Get 10% off of your Spring Cleaning & Carpet cleaning in Scarsdale, NY 10583

Spring Cleaning ~ Carpet cleaning for 10% off in Scarsdale, NY (through June 3, 2012)

No real Snow ~ but will we have frozen pipes & water damage in Tuckahoe NY 10707 with low temps?

We receive a lot of calls from home and business owners, realtors and media contacts about how to deal with a flooding or water damage, even during winter months. As leaders in fire and water damage cleanup, restoration companies like ours see two and three level water damages from leaking toilets and old pipes that were uninsulated.

Sorry to use the “f” word for frozen pipes again, but snow and freezing temperatures are on the way as this weird winter wanes. Obviously, Winter 2012 HAS come in like a weak little lamb. It feels more like San Francisco than southern New England lately. But, our winterweather could go out like a lion

Meantime, some of us live in older homes with old pipes -- ours is an 1896 colonial near Tuckahoe. So, if the water flowing through an older pipe grows too cold and it's uninsulated, the fluid freezes, the metal can expand and it may "fail." At this time of the year, don't leave your heat on at 55-degrees, especially if you leave for a few days and have a split level home with rooms over a garage or unfinished and unheated basement. Better to pay a little more in heat at 62 to 65-degrees, than come home to a house full of water.

Safety is, of course, the most important issue, if a frozen pipe bursts and water damages your lower, or even upper levels, in a home or business be sure it's NOT sewage water. If contaminated water, or sewage factors are involved, then home and property owners should stay out of the affected area(s). Call a plumber to turn off the water and stop further damage. Then, call a company that handles water damages that may have contaminants and who are water certified with The Clean Trust and well-trained.

Provided that yours or a client’s home is structurally safe, our Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon recommends several actions that homeowners can take after an incident. They are steps that will help in the cleanup and recovery after a water damage, while waiting wait for help from a reliable plumber and a professional cleanup service.

The following tips can help homeowners save valuable possessions and money, after a water or flood damage. This is particularly important for you to start the process in a large storm situation like our recent Hurricane Irene. Catastrophic damage among millions of homes, firehouses like the ones we cleaned and business throughout Westchester County may mean that you will have to wait for a remediation crew to respond.

Homeowners should:

• Safely turn the home’s water main off if running water inside the house is the source of the problem.
• Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removal of lamps and tabletop items.
• Remove and prop up wet upholstery and pillow cushions for even drying.
• Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting.
• Turn air conditioning on the maximum drying (in summer).
• Remove Oriental rugs or other fine, colored rugs from wet wall-to-wall carpeting.
• Remove valuable paintings and art objects to a safe, dry place.
• Open and place luggage in sunlight to dry, if possible.
• Gather loose items, toys, etc. from floors.

Homeowners should not:

• Leave wet fabrics in place. Dry fabrics as soon as possible and hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
• Leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors.
• Use your household vacuum to remove water.
• Use televisions or other household appliances while standing on wet carpets of floors, especially not on wet concrete floors.
• Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water.
• If water damage has resulted in exposure to sewage and other harmful waste, we advise you to:
• Stay out of the affected areas.
• Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life-threatening.
• Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated.
• Turn off the HVAC system if there is sewage system damage.

In a sewage damage or flood, with outside water coming in a structure, you do not want to:

• Attempt cleanup of any kind.
• Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids.
• Eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or handle contact lenses in affected areas.

Please note that OSHA recommends a post-exposure medical examination for anyone encountering a hazardous waste problem and suggests contacting your local health department, or a physician. Our crews have Hepatitis-B shots and we take other safety precautions in these water cleanup situations. Complete tips list for both fire and smoke damage and water damage are available at: www.servproofscarsdalemountvernon.com

Founded in 1967, Servpro Industries, Inc. franchise system is a national leader and provider of fire, water, mold and other specialty cleanup and restoration services. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 1,300 individually owned and operated franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from multi-million dollar disasters affecting entire communities to those suffered by individual businesses and homes. Providing coverage in 48 states, SERVPRO^® has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners. For more information, contact us locally at: (914) 699-5181.

No real Snow ~ but will we have frozen pipes & water damage in Tuckahoe NY 10707 with low temps?

Climate Change may be here but with snow on the way, frozen pipes may be too in Bronxville, NY 10708

We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes to your life, your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it "Like it never even happened." Our rental home flooded three times since 2010 so, when we weren't cleaning out our clients homes and doing mold remediation, we were working on our own house and wet "baby

Companies like our family owned business in Westchester County are staffed with specialists in residential and commercial property cleanup, after fire, smoke or water damage. Our Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon can also mitigate for mold and mildew from your home or business.

We cleanup up in hoarding situations and in a Crime or trauma scene situation as well and our staff is highly trained in property damage and restoration and background checked. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular carpet and upholstery cleaning with certified technicians in The Clean Trust industry, you can rest assured that our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. Backed by a nationwide system of about 1,600 qualified Servpros in the U.S., no damage is too large or too small for us.

If you would like to schedule a free estimate for your home or business, call us today:

(914) 699-5181.

Serving you since 1967, SERVPRO is the cleaning and restoration brand you know and trust.

Certifications

• AMRT - Applied Microbial Remediation Technician
• ASD - Applied Structural Drying Technician
• ECTP - Employee Certification Training Program
• SRT - Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration Technician
• WRT - Water Damage Restoration Technician

Get Fit with personal training in Fleetwood NY 10552 with Sonya Louis ~ Mount Vernon

I want to introduce you to my amazing woman friend, single mom AND a small woman owned business leader in the Fleetwood, NY area. Sonya Louis serves her clients throughout Westchester County in fitness, pilates and weight loss.

At Specialty Fitness in Westchester County, NY, Sonya Louis builds better bodies with and for her clients, who are all sizes, shapes and ages. Her boot camps include clients who range in age from 19 to 90 years-old. They are men and women from throughout the Fleetwood, NY 10552 and Mount Vernon areas. Sonya trains her clients from Scarsdale to Stamford, CT in private coaching sessions that include Pilates and Cardio Kick boxing for her Octegenarian students.

Sonya is not only educated in Exercise Physiology, but is also a trophy winner in Natural Body Building through NBI in New York. She has has a degree in biology as well as years in professional training and group exercised in personal fitness.

Here's more information about the amazing Sonya...you feel so much better with and because of her workouts:

Lose Your Weight and Love Your Body

Have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognize the person looking back at you? Would you like to get back to the size you once were when you were happier? Lose your next 30 pounds while you cut the fat. This program is great for busy individuals who want a program that they can handle AND that actually works. You will learn nutritional techcniques that enhance your weight loss and speed your metabolism, to help you burn fat much faster. You will also learn exercises that help you get your body in shape in less time. How good will you feel when your "fat pants" no longer fit because they're too big? I know I feel great! My fat pants are now a reminder of where I once was.

• Lose your belly fat
• Have more energy
• Slim your thighs
• Look better
• Feel better than you have in years
• Slim your thighs
• Burn more calories in less time
• Trim your arms
  

Each session is designed to help you the results you crave. If you want personal training without personal training prices, this is for you!

IMX Pilates Mat and Ring

Strengthen your core, build rock solid abs and strengthen your back. IMX Pilates uses research-based studies to help you build leaner, longer muscles. The exercise regimen created by Josef Pilates has been modified to decompress the spine and improve posture, relieving some of the pressure that can cause lower back pain.

• Flatten your tummy
• Increase your flexibility
• Build core strength
• Release your stress
• Build rock solid abs
• Relieve low back stress
  

Sonya's limited class sizes allow you the opportunity to receive better instruction and more attention to detail from our IMX Pilates trained instructors. You will learn how to use mind-body techniques to increase strength and flexibility. This invigorating workout will help you to release your stress.

Monthly seminars are offered on topics related to improving your health and fitness. They will be lead by experts in the field in Westchester County, NY. In fact, Sonya Louis won THIRD in a NY State Body Building competition and is one of the experts, who can field your personal fitness goal questions!

Reach Specialty Fitness at: Phone: (914) 665-2084 or http://www.betterworkyourbody.com/Testimonials.html

Get Fit with personal training in Fleetwood NY 10552 with Sonya Louis ~ Mount Vernon

Flood & Water Damage during a WARM Winter in Bronxville NY 10708

With oddly warm winter weather this season, there have been warm and icy cold "snaps" that are beaking our clients water pipes. It's a "frozen pipe" issue that is the result of older metal pipes contracting and expanding...then breaking. Remember my tips last month about opening cabinet doors, so your pipes get the benefit of heated rooms as well as putting your furthest upstairs faucet on a tiny drip to keep water running through the pipes.

There is nothing more disheartening than walking into the lower level of your home or business, or your garage in bronxville New York 10708, and find yourself knee-deep in icky water (yes, even pros in the business use the word icky). Even when water damage is not excessive or obvious right away, a flood may have occurred under flooring or a cement slab in your home, with potentially negative effects – including that awful "mildew smell" we have all experienced.

It is not healthy for anyone to walk into this water, especially without a pair of good rubber/water tight boots and/or a Hepatitis-B shot. Keep in mind that water runoff from the street or your pristine front and back yards can carry E-coli, bacteria and oil from cars and trucks. It can be harmful to your health, so the first lesson is to stay out of the water, call your plumber, stop the water and call the professionals – that would be us – for help.

Water damage professionals have the equipment and experience necessary to handle the most challenging home flooding situations. Some of our clients have called a local contractor or their "handy man" for help, and these people are great for rebuilding after we dry you out, disinfect with a mold killer and deodorize. We leave the rebuilding to them. However, you want a water certified pro to get your home or business "desert dry" after a flood, and prevent mold growth.

Companies like ours concentrate on service, and background check all of our well-trained crews, all for your piece of mind. Because floods always seem to occur overnight or early in the morning, our Servpro near Bronxville, NY as well as companies like ours are always available and usually work around-the-clock. Often, our clients come home from work to find a level in their house underwater, or arrive at work early to find that their business had a plumbing or other leak. Stop the water first, and then call a professional to get it dry and disinfected.

Again, calling your contractor or handyman, who most likely will not be trained in drying a structure from the inside, can sometimes cause more harm than good. We work closely with some of the top Westchester contractors and they do a great job rebuilding, as needed -- that's after we professionally perform structural drying and daily measuring to prevent mold! Also, if they are not certified plumbers, handymen may not be able to stop the water from continuing to flood your property, or stop mold from growing in a week, or month or so. They are great for rebuilding any damaged walls or floors, of course!

You will want to concentrate on safely drying, deodorizing and disinfecting the areas flooded or damaged by water, or call in a pro. Save the items and belongings that you can, but often your carpet and padding will need to be dried and then removed – when they aren't full of water and weigh a ton. A pro should offer to come in and provide you, and your insurance company if applicable, a free verbal quote on how long the drying process will take. As soon as possible you want to begin "extracting" the water, as the longer the water is in your structure, the more damage to flooring, walls and the structure it can cause.

Here is some more information on water damage companies and how they can aid in various situations:

Equipment Water Damage companies use…

• Moisture detectors, hygrometers and other meters, to measure the extent of moisture saturation and gauge the drying time required.
• Infrared camera may be used to identify water location.
• Submersible and gas-powered pumps for continuous pumping of high-level water may be necessary, especially if the power is out.
• Truck mounted and portable extraction units perform efficient water removal, too.

Sanitizing Agents, Germicides, & Anti-Microbial Treatments

• Deodorization products control odors from excessive moisture.
• Disinfection products stop the growth of bacteria, fungi (and yes, mold is "a fungus among us," and bleach will not kill or prevent mold). We also prevent mildew, and other harmful microorganisms from growing.

Hi-Tech Drying Equipment

• Drying equipment helps prevent swelling and warping of floors, walls and furniture.
• Industrial grade dehumidifiers minimize secondary water damage.
• High-speed air movers create airflow across walls, carpets, pads and furniture, evaporating moisture quickly and safely.
• Some situations call for special drying techniques that require state of the art equipment and training.

Flood & Water Damage during a WARM Winter in Bronxville NY 10708