Are you Hiring an IICRC Certified Company?

9/30/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of North Huntsville is an IICRC Certified Firm

SERVPRO of North Huntsville is an IICRC certified 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 North Huntsville

SERVPRO of North Huntsville 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.

Call SERVPRO of North Huntsville Today! Reach us anytime day or night at (256) 534-1177, we are always here to help!

"Like it never even happened."

4 types of Air Scrubbers we use.

6/24/2020 (Permalink)

Air Scrubbers

Do you ever wonder why Fire and Water Damage Restoration Professionals use Air Scrubbers or Negative Air Machines on a fire, mold or water clean-up job? 

These devices are utilized to clean the air from the odors and toxic gases that are left over after the fire has been extinguished or the residual odors from a water loss. Also on mold remediation jobs they help clean the air of airborne mold spores and other contaminants in the air. 

This machine also creates a safe working environment for the work crews and also can prevent damage from spreading to other structural building materials and to help limit contents from absorbing the odors. 

This is achieved by changing over the air in the damaged structure at a minimum of three to four times per hour.  We accomplish this by setting up the machines under positive air flow or negative air flow.  Which type of air flow needed is determined by the severity of the job.  This ultimately helps our cleaning crews reduce or eliminate smoke or soot residue, ash particles and residues which are present after a fire. 

In order to remove airborne particles from the surrounding environment, an air scrubber draws the air through a series of filters. Each filter stage operates with progressively higher efficiency. The net effect is to produce the cleanest air possible at the highest rate of airflow through the entire filter system. These air scrubbers are equipped with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters along with 2 other filters. The air scrubbers will filter out 99.97% of the air down to 0.3 microns.

These air scrubbers are commonly used on mold remediation, water damages, fire damages, sewage damages, odors, dust control and bio-hazard jobs.

Mold Testing in Your Home or Business

11/11/2019 (Permalink)

Doing air sampling for mold in a Huntsville home.

Do you wonder what that weird looking spot on your wall in the basement is? Perhaps your curious if your home contains any mold currently and what affect that may have on you and your family? Is your business in an older building with a history of flooding or leak issues? We here at SERVPRO of North Huntsville can do a mold inspection/testing in your home.

Using our mold testing equipment, we can use various methods of figuring out what kind of mold and how much is present in your home or business. Air samples taken will reveal mold spore counts for various areas of your home or business. Also, air quality tests allow a mold report to be provided which will let the insured know the type of mold present as well as the spore count of the area affected. Surface samples identify if dust particles contain mold spores and what kinds of mold are present. Swab samples or tape lifts can be done to also identify mold (or potential mold) that is visible on the surface. We usually receive the results back within 48 hours of sending them to the lab.

If you’re concerned about mold or the potential for it in your home or business give us a call today at 256-534-1177.

4 Reasons You Shouldn't Trust a Home Testing Kit

6/13/2019 (Permalink)

If you suspect mold growth in your home, you may want to have mold testing done.

There's been a musty smell lingering in your Huntsville, AL home, so you decide to do some investigation. After a preliminary search of the house, you can't find any mold. You decide to get a DIY mold test kit to get to the bottom of your dilemma. You follow all of the steps and your results are in. There's mold in your house! While this may be true, a home mold testing kit actually isn't that accurate. Here are four reasons you should work with a mold remediation team instead.

1. Mold spores exist everywhere. They float around indoors and outdoors. When a mold kit comes back positive, it could mean there's growth in your house, but the kit could also be picking up the naturally occurring spores from the air.
2. You don't know how old the tests are. Most mold testing kits don't use a dating system. This means your kit could have been sitting on warehouse and store shelves for years. The longer a product like this lies around unused the greater chance it has been contaminated. The positive results could be from mold spores that found their way into the box years ago.
3. The findings aren't explained. When you work with a professional team, you can get all your questions answered. The experts can go over the meaning of the results and help you understand what your next move should be. A mold kit, however, simply comes back as positive or negative without much explanation.
4. It won't tell you where the mold is. Even if the test results are accurate, you still don't know where to look to find the growth. Sure, it might help you find out there's mold growth, but it doesn't help you get any closer to a solution.

If you suspect there's mold growth in your home, you may want to have mold testing done. Here at SERVPRO of North Huntsville we offer mold testing and will be glad to go over the test results with you. The following are samples that may be taken: Air samples will reveal mold spore counts that are in the air and what types of mold are present in various areas of your home or business. Surface samples identify if dust particles contain mold spores and what kinds of molds are present. Swab tests or tape lifts (surface samples) can be done to identify mold (or potential mold) that is visible on the surface.

Contact our office today at 256-534-1177 with any questions or to schedule an appointment for an inspection.

Always here to help

2/11/2019 (Permalink)

Always here to help!

A trusted leader in the industry with over 1,700 franchises, when tragedy strikes SERVPRO® is always here to help. 

SERVPRO® of North Huntsville has been serving the community since 1998. We are dedicated to helping our customers when disaster strikes and the need arises for professional cleaning or emergency restoration service. Helping to make it “Like it never even happened.” we are ready 24/7, 365 days of the year, at (256) 534-1177.

Our crews are readily available to assist in any size disaster, whether it is a water, mold, or fire damage. We also provide, duct cleaning, bio-hazard clean-up, vandalism clean-up and other cleaning services for your home and business. Our trucks stay stocked and ready to roll at all times.

Winter Storms in North Huntsville

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

We are no stranger to winter storms in North Huntsville, even if they are few and far between! 

Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms and blizzards can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice, and high winds. A winter storm can:

• Last a few hours or several days;
• Knock out heat, power, and communication services; and
• Place older adults, young children, and sick individuals at greater risk.

IF YOU ARE UNDER A WINTER STORM WARNING, FIND SHELTER RIGHT AWAY

• Stay off roads.
• Stay indoors and dress warmly.
• Prepare for power outages.
• Use generators outside only and away from windows.
• Listen for emergency information and alerts.
• Look for signs of hypothermia and frostbite.
• Check on neighbors.

https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather

Power Outages in North Huntsville

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

If you follow along with our winter weather blogs, you know that power outages go right along with this type of event. We want you to be cautious and prepare for the worst. 

Extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy. A power outage is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly. A power outage may:

• Disrupt communications, water, and transportation.

• Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services.

• Cause food spoilage and water contamination.

• Prevent use of medical devices.

PROTECT YOURSELF DURING A POWER OUTAGE:

• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.

• Only use generators outdoors and away from windows.

• Do not use a gas stove to heat your home.

• Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.

• Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.

• If safe, go to an alternate location for heat or cooling.

• Check on neighbors.

https://www.ready.gov/power-outages

For Immediate Service in Huntsville, Call SERVPRO of North Huntsville

12/6/2017 (Permalink)

Our trucks are stocked and ready to roll at all times.

Huntsville Residents: We provide immediate service day or night!

SERVPRO of North Huntsville provides 24-hour emergency service and is dedicated to being faster to any-sized disaster in Huntsville. 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 

(256) 534-1177

Residential Services

Whether your Huntsville home or business needs emergency flood damage or mold remediation, 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
• Mold Testing
• Media Blasting
• Storm Damage Restoration
• Cleaning Services
• Bio-Hazard & Crime Scene Clean-up
• Vandalism Clean-up

Commercial Services

There's never a convenient time for fire or water damage to strike your Huntsville 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