Recent General Posts

Holiday Safety

12/19/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Palos Verdes wants you to keep your home and family safe this holiday season.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without seasonal decorations such as Christmas trees and twinkling lights. These accessories make the holidays more joyful, but not being cautious when using them can lead to unwanted situations. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are more than double the amount of fires on Christmas Day than on any other day of the year. Here are some ways to prevent fires in your home during the holidays:

  • Choose an artificial Christmas tree instead of a real one, since artificial trees are less likely to start a fire. Make sure the tree is labeled, certified, or identified by the manufacturer as fire retardant.
  • Position trees at a good distance from heat sources, such as radiators and fireplaces.
  • If you use extension cords to light up multiple indoor lights, consider plugging them into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) for extra safety.
  • If you have outdoor decorative lights, ensure that they’re securely fastened to trees, gutters and/or other parts of the home. Use secure clips to prevent the wind from whipping them and lights from breaking. 
  • Unattended cooking is the most common culprit of kitchen fires. Never leave food unattended when cooking.
  • Test your smoke detectors before the holidays and be sure to have fire extinguishers ready if a fire starts.
  • Leave one foot of space between candles and anything else and make sure the candle holders or bases are stable. Don’t leave candles burning when you leave the room or going to bed. Always supervise them.
  • If your home has a fireplace, have the chimney inspected and cleaned before using. Place a protective screen around the fireplace to prevent embers from reaching your carpet or other materials.

    For professional fire, water and mold restoration services, contact your SERVPRO of Palos Verdes.

Mold 101

10/21/2016 (Permalink)

A minor mold problem can quickly become a major infestation if left untreated.

Mold spores naturally occur almost everywhere, both outdoors and indoors. This makes it impossible to remove all mold from a home or business. Therefore, mold remediation reduces the mold spore count back to its natural or baseline level.

The main things mold needs to grow in a home are organic materials to feed on and moisture. Your home already provides plenty of organic materials for mold to live on such as wood, drywall and various other building materials.

Keep in mind that most molds need 24-48 hours of moisture to begin to grow. Therefore if a suitable material in your home is wet for more than 24 hours then you run the risk of mold starting to grow. Some restoration businesses advertise “mold removal” and even guarantee to remove all mold, which is a fallacy. Consider the following mold facts:

  • Mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors.
  • Mold spores are microscopic and float along in the air and may enter your home through windows, doors, or AC/heating systems or even hitch a ride indoors on your clothing or a pet.
  • Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants.
  • Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return.
  • Mold often produces a strong, musty odor and can lead you to possible mold problem areas.
  • Even higher-than-normal indoor humidity can support mold growth. Keep indoor humidity below 45 percent.

We live and work in this community too; we might even be neighbors. As a locally owned and operated business, SERVPRO of Palos Verdes is close by and ready to help with your mold-damaged property.

If You See Signs of Mold, Call Us Today -424-570-9900