black mold, structure undermining dry rot, sunken floors, weakened walls, fallen ceilings, and persistent foul odors that significantly impact their livability.

Any of these water-related problems could significantly affect your home and cost you considerable time and effort to rectify. This situation could be even worse if these issues are not addressed promptly by trained cleanup and restoration professionals.

If your house ever needs water restoration work, remember that your neighbors at SERVPRO of Lafayette are always here and ready to help. Call us any time of the day or night, seven days a week, at (765) 420-0077 for fast and effective assistance.

Lafayette Residents Benefit from Swift Mold Remediation Service

2/3/2023 (Permalink)

Warmer weather brings humidity, and that can lead to mold growth. Our SERVPRO team is IICRC trained to remediate any scope of mold damage.

Fast Mold Remediation Saves Lafayette Homeowners

Spring and summer months in Lafayette can be quite humid and encourage mold development in area homes. This annual problem should be anticipated and steps like enlisting the aid of professional mold remediators should be taken. A local firm that can help is SERVPRO, one of Indiana’s most experienced mold cleanup and restoration companies.

SERVPRO has helped Lafayette homeowners with mold remediation services for over a quarter of a century. Company mold specialists have conducted countless mold inspections, completed numerous mold removal projects, performed extensive attic, bathroom, and basement mold remediation work, effectively cleaned up black mold, and done black mold damage repairs. Our IICRC trained technicians have been successful in these endeavors partially because of their diverse arsenal of powerful, commercial-grade chemical agents, including:

• Sporicides, like gluteraldehydes, which are disinfectants that control fungal spore development
• Fungicides, or agents like phenolics, that kill mold, mildew, and other fungi
• Fungistats and mildewstats, chemicals that inhibit the growth of fungi on organic materials, including paper, textiles, and leather
• Disinfectants, including chlorines, alcohols, and quaternaries, which eliminate about 99% of all microorganisms they come into contact with
• Sanitizers that reduce the number of microbes on household surfaces to a level deemed safe by public health officials
• Deodorants such as masking chemicals that cover up bad smells, pairing agents that combine with odor particles and remove them from the air, filtration & absorption compounds that absorb odorous moisture and oils, and electrically generated deodorizers like ozone gas that change the elemental structure of smelly particles

Various tools are used to treat affected areas, surfaces, and materials with these chemical agents, like:

• Automatic and manual sprayers
• Cutting-edge foggers
• High-tech injection devices
• Ozone machines

So, as you can see, SERVPRO of Lafayette is ready to help you with all of your mold remediation needs. Call us whenever you need us at (765) 420-0077.

Water Damage Repair Fixes Effects of Worst Storms in Lafayette

1/12/2023 (Permalink)

Storms offer the opportunity for water to enter your home. SERVPRO is equipped to restore any damage your home incurs. Call us today!

Twisters, Wind, Rain? You Need Water Damage Repair

Lafayette's weather includes powerful storms, and many bring tornadoes and heavy wind. Afterward, many residential and commercial properties require water damage repair work.

SERVPRO is always nearby and quick to respond to property owners in Lafayette needing water damage repair. The rain associated with these storms can cause flooding of entire neighborhoods and isolated areas. We can handle repairing damage from the severest of storms.

Some of the damage that might escape detection by a homeowner involves:

• Siding,
• Roofing, and
• Your home's foundation.

Any twisted or broken siding might allow water into your home, damage insulation, and allow vermin to enter. Sometimes, the wiring on the exterior of your house sits underneath your siding. Hiding wiring in this manner provides an uninterrupted look and gives wiring an additional layer of protection. Gaps in your siding can place hidden wiring at risk, increasing the possibility of a fire or electrical shock. Minor repairs now mean you won't need more expensive ones later.

Problems with your roof don't require a tree falling on it. High winds that carry debris can also cause problems. Small gaps can let in enormous amounts of rain, soaking your attic area and everything in it. Small spaces between shingles can allow ice dams to form. These heavy blocks of ice can ruin your roof, making the preventive steps we take now worth the investment.

Your foundation might sit below ground, out of your view when you are outside. However, look at the ground's saturation after a storm. Additional pressure is placed on your foundation walls if the soil stays soggy for a long time. Checking inside your basement for cracks, dampness, and signs of mold or mildew is a good idea because these indicate damage to your foundation.

We use heavy-duty tarps to cover any gaps within the siding or roof of your home. We clean and make minor repairs and work in tandem with highly qualified local contractors for extensive storm damage. When your basement is collecting water, we recommend the installation of a sump pump.

You can reach SERVPRO of Lafayette by calling (765) 420-0077. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Fire Damage Restoration for Smelly Issues in Lafayette's Homes

12/7/2022 (Permalink)

Soot and fire odors can be difficult to remove. Our team is trained and equipped for complete fire damage restoration.

Erasing Odor & Soot Before Fire Damage Restoration

The soot falling onto surfaces everywhere after a fire in Lafayette helps create an intensely noticeable strong acrid odor. Cleaning surfaces to remove the different kinds of soot requires fine tools, special sponges, and, sometimes, an ultrasonic bath. SERVPRO’s fire damage restoration services take care of these issues and others.

We also often use different chemical agents to break down other substances in the soot. We adapt to the situation in each home in Lafayette, providing tailored fire damage restoration services. Restoring your dwelling to a preloss condition takes skilled and trained professionals.

SERVPRO’s approach is to handle the situation in a way that helps reduce additional damage. After tarping any openings in the roof and boarding up windows and doors that we cannot otherwise secure, we start cleaning.

No matter how clean we get your house or how well-built reconstruction occurs, if your home still contains aromas from the fire, it isn’t fully restored. Fire damage restoration must address these issues, also:

• Hidden soot particles,
• Charred materials, and
• Soiled surfaces.

We use heated fogging to force binding agents to penetrate areas where soot particles remain. Once bonded at the molecular level with soot, those particles remain intact, making them too heavy to travel on air currents.

Materials like walls, wooden structures, carpeting, draperies, and personal belongings touched by the flames often require substantial repairs or the purchase of replacements. Fire changes things, not just physically but also chemically. Such items can carry unwanted health risks for your family and produce a very unpleasant smell. We bag such items, make an inventory as we do, and dispose of them after your inspection.

Soot coverage can seem slight when its density and thickness are much heavier. Cooking fires often produce almost clear soot. However, the longer soot of any type sits undisturbed, the denser it becomes. With increased density, it becomes much more difficult to remove. We tackle this problem head-on and remove it before it can harden.

SERVPRO of Lafayette can help you make it all “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (765) 420-0077 when you need fire damage restoration services.

Relative Humidity Affects Water Damage in Lafayette Offices

11/17/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO has state-of-the-art equipment for all your commercial water damage restoration needs.

Excess Humidity Slows Water Damage Drying

There is no mistaking that office cleanup after water emergencies like leaks or burst pipes requires immediate action and understanding how various types of moisture and dampness impact drying effectiveness. We must continually focus on relative humidity to efficiently restore your office to its original condition.

What is Relative Humidity?

Understanding relative humidity is essential in restoring and overcoming water damage in Lafayette office buildings. From the source of water penetration in the building to the impact of standing water and humidity on the overall drying processes, we have several factors our team must overcome to get you back in business. One of our primary focuses is relative humidity or the concentration of moisture in the environment at any time. This factor often gets measured as a percentage, with the top being air that cannot hold more water and stalling the drying process. Regulating humidity helps in three critical areas of restoring your office:

• Structure drying
• Content recovery
• Mold prevention

Using Dehumidifiers to Manage Moisture

Regulating relative humidity is a product of several tools in our inventory. We understand how important it is to keep moisture in the environment in an acceptable range to promote continued structural drying, so machines like desiccant dehumidifiers are used to begin addressing new water generated by air movers on wet surfaces. Trailered units are ideal for large office spaces, allowing several attack points to pull in damp air and exhaust warm, dry air for even more efficiency in the restoration processes.

What Are the Persistent Moisture Threats?

An essential factor to address after water emergencies is what is causing moisture damage to the structure. While SERVPRO can manage multiple drying approaches to regulate conditions, continued moisture penetration and threats create a loop of threatening situations your office might endure. Our thorough inspection process can help to assess areas like structural integrity, plumbing, and other avenues of water penetration to resolve these concerns.

Water damage to Lafayette office buildings should be handled swiftly and completely. Our SERVPRO of Lafayette team can help however you need. Call us at (765) 420-0077.

Water Mitigation at a Lafayette Property Minimizes Further Damage

10/6/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage can cause your floorboards to begin to warp, buckle or cup. SERVPRO’s team is always ready-to-go!

SERVPRO Offers Lafayette Homeowners Rapid Water Removal

You might not prevent all water damage events from occurring, but you can certainly take steps to reduce the resulting damage. Quick response after a water loss in Lafayette homes help contain the initial impact minimizing secondary damage.

A water mitigation company in Lafayette should act fast, arriving at the scene of the loss to dry things out and check the extent of moisture penetration into walls, ceiling, flooring, and other contents. Even if you cannot see pools of water, getting a professional assessment is essential because even what you cannot see can hurt you by causing secondary issues.

Secondary Moisture Damage:

• Buckled floors
• Crumbled drywall
• Mold growth

Undried areas can become breeding grounds for mold, further increasing cleanup costs. Additionally, when exposed to moisture, floorboards begin to warp, buckle or cup. A slight warping may not necessarily compromise the structural stability; however, in more severe cases, they become unsightly and difficult to repair.

Considerations During Mitigation

Mitigation Involves:

• Moisture extraction
• Moisture control
• Structural drying
• Disinfecting

Inspection and assessment are critical components of the mitigation process. SERVPRO technicians inspect the property, assessing the level and type of water damage. We take care of any necessary emergency repairs, like finding the source of the loss and fixing it to prevent further intrusion.

In the case of deep pools of standing water, our technicians expedite extraction using truck-mounted extraction systems. Our teams can also follow up the process with deep extractors such as water claws to remove any residual moisture from carpeted areas. We facilitate structural drying by setting up air movers, heavy-duty axial fans, and desiccant dehumidifiers to help with wood floor and sub-floor drying. These areas are prone to mold growth if not checked quickly.

We identify salvageable items and immediately begin the cleanup process while disinfecting all affected surfaces and materials.

SERVPRO of Lafayette stands ready to provide quick water mitigation using the best techniques, personnel, and technology, ensuring your home is clean and dry. Call us at (765) 420-0077. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

Safe Mold Removal Techniques in Lafayette with SERVPRO

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold can grow on porous and nonporous surfaces, but no worries! SERVPRO can remediate the mold.

Mold Cleanup in a Lafayette Property Requires Skills

Most homeowners cringe at just the mention of the word mold. If you notice any signs of mold growing in your Lafayette home, like a musty smell, staining, and discoloration on affected areas, taking the necessary steps to identify and remove it is essential. It causes aesthetic and structural deterioration.

Mold removal at your Lafayette property is not something you should perform on your own, especially if the levels are high. Removing it is challenging and requires specific equipment, training, and certification to do the job correctly. SERVPRO technicians have experience removing and cleaning up mold from an indoor environment.

We Can Safely Address the Problem Through:

• Source identification
• Containments
• Antimicrobial application
• Removal and cleanup of porous materials

Usually, the most effective way to ensure proper remediation is by getting rid of compromised materials and contents per industry standards. Removing things may involve drywall, insulation, carpet, wood trim, and even some furniture. Our IICRC trained SERVPRO technicians safely wrap and discard any soiled belongings that we cannot thoroughly clean, such as those made of porous materials.

Removing Mold Safely

SERVPRO implements controls and containment to prevent cross-contamination of unaffected areas of your home by establishing negative pressure and using HEPA-filtered vacuums to collect residues. Our technicians thoroughly clean all surfaces and apply specialized solutions such as sporicides to limit further growth. We take caution with cleaners since combining bleach and ammonia creates toxic vapors.

Colonies can also develop on nonporous surfaces such as sinks, metal, glass, tubs, tiles, and toilets. Our SERVPRO technicians often damp wipe these nonporous areas using antimicrobial cleaners. This method is effective in removing mold without spending too much time.

Other Methods for Mold Cleanup:

• Air scrubbing
• Dry ice blasting
• Sanding

SERVPRO of Lafayette can help when you need assistance with mold removal within your property. Call us at (765) 420-0077. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.

The Impacts of Flood Damage on Lafayette Properties

9/9/2022 (Permalink)

Flooding causes hazards. Don’t go it alone – call SERVPRO. Our team is trained and equipped to safely dry and restore your home.

SERVPRO Helps Mitigate Damage from a Flood in Lafayette

Floods can strike in many ways, from strong storms to broken levees to snowmelt, and are difficult to predict. Therefore, most States always have some response plan, but it only covers some general aspects. When your Lafayette home is flooded, it is essential to determine its safety before rushing to begin the cleanup, as there can be unseen hazards.

Flood damage cleanup in Lafayette can be a tedious task, and you might get to a point where you realize the job is too big for one individual. Usually, there is more than just water to worry about as floodwaters ferry all the gross stuff. When they recede, they leave mud and silt behind in your home. SERVPRO has the necessary tools and supplies for the task. In this case, our crews use shovels or rakes to remove wet silt and debris, moving it safely away from your property.

Forms of Hazards:

• Structural hazards
• Electrical hazards
• Biohazards

Floodwaters and strong winds can blow down power lines. Also, rushing water can erode the ground around buried utilities, thus causing breaks in gas mains. It is crucial to check for gas leaks outside your home and any dangling electrical wires.

Flood Repair

Restoration After a Flood May Require:

• Removing damaged drywall
• Removing flooring
• Checking appliances
• Moisture monitoring and control

The water causes varying degrees of damage depending on its severity affecting floors, walls, or contents such as furniture. Though they might be dry to the touch, they can harbor mold growth. A moisture meter is a great accessory as it helps detect dampness that cannot be visually observed. If the drywall has more than 10 square feet of water damage, SERVPRO technicians may have to cut the wet panels away. The cut is positioned a few inches above the visible water line. If the insulation behind is damp, we need to remove that, too.

Removing ceramic tile, laminate, sheet vinyl, and wood floors is necessary after flooding because moisture and silt collect underneath them, causing mold to grow. SERVPRO teams ensure that everything is clean and dry before installing new flooring.

SERVPRO of Lafayette provides cleanup after flood damage making it “Like it never even happened.” You can reach us at (765) 420-0077 for immediate cleaning.

Why SERVPRO Techs Use Different Mold Removal Methods in Lafayette

8/24/2022 (Permalink)

Our highly trained team knows how to safely remediate mold. Call us today!

SERVPRO Crews Suit Up for Mold Removal

Not wanting to continue smelling that distinctive odor caused by microbial overgrowth, homeowners in Lafayette opt for mold removal services to get their homes clean again. Since each home differs from the next one, SERVPRO needs various methods to make our work more efficient and cost-effective.

Our mold removal methods in Lafayette target the precise location, material, and environment to better serve our customers. We would not use the same techniques on the dry mold that we would use with mold in a moister, damper environment. We want to remove microbes in a way that contains them and their spores. We take cross-contamination very seriously, so we wear full-body suits, masks, and gloves – our personal protective equipment (PPE).

To protect your home from spores that can begin a new mold colony, our IICRC trained techs  include these in our mold removal services:

• Chambered sections of your home with plastic sheeting,
• Vacuuming up mold particles and spores with vacuums that have HEPA filtrations systems, and
• Detection and elimination of damp areas in your residence.

Mold particles and spores can quickly become airborne and find their way to other areas of a house. Plastic sheeting creates a barrier, making it much more difficult for microbes and their spores to reach new areas of the home.

HEPA filters help us capture and remove mold from your home even more. Standard filters cannot do this and fail to perform at the required level. Keeping track of mold is difficult because of its microscopic size, so we must depend on trusted equipment and devices to do this for us.

With specialized cameras that detect the differences in surface temperature, we can visually see where damper areas exist inside your residence. Following these moisture pockets back to their source, we can eliminate them and restore more arid conditions. A drier environment helps reduce the ability of microbes to overgrow.

SERVPRO of Lafayette can answer your questions at our emergency services line, (765) 420-0077.