Winter is Coming

11/12/2024 (Permalink)

Old houses are beautiful but require special attention before winter sets in.

The Dearborn area has had an unusually warm and dry fall, but we know what is coming. Winterizing your home, especially an older house, is crucial for your comfort and safety. Here are some helpful tips to prepare your home for winter.

Clean gutters
Cleaning your gutters after the leaves fall prevents clogging and allows melted snow to drain.

Insulate pipes
Pipe insulation will help prevent freezing. The areas most at risk are unheated spaces like attics, basements, and garages. 

Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Change the batteries when you change the clock with Daylight Saving Time. Be sure to test all devices are working properly.

Drain sprinklers
If you have a lawn irrigation system, hiring a professional to drain and winterize the system will help prevent freezing and bursting. 

Caulk windows and doors
Check windows and doors for drafts. Use a silicone caulk to seal gaps. Consider weather stripping around doors and windows for a more economical option.

Clean your chimney
Have a professional clean your chimney before you need your fireplace. Soot and blockages can cause a fire.

Prepare for power outages
Have emergency supplies at the ready. Be sure to have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.

Consider your options
If heating costs, weatherization, or energy-related issues are too taxing, you can contact DTE or THAW. Both agencies can direct you to help with keeping your home safe and warm.

Fires in Commercial Buildings

8/18/2022 (Permalink)

A commercial dryer in a senior citizen care center after it caught fire

Any disruption in business affects the bottom line. SERVPRO has teams dedicated to getting you back to work after a fire in your commercial property. Our large loss teams can respond quickly. Their training and experience give them expert understanding of the unique issues facing commercial property owners during a disaster such as fire. Beyond the fire’s structural damage, smoke and soot can be toxic and create a hazardous situation.

A recent fire in the laundry room of a long-term care facility exposed not only the staff to harmful matter in the air, but the elderly residents too. It also meant the laundry service had to be suspended. To ensure everyone’s safety we cleaned the entire structure using specialized tools and cleaning products to eliminate these matters from the environment. Our teams got straight to work mitigating the damages so everyone in the facility was kept safe and laundry service could resume. 

Unique Challenges of Commercial Property Flooding

8/17/2022 (Permalink)

Extracting water from warehouse full of pallets.

Flooding and water damage events at Dearborn or Dearborn Heights commercial properties are often complex. The many variations of commercial buildings in our area require a knowledgeable and flexible response. We work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area.

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges
Every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of our customer's lost revenue and productivity. Our emergency response services work quickly and purposefully. Our professionals are trained to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns. We understand the delicacies of the Ecorse Creek and Rouge River watersheds which run through our community. We strive to keep the sanctity of those precious systems while keeping your business running.

A commercial customer’s facility stores manufacturing equipment waiting to clear US Customs as it enters the country. During recent flooding rains, we needed to extract water from the docking area without disturbing the pallets awaiting inspection. It took some creativity on our part, but we dried the facility without interfering with the customs process.

At The Ready for Storms!

8/12/2022 (Permalink)

The stairs to this Dearborn restaurant's basement were completely covered by flood waters.

When Storms or Floods hit Dearborn & Dearborn Heights SERVPRO is ready!

SERVPRO of Dearborn & Dearborn Heights specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Storms in our corner southeast Michigan have been known to flood basements to the top stairs. We are always prepared for these types of events. Our crews are highly trained and use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition. 

Faster Response
Being locally owned and operated, allows us to respond more quickly and with the right resources. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration costs.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms
When flooding storms hit Dearborn and Dearborn Heights we scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States. Metro Detroit is lucky to have the Disaster Recovery Team just up the road in Saginaw.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today 313-359-4357

Flooded Basements Can Happen In Any Season

8/12/2022 (Permalink)

Extracting water is the first step in drying out a basement

Dearborn and Dearborn Heights Residents: We Specialize in Flooded Basement Cleanup and Restoration!

A basement can flood at any time even in a long, hot, dry summer like Metro Detroit has had. Our franchise owner got a call from her house guest saying her own basement had flooded. It turned out there was a crack in the PVC piping of her recently remodeled third floor bathroom. There are several reasons why your Dearborn or Dearborn Heights basement might flood besides storms: 

• A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe
• Heavy rain causes surface water to pool around your home (or like our customer who improperly secured his pool’s back flow cap)
• Sanitary sewer backup
• Foundation drainage failure
• Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure
• And many more

Have Questions about Basement Flooding?

Call Today – 313-359-4357

Not Just Flooded Basement - Crawl Spaces Too!

8/12/2022 (Permalink)

Our technicians donned full PPE to go into a crawl space with standing water.

There is no question if water problems are not handled quickly and properly, it can jeopardize your health and safety, plus cause severe damage to your home’s structure. Unfortunately, water is sneaky and often silent. Sometimes you have no idea there is a small problem until it becomes a huge problem.

Our customer had an odd smell in their unused bedroom. After some exploration, we discovered long standing water in his crawl space. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights to let our trained, professional crews handle the situation safely and correctly. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are Flooded Basement/Crawl Space Specialists:

• We are available 24 hours/7 days per week
• We’re a preferred vendor to many national insurance companies
• We bill your insurance directly – one less thing for you to worry about
• Our technicians are highly trained in water restoration techniques
• We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
• Advanced inspection and extraction equipment

Basement Flooded? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help 313-359-4357

Special Fire Services

6/28/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians cleared fire debris from the yard of this historic home

Whether you encounter a fire, flood, mold or any other calamity, SERVPRO of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights typically restores in the inside of your structure. But when the City of Dearborn Property Maintenance and Development Services office reached out us about fire debris in a neighborhood yard, we took to the outdoors. 

When a fire destroyed a historic home in the Aviation Neighborhood, the homeowners were unsure of how they wanted to proceed. As such, nothing was done to the house or yard for weeks. Dearborn's PMDS Director asked us to clear the debris from the yard. Clearing debris and securing the property with fencing keeps the yard safe and mess contained. 

SERVPRO of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights is happy to accommodate unusual requests whenever possible... even it's outside our usual scope of work. 

Challenges of Community Wide Disasters

6/17/2022 (Permalink)

Equipment is stowed ready for the next job

The Challenges of Community Wide Disasters

Disasters are not always limited to one property. In the summer of 2021, the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights area suffered 5 devastating  storms in 6 weeks. More than 20,000 structures in Dearborn alone were affected during the first storm. Mass events like this severely affect the availability of services and resources.

The Need for Qualified Workers
A widespread catastrophe requires many workers who know how to remediate damages caused by water. This requires significant technical knowledge far beyond general cleanup. Training and accreditation from the Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification assures workers are qualified to complete restoration jobs.

The Need for Equipment
When flooding impacts an entire region, the necessary equipment can be in short supply. The Dearborn and Dearborn Heights franchise has the resources of the national Storm Team in nearby Saginaw – as well as teams from across the country at our disposal. These team provide additional manpower and equipment during times of wide-spread disaster.

The Ability to Manage Flooding Incidents
A flood poses many difficult challenges starting with the ability access damaged areas. Flooded streets and water covered bridges make some areas of our region inaccessible. Water covered wires, power lines, and appliances pose electrical hazards.

The Experience to Handle Insurance Issues
Handling insurance claims can be a challenge. SERVPRO is a preferred vendor to many insurance carriers. Working with a preferred vendor of your insurance company helps ensures proper documentation during the chaos of a catastrophic loss. Our well-established relationships with insurance agents and adjuster help facilitate thorough and timely communication.

Summer Storms in Dearborn & Heights

6/16/2022 (Permalink)

Dearborn Heights firefighters suit up to rescue residents trapped by flood waters. Photo by Double Deuce Fireimages

Summer storm season is upon Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. We can most certainly expect heavy rainfall and floods at some point in the next few weeks. These storms have the potential to cause serious damage to your residential or commercial property.

Wind Damage
Wind damage typically results from a storm. Roof damage can range from loose flashing to a missing roof. Any type of damage to a roof can cause leaks in your structure which may result in moldy conditions inside.

Flooding Damage
Dearborn and Dearborn Heights, as well as the entire Downriver Area, frequently experience flooding during summer months. Even small storms can cause the Ecorse River and Rouge River to flood the streets.

Fire Damage
Storms can easily down our area’s overhead power lines. Occasionally these downed wire spark fires. Never touch a downed wire or anything in contact with the wire.

SERVPRO of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights has the experience to mitigate storm damage whether from rain, wind, or fire. Our team is always at the ready and here to help!

Protecting Pipes in Winter

1/7/2022 (Permalink)

Poorly insulated pipes can freeze and break in the harsh Dearborn winters

Winter has arrived in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. Avoiding water damage in your home or commercial property may require additional insulation, heating, or other attention. That extra effort can help prevent that broken water pipes. Water damage can result in thousands of dollars in damage and may require many weeks of repair work.

Examine any areas in your property where water pipes run. Pay especially close attention to pipes near exterior walls, basements and attics, as well as pipes in colder areas of your property like garages and crawl spaces.

It’s a good idea to place an exterior thermometer in the space to confirm the space is warmer than the outside air. If these areas are cold, insulating the pipes or adding a pipe heater can prevent a major disaster.