Archived Fire Damage Blog Posts
Cleaning Middletown Fire Damage without Delay
7/14/2022 (Permalink)
Removing all traces of fire damage is challenging. You can rely on our team in Middletown to completely restore your home.
Our Fast-Responding SERVPRO Team Handles Middletown Fire Damage
One of the unique attributes of our SERVPRO restoration team is our continual availability. As the roster grows, there is no time of the day when experienced fire restoration professionals are not available to help with emergencies. We are a trusted name in recovery and cleanup, having a team comprised of multiple accreditations and certifications from the IICRC, such as:
- FSRT – Fire Restoration
- UFT – Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning
- CCT – Carpet Cleaning
- OCT – Odor Control
- ASD – Applied Structural Drying
Addressing fire damage in Middletown homes encourages a combination of fast action to mitigate loss and calculated restoration processes capable of protecting the structure and its contents from irreparable harm.
What Caused the Fire?
The underlying cause of the fire can often give responding technicians an idea of the type of damage to expect throughout the property. Additional factors include:
Depending on the affected combusted materials and the type of fire, the composition of the soot and smoke deposits on surfaces can change dramatically.
The type of surface impacted by fires and smoke directly changes the required restoration practice to return to preloss condition. Soft materials, for example, cannot often endure harsh alkaline cleaners and aggressive cleaning treatments.
We must be mindful of when additional damages exist beyond the immediate impact and influence of the fire itself. Beyond smoke damage and soot deposits, building materials and house contents can also be damaged by water used to put out the fire.
Another critical decision is whether or not affected contents, or building materials are worth preserving and restoring. Elements like drywall, for example, are often cheaper to replace than to take the time involved to dry, clean, and repaint the smoke-damaged surfaces.
Focuses on Efficient Fire Damage Cleanup
The restoration process has multiple pressing concerns, so removing fire damage directly correlates to several specific focuses of responding technicians. These efforts are necessary to restore comfortable living conditions for the household and prevent the situation from worsening as the restoration processes continue. Specific focuses include:
Removing debris and ash from the floors and horizontal surfaces of the household is a necessary first step in mitigating losses and preventing further fire damage to a residence.
Partial combustion can create smoke solids that become a formidable obstacle for restoration professionals. Soot deposits on surfaces require a combination of cleaning practices to resolve in many cases. Depending on the composition of the residues, they might require aggressive measures like controlled demolition.
Malodors are created by the same processes that generate soot damage, but these molecules and compounds can often travel much farther than smoke solids. We have effective deodorization practices and products to neutralize offensive smells after extinguishment.
Our general contractor license proves beneficial when repairs, build-back, or other reconstruction efforts are necessary. The destructive capacities of fires leave homes needing some degree of repair in many cases.
SERVPRO is Ready to Help
Having a team prepared at all times for emergencies helps to protect your home or business from otherwise avoidable harm. As with all disasters and restoration needs, the faster our experienced professionals can reach the damaged site, the better it can do for the property. As a preferred insurance vendor for the area, many companies reach out to our administration even while the fire is still being extinguished to ensure we are ready to enter and mitigate loss as soon as we have clearance from the first responders.
When fire damage in Middletown homes and businesses occurs, you can trust in the experience and fast response of our SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain team. Our FSRT-Certified professionals are ready to help 24/7 at (860) 826-5169.
How to Restore Fire Damaged Wooden Surfaces in Your Middletown Home
7/13/2022 (Permalink)
When fire damages your home, SERVPRO is always on call to restore your home. Call us today!
Restoring Wooden Finishes and Furniture after Fire Damage in Middleton
Contents cleaning can become an arduous task after a fire in your home. Since you are dealing with many different types of material, your choice of cleaning method and the product is correctly is essential. Many wood surfaces in your home, such as tabletops, cabinets, bookshelves, or chests, may have a finish of lacquer, varnish paint, or wax. These finishes can make woods more resistant to heat or smoke, and odor. However, the type of finish can have a limiting effect on the cleaning products we can use to remove soots or other types of damage.
When wooden furnishings are affected by fire damage in your Middleton home, there are many different considerations for a restorer. While some areas of the furniture may have to finish, others may not. Unfinished wood, likely to be in the interior of cabinets, absorbs smoke and odor more quickly because it is naturally porous. However, finishes themselves may wear away in the presence of a fire, which leads to spotting staining or discoloration.
SERVPRO technicians can inspect furnishings on-site to understand the breadth of the fire damage. When inspecting a piece of wood, we are looking for both the extent of blistering- which can occur when exposed to high heat levels- and staining. Blistering may present itself as a scorch mark on the surface of the wood, wear away the finish and allow particles to enter the wood pores. Staining may be when the finish remains intact, but wet particles from synthetic smokes could permanently stain the surface.
When there is significant blistering or staining, SERVPRO may need to refinish the furniture to provide an even color balance across the furniture and return it to a pre-damaged condition. Refinishing involves removing soot, soiling, and finish from the furniture altogether. Dry smokes can often need vacuuming. However, wet-smoke damages may need dissolving in a solvent to remove them effectively. Once the surface is clean, we sand it down using either hand-held sandpaper or through soda and sandblasting machines. The sanded surface often needs refinishing to provide an even coloring and finish similar to how the furnishing was before the fire.
Managing and restoring furniture requires expertise; contact SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169.
Fire Restoration in Middletown Properties - SERVPRO Can Help
6/15/2022 (Permalink)
Don’t let your property be a victim of fire damage, SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain is only a call away.
Fire Damage Repair After an Incident in Middletown
Any negligence in the kitchen can lead to a fire. For example, you may leave a gas knob unknowingly turned on. Later, if you bring a lighter close to the stove, a fire ignites suddenly. What could have been a routine day at your home instantly becomes a disaster. Cleaning up the aftermath can be a bigger hassle.
Even if the damage may not look severe, having professionals manage fire damage restoration is paramount as they help check for damages in hidden areas, including the electrical system. The SERVPRO, the Middletown fire restorations team, is available 24/7 with powerful tools and processes to restore your home to a preloss state as soon as possible.
Hidden areas prone to smoke damage:
- Gas lines
- Ductwork
- Crevices
Cleaning Porous Wooden Surfaces
Cleaning requirements usually vary depending on the severity of the fire. Smoke and soot deposits attach to surfaces and fabrics in other areas of your home. Unfinished wood, for example, the insides of cabinets, does not have a protective sealer or varnish; hence more vulnerable to smoke or soot damage than finished wood. These surfaces absorb a lot of soot and smoke residues, making them very difficult to clean.
When cleaning unfinished wood, it is advisable to eliminate loose soot using a dry sponge before wiping the surface with a cloth dipped in a cleaning solution. A clean water rinse follows before lightly sanding the areas with fine-grit sandpaper to remove any remaining soot stains.
Cleaning Up After A Kitchen Fire May Entail:
- Identifying salvageable and unsalvageable items
- Removing kitchen cabinets and drawers to access the interior space
- Wiping down stainless steel appliances, plastic, and painted surfaces
- Sanding away charred areas and soot stains
SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain has specialized cleaning materials and the extensive experience required to complete fire restoration efficiently. Call us at (860) 826-5169. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Fire Restoration in New Britain Homes Calls for Expertise
3/13/2022 (Permalink)
Electrical fires can happen quickly and leave lots of debris in your home. Our certified technicians are standing by 24/7 - 365 days a year.
Trust SERVPRO for Fire Restoration in Your New Britain Home
My home has sustained fire damage after an electrical fault. There is debris, soot, ash, smoke odors, and water from fire extinguishing efforts. I need help from a restoration team that can eliminate all the damage. Who can I trust?
After a fire damage incident in your house, you can hire SERVPRO. Regardless of the magnitude of the destruction, we have the expertise required to perform fire restoration in New Britain homes. Our restorers can work fast to prevent further losses.
Our restoration process can include these steps:
- Assessment
- Securing the property
- Cleanup and odor removal
- Repairs
Assessment
Fire restoration starts with knowing the severity of the destruction. Our SERVPRO restorers consider how deeply the fire penetrated the structure of a home and how much soot is covering the affected surfaces. We also consider if the furniture, walls, and fixtures display signs of heat damage.
Securing the property
Preventing additional damage from taking place after a fire is a priority. Our SERVPRO team can protect your property from further damage by plugging up any holes.
Clean up and odor removal
It is challenging to clean out the soot and smoke on your own. The staining that takes place during a fire often gets beyond the surface. We can carry out activities like sandblasting, deep scrubbing, and refinishing to eliminate the smoke residues.
Our SERVPRO team can use Vaportek units to remove unpleasant odors. A Vaportek system is a compound of natural oils sealed into a membrane. The compound’s ingredients volatilize into the air that passes through the membrane. Air currents distribute the Vaportek molecules that react with and neutralize odor molecules upon contact.
Repairs
We can handle the effects of fire damage such as bubbling and blistering of the paint on ceilings and walls by scraping and repainting the surfaces. For finished wood surfaces, our restorers can strip, sand, and refinish the wood.
If you need fire damage restoration services, call SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Cut Down on Fire Restoration Costs in New Britain with Skilled Technicians
2/25/2022 (Permalink)
After a fire incident, you want help from the experts. SERVPRO is Here to Help.
New Britain Residents Count on SERVPRO for Efficient Fire Restoration Service
When it comes to house fire cleanup, many New Britain homeowners may not realize that there can be so much hidden damage. Particles from smoke and soot wave their way into HVAC systems and nooks and crannies – leaving behind foul odors as a reminder of the fire emergency that broke out. Not only that, but homeowners also have to think about water and chemicals left by first responders doing their job to extinguish the fire. These various elements come together to create a perfect storm that leaves DIY cleanup efforts lacking. Rather than wasting time or money on restoration, SERVPRO has a skilled team ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice.
We take each project seriously with each call we receive for fire restoration in New Britain and the surrounding areas. SERVPRO is known for proven methods and tailored planning to scope the damage and handle all hazards so that we can safely and efficiently get the results you deserve. We know that there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to fire-damaged homes, so we plan accordingly, and We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster!
We have a range of cleaning techniques in our arsenal, but you may see us doing some of the following when at your property:
- Wet or dry cleaning methods with the help of vacuums, brushes, or soft cloths
- Hand-rinsing or washing contents that are unable to get saturated with water and cleaning agents
- Applying absorption powders on items too fragile to get exposed to agitation or chemicals
- Foam cleaning on items susceptible to damage from excessive moisture
- Thermal fogging equipment puts out a fine mist that bonds with odorous particulates, making them easier to remove
- Immersion cleaning for small items able to withstand saturation
We fight tough odors and handle charred debris so that you do not have to here at SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain. Call (860) 826-5169 to dispatch our crew to your property to begin fire restoration efforts.
Professional Middletown Restoration for Fire Damage and Smoke Odors
2/15/2022 (Permalink)
You can depend on our SERVPRO teams to cleanup and restore your property and personal belongings after a fire takes place.
Don’t DIY – Call SERVPRO in Middletown for Help with Fire Damage Fast
House fire cleanup is the type of stress that no property owner ever wants to face. Not only is it extremely heartbreaking to see your charred belongings, but you then have to worry about water removal services, odor control, and disposal of all of the mess. SERVPRO is here 24/7 to help Middletown residents that get caught up in the chaos of a house fire. Rather than trying to take on the DIY approach, fire damaged homes fare better with the help of skilled fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT) to make it “Like it never even happened.”
Have you experienced an electrical fire that left your Middletown home with fire damage? Maybe you had a basement fire, and now you have smoke odors throughout other levels of your home. SERVPRO features skilled technicians ready to tackle your project no matter the situation. When you call us for fire restoration, you will have:
- Quick mobilization of our crew and Green Fleet
- A total assessment and inspection of all fire damage
- Board up and tarping services, as needed
- Water removal services and drying to address moisture left from first responders extinguishing the fire
- Smart remediation to address stubborn soot and smoke
- Odor Control Technicians (OCT) to help ensure no pungent odors linger as a reminder of the fire
- Debris removal and controlled demolition to ensure everything gets back to pre-fire condition
You will already have enough on your mind when dealing with a fire at your home. SERVPRO takes away the burden of cleanup so that you and your family can start to get your life back to normal. We even take the time to ensure all your paperwork is in order so that your insurance claim goes as smoothly as possible.
SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain is there whenever you need assistance with fire damage. Call us for emergency response by dialing (860) 826-5169!
Can New Britain Home Fire Restoration Save Soot-Stained Walls?
10/22/2021 (Permalink)
Our fire damage cleanup team is ready to tackle any smoke and soot in your home. Call us today!
SERVPRO Fire Restoration Strategies Eliminate New Britain Home Smoke Damage
Fire damage, no matter the extent, has few options readily available to consumers for effective cleanup. Due to the chemical nature of soot and its tendency to corrode metals upon exposure to moisture, New Britain homeowners are advised to leave their cleanup needs to licensed professionals.
New Britain SERVPRO fire restoration technicians possess cutting-edge tools and extensive training in fire inspection, cleanup, and rebuilding residential properties. This service is available 24/7, including holidays and weekends.
Cleaning From Ceiling to Floor
Fire damage cleanup crews strive to be as efficient as possible during mitigation. This meticulous, tried-and-true process serves multiple purposes. Working from ceiling to floor to remove progressively heavier damage from a structure saves time and resources. This process also prevents potential secondary losses from the accidental spread of soot and soils during cleaning.
For light cleaning of surface-level fire damage soils, technicians can:
- Use Crumbly Cleaner, a unique dry cleaning modality that crumbles as it absorbs soot and soils from walls
- Manually clean surfaces with EPA-registered wet sanitation solutions
- Gently agitate surfaces with dry cleaning sponges, dust cloths, and other dry cleaning methods
- Vacuum dropped soils and residues with a HEPA-filter vacuum that catches particles as small as 0.3 microns, making it well-suited for soot removal
After cleaning, technicians can perform odor control measures, including thermal fogging, HVAC cleaning, placing trays of scented granules near vent intakes, and repainting drywall.
Property owners can reach SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169 for We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster services.
Can a Middletown Home be Restored After Fire Damage?
9/30/2021 (Permalink)
Fire damage can be hazardous to your family. SERVPRO uses the latest technology and equipment for every disaster. Call now!
An Expert Fire Restoration Crew can Make an Assessment of the Fire Damage and Proceed with Restoration.
One of the most common causes of fires in Middletown homes is kitchen accidents. Grease fires can happen quickly and leave significant debris behind. Appliances such as ovens, microwaves, and ranges are usually part of the unfortunate incident, but it is not uncommon for fires to start in trash compactors and dishwashers.
When Middletown homeowners need fire damage restoration services, they can call SERVPRO for expert advice. Our team of certified technicians puts its experience and training at your service for smoke remediation and fire damage restoration. As we inspect the home, we determine the types of cleaning solutions and equipment we need based on relevant factors such as the nature of the fuel (protein-based vs. manmade, for example). Each residue is different and responds to specific cleaning agents and techniques.
Although SERVPRO is here to help, there are some steps you can take to help, including the following-
- Try to minimize your movement throughout the home to avoid soot from traveling and sinking further into carpets and upholstery.
- Place towels or other fabric to step on for high-traffic areas instead of stepping directly onto the soiled floors.
- Avoid the application of shampoo and cleaners until our technicians arrive. They can help determine the correct type of cleaner and application for an efficient restoration.
- Don’t eat any food in the home, particularly if it is close to the flames.
SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain is your ally when fire damage occurs. Call us at (860) 826-5169 as soon as you face the emergency, and let us do what we do best. We are committed to doing our best to leave your home “Like it never even happened.”
Can Fire Damage Restoration Help Reinstate the Visual Appeal of My Middletown House?
8/10/2021 (Permalink)
Removing all traces of a fire is difficult. You can rely on our team to completely restore your home!
SERVPRO Uses Different Fire Restoration Approaches to Fix Any Damage at your House
You might feel lucky that the fire incident at your Middletown home does not involve the significant burning of structural materials and contents. That joy may be short-lived when you examine the visual changes left by the heat and soot. Professional cleaning and other restorative procedures can eliminate blemishes and traces of soiling, “Like it never even happened.”
Even when dealing with superficial changes, fire damage restoration varies for Middletown properties depending on the specifics of the fire loss. Fires can be hotter or cooler depending on what sparks them and the materials they burn. For instance, flash fires, from the ignition of highly combustible materials, burn hotly. The scorching fires leave drier residues but also cause heat damage such as blistering. Cooler fires leave wet residues.
Fire Restoration Technicians from SERVPRO receive training that helps them adapt to any situation.
Fire restoration training covers many areas, including:
Restoring the preloss visual appeal of your property involves mainly the removal of fire residues like soot and reversing changes such as charring or staining. Cleaning plays a significant role. However, it is essential to use the right approach that does not set or spread the soils.
The typical cleaning actions include:
- Mechanical action to dislodge soils
- Lubrication to break the contact between the soil and the affected surface
- Suspension and dispersion
- Chemical action in which one substance synthesizes another
One of the crucial aspects determining the outcome is the level of patience exercised when using the different restoration techniques. Since our SERVPRO teams have several technicians, we can allow sufficient time for each process without affecting the overall timelines.
SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain has significant experience handling fire damage restoration processes. Call us at (860) 826-5169 for tailored solutions that reinstate preloss conditions.
When Is the Right Time to Call Professional Restorers for Fire Damage Restoration in Middletown?
5/15/2021 (Permalink)
Fire damage restoration by SERVPRO is second to none. Call now!
Call Certified Restorers Like SERVPRO within 24 Hours to Handle Fire Damage in Your Middletown Home
The secondary damages of fire begin after the firefighters extinguish the flames. Smoke and soot residues can discolor your walls and porous surfaces including carpets, and furniture. Involving professional restorers like SERVPRO on time can help minimize the damage and get your property to its preloss state.
Precautions to take after a fire
Fire damage in your Middletown residence can affect the structure and house items severely. However, after the unfortunate incident, you can set things in motion and by conducting the restoration process. You can help prevent another situation from escalating and minimize further damages from occurring. After the incident, it is crucial to take some precautions, including:
- Contacting your insurance company.
- Avoid getting into contact with the affected surfaces.
- Securing your essential documents.
Since soot and smoke residues can settle on any surface, SERVPRO technicians clean any surface, including the one that moisture can damage, such as upholstery and furniture. We can use deep sponges and shampoo super concentrate to clean the smoke residues. The products can leave your furniture clean and reduce the chances of the surface holding moisture.
How SERVPRO technicians deal with persisting smoke odors
SERVPRO technicians are always thorough when cleaning and drying our customer’s property. The odors can hide in confined places and continue to persist. We can use an ozone machine to get rid of the odors. The equipment generates an unstable gas of oxygen molecules that reacts with the odor-causing molecules to remove the odors. We remove materials made of natural rubber to protect them from breaking down.
Even a small fire can cause significant damage in your house if not handled professionally. Call SERVPRO of Middletown New Britain, at (860) 826-5169 to get your home to its pre-damage condition. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Where Can Homeowners Seek Help When Fire Damage Occurs in New Britain?
4/29/2021 (Permalink)
New Britain Homeowers Deserve SERVPRO services for house fire clean up.
Hire an Experienced Restorer Like SERVPRO to Perform Fire Damage Restoration in New Britain Homes
After a devastating fire, most property owners are left confused about where to begin the fire restoration process. However, they need to take action fast since the secondary damages of fire begin immediately. After the unfortunate incident happens, contact SERVPRO technicians to help you get your property back to normal safely and quickly.
Do SERVPRO restorers work with the property owner’s insurance company?
At SERVPRO, we aim to make fire damage restoration in New Britain properties is hassle-free for our customers. To ensure our customers be eligible for compensation, we help in recording the damage and providing a Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS.) This service can simplify the clai process for you and your insurer.
How do restorers clean affected surfaces?
We can clean affected areas using special skills and products. The fire and smoke restoration process depend on the intensity of the damage. Our restorers evaluate several issues during the inspection process, including:
- Smoke residues
- Preexisting damage
- Water damage
- Heat damage
We offer the following services to restore fire-damaged homes.
- Fire damage restoration
- Fire and smoke damage remediation
We can use the wall and all surface cleaner, a slightly alkaline product, and a cloth to clean the affected surfaces. After cleaning, our technicians can use dry mist air freshener- ocean breeze to deodorize your home.
After the flames are out, the secondary damages of the fire begin to take effect. Contact SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169 for efficient fire damage restoration. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Quick and Effective Professional Fire Restoration in Middletown Properties
4/18/2021 (Permalink)
IF your Middletown home looks like this Photo, call SERVPRO for house fire cleanup and restoration
Contact SERVPRO Restorers to Perform Fire Damage Cleanup in Your Middletown Home
Situated in Middlesex County along the Connecticut River, Middletown is around sixteen miles from Hartford City. The city is home to a population of 47,648, according to the 2010 census.
Originally, the first settlers developed the city as a sailing port on the Connecticut River and then as an industrial center. However, the region is now largely residential.
The city’s downtown on Main Street is a popular dining, retail, and bar district close to Wesleyan University. Middletown is considered the southernmost city in the Metropolitan Region of Hartford-Springfield Knowledge Corridor with a combined population of 1.9 million people.
Middletown is home to Wesley University, the top liberal arts college in the United States. It is also home to a wide range of attractions, including:
- Zipline adventures
- Scenic ranches
- Historic attractions
- State parks
Places to visit in Middletown city
Kidcity Children’s Museum
The museum provides kids between the ages of one and seven with all manner of imaginative play. Kidcity’s in-house artists design every exhibit in the facility to provide unique features and inspire playfulness in people of all ages.
Empower Leadership Sports and Adventure Center
The facility has a wide range of outdoor adventures that tourists can choose from. Some of the activities available include:
- Scavenger hunts
- Half a mile of ziplining
- Aerial adventures
- Tree climbing
- Combination adventures
The center provides visitors of all levels with memorable and exciting outdoor adventure experiences.
Van Vleck Observatory
Wesleyan University owns and operates the facility constructed in 1914. It is named after former head professor John M. Van Vleck in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy. The facility has three telescopes, including a 16-inch telescope and a 20-inch one that visitors use during public observation nights every week. The third is a 24-inch telescope limited to researchers only.
Dart Island State Park
This recreational area is open to the public of Middletown, Connecticut. The facility sits on a nineteen-acre undeveloped piece of land on a sandbar island. Located in the middle of the Connecticut River, the facility is only be accessed by boat. The Island has a wooded area filled with various trees such as willow, maple, and poplar.
How do SERVPRO’s technicians conduct house fire cleanup in Middletown homes?
At SERVPRO, we equip our highly trained restorers with the best and up-to-date equipment to ensure our restoration process is effective and quick. We respond to our customers' emergency calls within the shortest time possible to prevent further fire and smoke damage.
Our restorers have successfully restored thousands of fire-damaged homes, making us one of the most experienced restorers in the fire restoration industry in the Merrimack area.
With our advanced equipment and decades of experience, we can restore various affected surfaces and possessions. SERVPRO technicians can use various tools to remove smoke residues on surfaces that require mild agitation. Our restorers can use:
- Feather duster on hard-surface furniture with excess residues.
- Paintbrushes for brushing residues from ornamental and decorative areas of hard-surfaces.
- Vacuum loose smoke particles and heavy deposits from walls and ceiling surfaces.
The advanced equipment and innovative skills help SERVPRO technicians to restore properties within the shortest time.
After a fire loss, contact SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain to restore your property to its pre-fire state. Our 24-hour helpline is (860) 826-5169. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.
Enjoy a Day with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Middletown
12/14/2020 (Permalink)
Come Visit with Mr. & Mrs. Clause in Middletown.
Bring Your Family and Spend the Day with Santa and Mrs. Claus in Middletown This Festive Season
Have fun with the Santas this festive season with your family and friends. The event is meant to bring magic This Christmas season for children of all ages. On December 19, it takes place at Lyman Orchards Golf Course, 1741 Pub and Grill, starting from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Bring your cameras to capture This special occasion with Santa. Attendees can enjoy all kinds of meals from the a la carte menu, which include:
- Nutella and Marshmallow Breakfast Pizza
- Candy Cane pancakes with Maple Syrup
- Strawberry Snowman French Toast
The menu has a wide range of other delicious meals. The event organizers are following all cleaning and sanitizing protocols. The set guidelines for these uncertain times, including social distancing and the use of masks, are all in place for guests' safety.
SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain welcomes you to the festive holiday brunch. If you have fire damage in your Middletown home, we can help you to restore it. Talk to us today at (860) 826-5169.
Find a Way to Stay Fit and Meet Your New Britain Community
11/16/2020 (Permalink)
New Britain properties get help from SERVPRO for fire damage restoration after the fire trucks leave
Running, jogging, and walking are ways that people can let off some steam and work to get in shape, and many from New Britain are enjoying the CommUNITY Run.
When you get out in the fresh air and set your mind on the tasks of running the 3-5 mile course laid out, you need some determination and encouragement to see it through. The CommUNITY Runs are all about networking people together from New Britain and Hartford to Middletown and beyond. Even with the pandemic restrictions affecting every live event, precautions and preventive measures exist to keep the runs going safely.
Runs begin at 6:30 now that events have been opened up to groups of 100 people in Connecticut. Just sign in and get your route and start walking, jogging, or sprinting your way through it with so many others from the community.
If you are racing around to find the best restoration professionals for fire and smoke cleanup in New Britain homes, you can count on our SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain. We are available 24/7 at (860) 826-5169.
Why Do Kitchen Fires Produce Such Strong Smoke?
10/9/2020 (Permalink)
Grease fires create a soot residue that is difficult to remove. We are equipped to have your kitchen back to the business of cooking in no time.
SERVPRO is Here for Help with Damage and Tough Smoke Odors After Your New Britain Kitchen Fire
An unexpected fire inside your New Britain kitchen can bring a great deal of stress, devastation, and pungent odors. Whether the fire started while cooking a meal or you had an issue with an unattended candle or faulty appliance, cleanup is best when handled by skilled fire and smoke restoration technicians (FSRT). SERVPRO offers 24-hour emergency cleanup and restoration to give you the peace of mind you need when faced with such a situation. Just call our team, and we will send a crew out quickly to get started.
What Makes Kitchen Fire Smoke Tougher to Remove?
When called for a cleanup of kitchen fire damage in New Britain, we bring all our proven techniques and tools to the job. Most often, Kitchen fires produce protein-heavy soot and smoke residue, made up of food and fatty ingredients used for cooking. When such food items meet high heat from the blaze, they become rancid, amplifying the smells further. Further adding to the mess, protein-riddle soot residue is often sticky and thick, making it even more difficult to remove than powdery residue produced with other fires.
To help us handle greasy, stubborn residues, SERVPRO employs special solvents and abrasives to break the bond on surfaces. Should any odorous elements remain after a thorough cleaning, we utilize equipment such as:
- Air Scrubbers –this equipment pulls particulates from the air, catching and trapping them with onboard HEPA filtration.
- Thermal Foggers –this equipment heats specialized deodorants to create a fine mist or fog that settles on surfaces and binds to odor molecules for easier removal.
- Hydroxyl Generators –these generators use UV light to chemically change the protein-based molecules within your kitchen to remove the odors.
SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain is here to ensure your home returns to its preloss condition after suffering from fire damage. Contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (860) 826-5169.
Do I Have to Throw Away Furniture Covered in Soot?
7/23/2020 (Permalink)
Call our experts after you experience a fire disaster, we have training in fire & smoke restoration, odor control, upholstery & fabric cleaning.
SERVPRO technicians can clean up the aftermath of a fire to both your Middletown home and its contents.
That first look at your home after a fire can make you feel overwhelmed with where to start first on the cleanup. One of the best moves you can make is to hand-off the task to a professional restoration services company. The reason is this: if incorrect cleaning methods get used on soot-covered surfaces and furnishings, you can render the item without reuse potential and wind up costing yourself more money in terms of purchasing replacements.
What are the Three Main Areas Techs Set-Up During Fire Damage Restoration?
SERVPRO techs approach all fire damage restoration jobs in Middletown properties with compassion and professionalism, as they know they are assisting homeowners in one of the worst times of their lives. The techs arrive intending to use their cleaning skills and advanced equipment to limit the loss to the homeowner. There are a few specific areas that get set up:
- Containing the loss area to minimize cross-contamination
- Setting up a cleaning station for restorable items
- Designating a space to place loss items for approval from the homeowner or adjuster
Furniture can be expensive to replace, and the techs have specialized wood soaps and solutions to eliminate smoke damage on the wood. Many factors determine if the furniture can get renewed through detailed cleaning efforts such as if the furniture is solid wood and if it has damage from the heat. Composite wood furnishings tend to fair poorly to both water and heat exposure and are frequently a loss. In cases of the removal of heavy coverage, the furniture may need staining as a final step.
Contact SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169 for assistance with any size fire damage restoration needed in your home. The technicians arrive quickly and work to bring your property to its preloss condition.
Learn more about Middletown.
Should I Call A Professional Fire Damage Restorer in New Britain to Remove Smoke Residues?
7/19/2020 (Permalink)
“Like it never even happened.”
Professional Smoke Damage Restorers Like SERVPRO Have Sufficient Resources to Work Faster When Restoring Your Property
Although fires are generally known to be destructive, the actual damages to the property result from separate factors, for instance, flames consume materials; heat melts, or causes superficial changes, while smoke deposits layers of residues on materials. If the incident at your New Britain house involves a minor or smoldering fire, the damage is predominantly from the smoke. Thus, you might be unsure whether to clean it yourself or involve a professional.
What constitutes smoke damage after a fire incident?
When fire damage loss in New Britain results from smoke effects only, you can expect issues like:
• Staining of surfaces
• Corrosion of materials by residues
• Strong odors
• Widespread residues within the property
Compared to other aspects of a fire, damage from smoke may seem friendlier to deal with since it does not consume the materials it affects. However, once you start the restoration, the process you expected to be simple can prove tasking. For instance, smoke readily spreads around the property through every opening or crack. Therefore, it can reach areas far from the source, increasing the cleaning workload.
Our SERVPRO technicians are well versed with the effects of smoke, so we anticipate most of the aspects that might surprise you. We understand that extended exposure to smoke residues can stain granite or other stone surfaces permanently, or corrode metals and metallic finishes. We can help you preempt such outcomes by pre-cleaning vulnerable materials and applying protective substances such as a thin oil film. We also expedite the cleaning process, thus minimizing exposure.
How tasking is the process of removing smoke residues from a house?
Cleaning smoke residue from surfaces is not difficult because, in most cases, it only takes agitation with a material such as a cleaning rug soaked in a detergent or other cleaning agents. However, several factors can complicate the process, including:
• Vastness of the area covered by residues
• Presence of residues in hard-to-reach areas
• Impingement or penetration of residues on surfaces
• Unique physical or chemical properties of the residues
When you consider the total surface area of walls, ceilings, floors, and contents that you have to clean, you may realize that the restoration task is not as easy as it might appear. The fire might also deposit varying residues in different sections of the property, necessitating the use of different cleaning approaches. For instance, lipophilic residues may require oil-based cleaning agents to remove, while the rest, you can clean with water-based cleaners.
Our SERVPRO technicians help because we have access to a ton of resources, including a variety of cleaning agents to remove different types of soils. We also have equipment such as ladders to ease access and automated machines such as roto pads, which quicken the removal of heavy residues.
Which areas of the property are hard to reach when removing smoke residues?
In an ideal situation, the smoke residues would only accumulate on accessible surfaces such as the wall and ceiling surfaces facing the room or contents. However, smoke behavior rarely results in ideal outcomes. The colder temperatures inside wall cavities attract smoke as it is driven by convectional currents. In the hidden areas, it accumulates on materials such as insulation, which increases the difficulty of the cleaning process. Hot smoke can also embed residues deep into porous or old materials meaning that wiping the area is not a sufficient removal process.
Cleaning a wall or ceiling cavity requires demolition to access the materials within the space. Our SERVPRO technicians are well versed with controlled demolition of light materials such as drywall without causing unnecessary damages, ensuring we resolve an incident, “Like it never even happened.” Since cleaning insulation can be more expensive than replacement, we remove around 3 to 4 inches of the soiled top insulation layers and inspect the rest for smoke odor before adding a new layer.
Cleaning porous areas where we expect residue penetration beyond the surface can present challenges when using standard methods. Our technicians use advanced approaches such as applying absorbent powders, which sop up residues. We then vacuum the area to remove the powder and absorbed residues. The method is helpful when dealing with soiling on porous materials such as:
• Concrete
• Brick
• Marble
• Upholstery
• Fabrics
In the case of stubborn soiling, we can also combine the powder with a solvent to increase efficiency. For such usage, we can pre-treat the area with the solvent before applying the powder. Alternatively, we can mix the powder and the solvent to make a paste that we apply on the soiled areas to remove residues beyond the surface.
Dealing with smoke damaged property in Middletown, Cromwell, or Berlin can be more challenging than you expect. Call SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169 to help. We’re Faster to Any Size Disaster.
How Does Fire Damage Mitigation Protect My Middleton House?
5/22/2020 (Permalink)
Fire damage can cause many problems for you and your family. If this happens to you, be sure to contact SERVPRO to remediate the damage.
Some Information About Fire Damage Remediation in Middletown That You Need to Know
House fires in Middleton can lead to additional damage, making timely mitigation crucial. Without the skills of SERVPRO’s professional mitigation team, the charring, blistering, and other changes seen throughout the area touched by fire can worsen.
What happens to a home’s condition in Middleton after fire damage happens?
- Weakened wooden frames can twist more under the weight they could previously hold,
- Slight movements of the home can lead to cracked walls, twisted floors, and stress on gas lines,
- Water hosed into a house can cause additional structural weakness and microbial growth.
However, none of these situations needs to happen. SERVPRO can send a crew to begin mitigation work on your Middletown home after a fire.
Who will do the work on my home?
SERVPRO hires individuals who want to help our community through working on homes and businesses after a disaster causes structural damage. These employees quickly become Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certified. We also use internationally accepted methods of restoration for contents. Our building crew is always ready to help, as well, making the entire process, from the time the fire department leaves to the day your family returns home, as simple and straightforward as possible. They install carpeting and other flooring, as well as many other services. Our network includes specialists who can assist in recovering unique items, as well.
How does fire damage mitigation make a difference for my home?
Instead of hoping for the best with a house after sustaining fire damage, SERVPRO restores order and reduces the amount of chaos your family experiences. Proper mitigation like this prepares your residence for the needed restoration work so things look “Like it never even happened.” Without mitigation, the materials used in restoration can become damaged by moisture, soot, and odors.
Contact SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain by calling (860) 826-5169, 24/7 to prepare your fire-damaged home in Cromwell, CT, Berlin, CT, or Kensington, CT for restoration.
Click here for more information about Middletown.
We Are Ready 24/7 In New Britain After A Fire Disaster
1/10/2020 (Permalink)
We are here to help with any size disaster and we're ready 24/7 so call us right away to prevent further damage.
Fire Damage Restoration In New Britain Involves Various Elements Of Cleaning
Even small blazes inside your New Britain apartment complex can cause your unit problems. For example, heat or smoke coming from an inferno burning inside another unit could cause some types of fire damage to exist inside your dwelling. The most common incident to occur is that smoke coming from a fire in another part of your complex gets into your structure and leaves behind soils and soot residues.
Most fire damage projects in New Britain require an extensive amount of cleaning. Sometimes, charred materials can be removed by agitation and cleaning methods. Also, when things get burnt, charred materials can build up on other surfaces. Smoke can also cause soot residues to exist on any surface it contacts.
When residues exist after fire damage, our SERVPRO technicians utilize various techniques and chemicals to clean and remove all soils present. However, all of the methods involve the four following elements of cleaning, which are temperature, agitation, chemical action, and time or TACT.
- Temperature
Since the hotter molecules are, the faster they move (for the most part), the cleaning works better at higher temperatures. However, cleaning products have certain temperatures where they work best, and the products can get too hot to where the ruin the surfaces they are cleaning. Higher temperatures can also reduce the surface tension of water-based solutions and allow the products to dissolve soils better.
- Agitation
Agitation can be defined as moving the surface, the solution being cleaned, or both. Agitation can be used by our SERVPRO team to free or dislodge soils.
- Chemical Action
When using chemical action to dissolve soils, the key principle to remember is that like dissolves like. Therefore, water-based solutions work best on water-based residues, whereas oil-based solvents are most effective when battling oily soils.
- Time
The amount of time it takes for the soils to dissolve and the chemical actions to work properly is called the "dwell time."
Using the basic elements of cleaning soils can help us restore your home to the way it was before the blaze, "Like it never even happened." For professional assistance when restoring your house, call SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169 24 hours a day and seven days a week. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster.
See more about New Britain.
Our Fire Damage Experts Will Clean, Replace or Restore Your New Britain Home
11/23/2019 (Permalink)
Give us a call anytime at (860) 826-5169.
Cleaning, Replacing or Restoring New Britain Fire Damage
How our restoration professionals choose to treat each of the structural elements and construction materials in your New Britain home after a fire is vital to ultimately saving both time and money. These choices for each of the affected surfaces are not made lightly, as choosing incorrectly means a higher cost to our customers or a longer restoration time projects take. After a fire loss incident, some structural elements can get cleaned, refinished, or replaced entirely.
The choice between these options traditionally occurs during the initial inspection and planning phases happening before mitigation of fire damage in New Britain homes begins. Working in conjunction with insurance providers for our customers, we can catalog losses and maintain a record of all affected surfaces as well as pre-existing conditions. This information is valuable when determining the best possible approach for making these losses “Like it never even happened.” Our SERVPRO management can choose among three potential choices depending on the severity of present residues, charring, and blistering.
Replacement
As much as our team focuses on restoration work that we can do, it is also essential to concede when controlled demolition and build back are the most cost-effective solutions for the customer. Overly damaged structural elements, construction materials, and contents can often benefit from replacement instead of costly restorative practices.
Refinishing
Resurfacing is an option for a select few items that could become damaged during a fire. Wood furniture, for example, can show surface damages that do not allude to more severe deterioration. When found quickly enough, refinishing is an option to restore these items.
Cleaning
Cleaning is the ideal approach for most lightly and moderately damaged possessions and construction materials throughout a fire-damaged property. Our SERVPRO team has potent cleaning products and practices for removing soot and smoke residues as well as eliminating malodors. We lean towards restoration over replacement whenever possible.
Understanding what to expect during the mitigation and restoration phases of fire recovery in your home can help our customers to have peace of mind about the work that needs to occur. You can trust in the experience of our SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain team to help you through nearly any hurdle after a fire loss incident. Give us a call anytime at (860) 826-5169.
For more about New Britain click here.
Safety Tips to Help Protect your Durham Home from Fire Damage this Holiday Season
11/21/2019 (Permalink)
Keep your Holiday Season Warm and Cheery with These Fire Safety Tips
As winter is approaching in Durham, CT, it can bring with it blizzards, ice damage, basement flooding, water damage and leaking roofs. It may seem ironic, but winter is the season in which the majority of home fires occur. Over 50% of all home heating fires occur during December, January, and February. Heating equipment is a cause in nearly 1 out of every 7 home fires. We all have plenty on our plates dealing with the effects of snow & ice, and fires are the last thing we want to think about.
Listed below are several easy steps we can all take to prevent fires from ruining the holiday season:
- Keep flammable materials 3 feet or more away from any heat source. Heat sources can include, but are not limited to, fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters, and heated blankets. Look around any of the listed heat sources and read the product labels of all items next to the heat sources. Plug only 1 space heater into an electrical outlet at a time.
- Keep portable generators outside and away from all windows. A good rule of thumb is to keep generators as far from your home as possible, but be sure to keep them at a minimum of 15 feet away from your home. In addition to the fire hazard they present, they also emit carbon monoxide fumes.
- Install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home. Not just related to winter fire, carbon monoxide alarms should be installed in your Connecticut home and tested at least once a month. Multiple detectors may be needed in some cases to stay safe. The layout of your home can effect the way smoke and heat move through your house, so Installing one detector per floor, including the basement, is a way to put safety first and avoid harmful contamination.
- Your chimney and vents should be inspected by a qualified professional each year.
Should you happen to suffer a fire loss this season keep in mind that we offer 24-hour emergency restoration services.
Here at SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain we have highly trained fire restoration technicians who are equipped to handle the worst fire damage. Not to mention, our SERVPRO technicians have the expertise to guide you through the overwhelming experience of fire damage.
For a stress free claims process, we'll work directly with your insurance company, helping to manage the insurance paperwork and process. Call 860-826-5169!
We’re ‘Here to Help!’
Our Professionals Discuss Soot Removal Strategies For Your East Hampton Home
8/20/2019 (Permalink)
Give our specialists a call anytime that you need us at (860) 826-5169.
Soot Removal Strategies For East Hampton Homes
For as dangerous and stressful as fire loss can become for East Hampton properties, many homeowners still mistakenly believe that restoring and recovering the house afterward is a simple and straightforward process. Even with some training and ability, the average homeowner lacks the experience to manage multiple pressing effects within a fire-damaged house at the same time. Even approaches like soot removal are not universal and vary depending on the surface affected, the severity of the situation, and the location of these effects.
Fire damage in East Hampton always occurs in layers, often requiring the extensively trained Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) accredited through the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) on our SERVPRO team. Our professionals have years of hands-on experience to combine with continued educational opportunities to be among the most knowledgeable in the industry. This expertise has given us multiple strategies for handling soot damage spread across the property as well.
Homeowners might believe that soot is much like any dirt or grime on the walls and that some elbow grease and the right cleaning products can quickly clear it right up. Due to the acidic nature of soot, it can begin affecting the composition of surfaces the longer it remains there, and can only set more deeply into the material when scrubbing occurs. Because of how widespread this effect likely is, smearing up multiple walls and surfaces attempting to clean soot can become a costly error.
Our SERVPRO team has unique products available to help maximize our effectiveness in removing this threat from your property. Our process begins with vacuuming loose sediment from the surfaces to reduce the thickness of the soot coating before we begin. Chemical sponges can get used wet or dry, and have become a staple in removing upwards of fifty square feet of soot damage on a given surface. These strategies are not as effective or guaranteed when a homeowner has already smeared, and potentially stained surfaces with DIY soot removal approaches.
Our professionals know how alarming it can be to see large areas of your home affected by soot or smoke residue, but our SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain professionals can help. We can respond to these situations quickly and confidently, working efficiently to return your property to preloss condition. Give our specialists a call anytime that you need us at (860) 826-5169.
For more about East Hampton click here.
How SERVPRO Provides Premier Fire Damage Cleanup and Restoration Services for East Hampton CT Properties
8/8/2019 (Permalink)
East Hampton CT Home Suffered Fire Damage? Rely on SERVPRO for Cleanup, Restoration, Pack-Outs, and Content Cleaning
East Hampton CT Homes and Effective Fire Loss Mitigation and Recovery
Fires, regardless of their origin and severity, present multiple hazardous and challenging consequences to overcome in your East Hampton CT home. Mitigating these concerns and returning a property to its pre-fire condition is the priority of our professional restorers upon arriving at your house. The cleanup and restoration services require premier, cutting-edge equipment, products, and techniques. Our fire recovery team continues to grow as more of our field technicians become certified through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) as Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) and Odor Control Technicians (OCT.)
The many facets of fire loss recovery
Fire damage to East Hampton CT homes involves many processes and approaches for a successful restoration. Overcoming the damaging presence of soot, smoke residues, odors, and possibly water removal from the extinguishing efforts can be a challenging task. Content management and protection are among the most intricate and involved duties for even our skilled professionals to achieve. Our SERVPRO team works to assess the full scope of the damage and determine the most efficient approaches going forward.
If the house fire was limited in structural or cosmetic damage, the fire marshal typically allows our team to begin mitigation services as the fire trucks are pulling out. A rapid removal of charred building elements, fixtures, and contents minimizes the effects of moisture and odors and helps ensure an acceptable recovery from the blaze. We can also quickly secure the exterior of the structure from weather, animals, and trespassers. It is incumbent upon the property owner to limit potential safety hazards.
Fire Insurance, Authorizations, and a Plan
Our SERVPRO representative must receive work authorization before we can begin the recovery. This Service Authorization Form allows us to take immediate action, once signed. Protocols must be followed, and these commence with a survey and walk-through, a detailed scoping and an inventory summary that you, the homeowner, can present to your insurance adjuster. We work to preserve and protect and prevent on-going damage, but the final decisions on cleanup, demolition, restoration, and repair are decided by you and your agent.
Pack-Out Services Protect Treasured Possessions
Numerous homeowners can agree that the most considerable investments on their property are their belongings and personal treasures that may be impossible to replace. We have a comprehensive content management team that can carefully remove damaged or at-risk items from a home after documenting them with our CCIS Customer Content Inventory Service process. We transport the contents to our nearby facility for focused cleaning, deodorization, and safe storage. While in our care, we can use our advanced techniques and equipment to restore each item to its preloss condition, whenever possible. Once our technicians have completed the cleanup of water and fire debris from the residence, we can return the items and place them exactly where they were, "Like it never even happened."
Staffed Facility, Advanced Cleaning Equipment, and Storage
We have ultrasonic submersible tanks in our facility that function on vibrations creating microscopic bubbles to completely clean porcelain ornaments, silverware, and other high-end soot-covered items. The exploding bubbles create abrasion-free cleaning of delicate items. We also have a full ozone chamber at our warehouse, allowing us to deodorize large lots of items simultaneously with the production of ozone that bonds with the molecular structure of odor compounds and neutralizes them.
Meaningful Structural Cleanup and Restoration
The obstacles and challenges of cleaning soot from the interior surfaces of walls, ceilings, furnishings, decorations, and possibly fine art are done on a case by case basis. Our technicians can use special sponges, vacuums, cleaning, and deodorizing products to complete the interior restoration. We may recommend hiring an independent curator for expensive artwork.
Our team understands the need to eliminate malodors after a house fire, the lingering effects after the fact, that can be difficult to remove. We can inspect, clean HVAC ducts with our advanced equipment and change the filters. A fogging of a deodorizing agent can improve the indoor air quality. The SERVPRO team has the experience, equipment, and goal to mitigate all the negative effects caused by a fire.
Deodorization, cleaning, and other restoration needs that your property has after a fire loss incident can be challenging for homeowners to face on their own. At SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain, We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and we are here to help you 24/7 by calling (860) 826-5169.
Our local fire department right here.
Don’t Just Sit There! Start Fire Damage Remediation in Middletown Today With SERVPRO
7/16/2019 (Permalink)
Fire damage can be costly and invasive if not dealt with properly. Call the professionals at SERVPRO today for remediation assistance.
We Use Different Types of Cleaning Agents when Mitigating the Soot from Fire Damage in Middletown Homes
A large percentage of restoring a damaged home in Middletown involves cleaning both the contents, the structural components, and the structure itself. Stripping these of the soot deposited by the smoke often reveals a lot less damage than what the homeowners previously thought existed.
When mitigating a Middletown home of smoke and fire damage, we use different cleaning liquids to get the job done fast. We know our customers want to get moved back into their home, and getting everything safely clean again takes special equipment as well as some elbow grease.
We use general surface cleaners for wet cleaning of a majority of the surfaces found in a home. These include countertops, walls, ceilings, many wallpapers and paneling types, appliances, and several varieties of furniture. These types of cleaning agents have a low pH, so they do not strip surfaces of their finishes while we remove the soot.
SERVPRO knows you want your windows, mirrors and Formica countertops sparkling again. We have a specially-formulated glass cleaner that gets the job done. We know how to get these streak-free, as well.
For cleaning up heavily soiled items, or where we found copious amounts of greasy soot, we rely on heavy-duty cleaners. These get metal components of stoves and furnaces clean again. When your carpet contains soot, we use this, mixed with a super-concentrated shampoo, to make your carpet beautiful again.
When your home contains natural stone or brick, a fire and its smoke can leave these looking like a complete loss. Many tiles and their grout can leave you with the same impression after a fire. However, SERVPRO technicians use strong acid cleaners to pull soot out of the pores and get these materials clean again.
For switch plates and other items on your walls, we have a thick liquid creme cleaner that pulls soot off surfaces and leaves them free of grime. For wood, we depend on another creme explicitly designed for clearing the pores of wood of soot that otherwise might leave discoloration and stains.
One of our most gentle cleanser types is based on oxidation. These can remove stains, as well as soot. We trust this type of cleanser to help us mitigate many kinds of damage because of the way stains disintegrate and odors diminish.
While we use personal protective equipment when using these cleaners, SERVPRO wants you to know that either these dry without a residue or that we rinse the cleansing agent off the surface we cleaned. Your family's safety is of utmost importance to us, and our goal is to eliminate all hazards before you move back home.
For fire damage mitigation, including the removal of smoke and soot deposits, call SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain at (860) 826-5169, 24/7, 365 days a year. We know how to efficiently reduce the impact of smoke and soot to homes in the Cromwell, Berlin, and Kensington areas.
Click here to see more about Middletown.
Revolutionize Your Fire Damage Remediation Process in Middletown With SERVPRO
4/21/2019 (Permalink)
Fire damage can be quite alarming. Contact SERVPRO right away to be your partner through the remediation process.
Professional Fire Damage Remediation Makes All the Difference in Middletown
Whether the fire that starts in your Middletown home seems small and quickly contained or large and raged through a significant portion of your dwelling the next step is the same. You need to engage the services of a reputable disaster remediation company, one that specializes in fire remediation but also offers a full spectrum of services. Our team of managers and IICRC-trained technicians are up to any tasks needed.
Fire damage in your Middletown dwelling might seem minor or be catastrophic, but either way, our seasoned employees evaluate every space in the house. The residues fire creates can spread far from even a smaller blaze. Failing to investigate for damage throughout the entirety of the building places building materials and contents at risk of progressive deterioration. The smoke and soot that moves inside your home deposit highly corrosive substances that discolors surfaces, tarnishes metal, etches glass, and destroys wood and cellulose-based materials.
SERVPRO crews evaluate the characteristics of the soot soiling surfaces and decide what types of cleaners, tools, and methods to use to remove it. Ashy paper and wood-based soot vacuums and dry sponges up well. Thick, sticky soot from burning fabrics, plastics, and electrical cords needs wetting agents and surfactants to loosen the grime and agitation to eradicate it. Protein-based soot responds to solvents, its thin, varnish-like coating hard to dislodge without abrasive action.
When charring is deep, we might need to remove some building materials before final restoration. When it is light or moderate, deep cleaning including scraping down a few layers can reveal satisfactory results. SERVPRO also searches for charred bits everywhere in your home, especially in hidden cavities, because failing to remove even small remnants of the fire causes odors to linger.
Deodorization of your home is essential regardless of how large or small the original fire. SERVPRO technicians master a multi-step protocol that eventually eliminates the smell of the fire residues. If deep cleaning and debris disposal does not rid your home of odors, we consider using advanced technology like thermal foggers, ozone machines, or hydroxyl generators. This equipment works in different ways to chemically change the odor-bearing particles, rendering them neutralized and scentless.
Rely on the highly-qualified team at SERVPRO of Middletown / New Britain to manage any fire damage. Contact us by calling (860) 826-5169 day or night, every day of the year.
Click here for more information about the city of Middletown.
Fire Damage near East Hampton, CT? SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain can help!
11/30/2018 (Permalink)
Water & fire damage can leave powerful odors behind. Once the Fire Department leaves you’re left to put the pieces back together. Here at SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain we have ‘state of the art’ equipment to remove airborne contaminants and control air quality.
When it comes to fires, soot and smoke particles tend to settle on carpets, furniture, walls and other flat surfaces. While plastics and other synthetic materials can leave behind chemical residues that are harmful if inhaled.
After you suffer a fire loss you need a quick response. SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain offers 24-hour emergency services to ensure that your home is efficiently restored to preloss condition. We have the training & technology to prevent secondary damage to floors, and other building materials. From Kensington to East Haddam, we serve your Connecticut town.
Call us with your emergency needs at 860-826-5169! We’ll walk you through the entire fire restoration process from start to finish. Trust the team that’s ‘Faster to any size disaster!’
We’re ‘Here to Help!’
TIME IS WINDING DOWN in Middlesex County
9/18/2018 (Permalink)
A change in outdoor activities is underway as fall approaches. ‘Tis the season for apple picking, fall home décor, jumping in a huge pile of leaves, and “Pumpkin Spice” everything! Two things to be considered during this fast approaching season is the interior maintenance and the exterior maintenance of your home.
Below is a list of things to double check as you prep for the NEW season:
- Do a roof inspection – The condition of a roof is important for various reasons and should not be a last minute maintenance concern. As fall turns to winter common issues such as ice dams can cause significant damage to a home’s interior. Many towns in Central Connecticut such as New Britain, Durham, Berlin, and even towns near the shore like East Haddam suffered ice dam water losses in recent years. Therefore, taking advantage of early fall to make sure a roof is ready to handle the colder seasons is important.
- Clean gutters – Gutter maintenance would be in the top 5 for fall cleanup task. Clogged gutters can become a real pain once weather conditions start to decline mid-season, especially in the North East. As water has no clear path to flow properly, a building becomes the hub for rain water and melting snow & ice. A professional gutter cleaning should keep everything dry and free of unnecessary damage.
- Turn off exterior faucets/spigots – Water can enter a home or business via several sources. One source of water intrusion involving frozen pipes is the classic outdoor faucet. It’s probably the least important item on everyone’s checklist, but has been known to cause significant water damage to basements and low level crawl spaces. By making a list & checking it twice most policy holders will be able to avert this issue.
- Test Furnace/HVAC Efficiency – Having a furnace tested by a professional HVAC tech can save money and possibly save a call to the insurance company. How common is it for CT homes to suffer a furnace puff back between the fall & winter seasons? Very common, in fact our professionals have serviced many homes throughout the State of CT that required soot cleanup from a puff back. However, it’s better to be proactive than to be reactive.
If any of these tips were helpful to you, give us a thumbs up on our FaceBook page!
We’re ‘Here to Help!’
Let us help you on your next Project
3/16/2018 (Permalink)
As you may know, SERVPRO is a Leader in Fire & Water Cleanup and Restoration, but when it comes to Post Construction Cleanup we also go beyond the scope of conventional cleaning practices.
Trying to clean fine dust particles, soot and all types of debris can be costly & time consuming. For large construction projects our professionals have the equipment & training needed to clean in the most efficient way.
Some of our most recent projects have been:
- Post Construction Cleaning of NEWLY developed Luxury Apartments
- Hotel Renovation Cleanup
- Commercial Soot Cleanup
- Roof Replacement Debris Cleanup
These services extend to residential customers as well. So, when it comes to your cleaning needs, do not hesitate to contact our office to see how we can help. Our direct line is (860) 826-5169.
Smoke & soot damage giving you problems? SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain can handle it!
5/16/2017 (Permalink)
Firemen
After the smoke clears, the soot damage becomes visible. That's where our experts come in. We assess the damage to determine the type of soot as well as the best approach to begin cleaning efficiently.
After a fire:
- Watch out for electrical hazards
- Stay clear of heavy wet building material
- Avoid cleaning any affected walls, floors, etc.
- Refrain from coming into contact with soot covered items
- Restrict movement in the affected areas (as soot particles can settle deep into upholstery)
Every fire loss is unique and requires a specialized cleaning method. SERVPRO is the brand you know & trust when it comes to damage restoration & cleanup.
If you have smoke or fire damage, we have a solution.
Call now to speak with one of our professionals! (860) 826-5169
Soot everywhere! Can SERVPRO help?
3/2/2017 (Permalink)
Dark wall
What is soot?
Soot is a byproduct fabricated by the incomplete burning of organic substance. Such materials include:
- wood
- fuel oil
- plastics
- solid household waste
Soot is a fine black powdery substance that may contain a number of carcinogens.
Sometimes a furnace unleashes an immense cloud of soot that can coat all of the walls, ceilings, and other surfaces of your home. This is called a "Puff Back". The severity of a puff back can vary considerably. It can even occur without notice. If your walls have black streaks and are difficult to clean a puff back is likely the cause.
We’re offering a free home inspection to determine if your home has soot damage. On average the inspection takes less than 30 minutes. Call us today to schedule an appointment! 860-826-5169
We're 'Here to Help'!
Brush fire prevention: How can you protect your property?
3/2/2017 (Permalink)
Backyard fire pit
You can protect your home or property from a potential brush fire by reducing the available fuel on and around your premises. Discard dead branches, leaves, brush and tree limbs that hang over your home. Instead of using an organic mulch, use gravel or another non-combustible material next to the building. Choosing nonflammable roofing, fire-resistant siding, and attachments such as fences, decks & porches that are fire-resistant can prevent fire from spreading to the main structure.
Below are safety tips to prevent brush & grass fires:
- Comply with any local requirements pertaining to outdoor or open air burning (including campfires, brush fires, fire pits, and outdoor fireplaces).
- Closely manage all outdoor fires. Be sure to put the fire out completely before leaving.
- Refrain from burning on dry, windy days. These conditions make it easy for open burning to spread out of control.
- Do not use gasoline or other flammable liquids to burn brush, trash, or other waste.
*Source: NFPAfire
Holiday Tips: Have you tested your lights for safety?
12/2/2016 (Permalink)
Holiday lights
Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory.
- Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.
- Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.
- Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
- Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.
- Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
- The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it!
- Keep “bubbling” lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.
After the Flames go out...The DAMAGING EFFECTS OF FIRE DAMAGE
5/6/2016 (Permalink)
Burning wood
Some of the biggest challenges associated with fire damage occur after the flames have gone out. The intensity of the heat, and the length of time the fire ran before it was extinguished determines the toxic effects.
Plastics and other synthetic materials can leave behind chemical residues that are harmful if inhaled. Wood smoke, usually the greatest contributor to the amount of smoke in the building, contains gases such as methane, carbon monoxide, benzene, sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde. This is toxic for anyone who inhales the smoke or comes in contact with surfaces harboring smoke residue. Soot and smoke particles have a tendency to settle on carpets, furniture, countertops and walls once the flames disappear. Prior to the flames going out, they will transmit smoke throughout the home, into ductwork, and into wall cavities.
If your home or business sustains fire damage from a loss, the first thing you should do is contact your insurance company. Once, that is done you should call SERVPRO of Middletown/New Britain to come out and assess the damage. We’ll work closely with your insurance company for an easy claim process. You can reach us 24/7 for an Emergency Response at 860-826-5169.
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