Carbon Monoxide: A Silent Killer

8/4/2017 (Permalink)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

You can’t see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels, it can kill a person in minutes. Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide, or CO, is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas, created when fuels, like gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas and propane burn incompletely.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning. It is estimated another 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized due to CO poisoning.  All people and animals are at risk for CO poisoning, with some groups— including unborn babies, infants, and people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or respiratory problems— being more susceptible to the effects of carbon monoxide.

An excess of CO, leading to CO poisoning, can result from faulty furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or idling cars left running in garages.

Taking some basic, precautionary steps can help eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Protect yourself by reviewing the following tips, provided by the United States Fire Administration.

• Have fuel-burning appliances, like oil and gas furnaces, gas or kerosene heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves inspected by a trained professional every year.

• Open the damper for proper ventilation before using a fireplace. Never use your oven or stovetop to heat your home.

• Make sure all fuel-burning vented equipment is vented to the outside to avoid CO poisoning. Keep the venting for exhaust clear and unblocked.

• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not blocked with snow, ice, or other materials.

• Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris.

• Only use barbecue grills outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Some grills can produce CO gas. Never use grills inside the home or the garage, even if the doors are open.

• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the home.

Symptoms of CO Poisoning

• Dull headache
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Loss of consciousness

Contact us at 973-546-4977 if you have a service need or click here to visit our website to learn more about SERVPRO of Wayne's System Services.

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MAY IS NATIONAL BUILDING SAFETY MONTH

4/27/2017 (Permalink)

NATIONAL BUILDING SAFETY MONTH, board-up, fire damage, flooding

Building Safety Month—in its 37th year—is an initiative of the International Code Council (ICC) and their 57,000 members across the world, as well as their partners in building construction and design, and the safety community. Building Safety Month is an opportunity to educate insurance and commercial property professionals, as well as the general public, on “what it takes to create safe, resilient, affordable, and energy efficient homes and buildings,” according to the ICC website.

The theme for 2017 is Code Officials— Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth and highlights managing disasters, specifically natural disasters, in week three of this year’s campaign.

Some of the topics and tips shared throughout the month include Disaster Safety and Mitigation, as well as Fire Safety and Awareness.

The general public may not be aware how codes and code officials “improve and protect the places where we live, learn, work, worship, and play,” and this month can certainly improve that awareness!

IMPORTANT TIPS FROM THE ICC

Disaster Safety & Mitigation

• If you live in a high wind or hurricane prone area and do not have tested and code- approved shutters for protection from wind borne debris, consider temporarily protecting your doors and windows by mounting exterior grade, 7/16" minimum thickness plywood and fastening it into place. Visit www.flash.org for detailed instructions on how to use plywood for emergency board-up.
• Consider building or retrofitting to create a tornado-safe room in your home. Follow ICC/NSSA 500 Standard for detailed construction information and to ensure you achieve the highest level of protection for your family.
• In wildfire prone areas, remove fine (dead grass, leaves, etc.) and coarse fuels (dead twigs, branches, etc.) within 30 feet of a building to create a survivable space in case
  of wildfire. Be sure to remove dry leaf and pine litter from roofs, rain gutters, decks, and walkways. Follow ICC’s International Wildland-Urban Interface Code® for detailed requirements.
• Flooded roads could have significant damage hidden by floodwaters. Never drive through floodwaters or on flooded roads. Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream. It takes only six inches of fast flowing water to sweep you off your feet and two feet of water to move an SUV-sized vehicle.

Source: iccsafe.org

Contact us at 973-546-4977 if you have a service need or click here to visit our website to learn more about SERVPRO of Wayne's System Services.

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SERVPRO® Expands PGA Sponsorship with PGA Fantasy Golf

4/6/2017 (Permalink)

PGA Tour, PGA Sponsorship, PGA Fantasy Golf

There is an old adage: “It never rains on a golf course.” As the official cleanup and restoration company of the PGA TOUR, SERVPRO^® knows this isn’t true, but rain or shine, fans follow their favorite players’ performance at PGA golf tournaments throughout the season. Recognizing the ever-growing popularity of the game, SERVPRO has expanded its relationship with the PGA TOUR by becoming the presenting sponsor of the PGA Fantasy Golf games, available at pgatour.com/fantasy. 

“We know people don’t associate SERVPRO with the wide-open spaces and fair weather feeling of a golf course. After all, SERVPRO is the company you turn to when the unexpected, even the unthinkable, happens to your home or business,” says John Oliver, owner of SERVPRO^® of Wayne. “But each SERVPRO business is also a local business, there to support the community in good times and bad. Teaming up with the PGA TOUR as the sponsor of their Fantasy Golf Suite helps us build connections within our local community. We want local home and business owners to know that we are there for them ready to respond at a moment’s notice if things go wrong.”

The new “One & Done” games were launched on January 3, 2017*, but the game structure allows players to join in on the fun at any point during the current season. Each week, game players select one player to earn points for them in that week’s tournament. The PGA Tour Fantasy game is based on accumulated FedEx Cup points and the PGA Tour Champions game is based on accumulated Charles Schwab Cup points. A player may select a given golfer for a tournament in each of the One & Done games only once in each season. Since some tournaments earn a pro golfer more points than others, game strategy is based on selecting the right golfers for the right tournaments. 

“With the first major tournament of the season—The Masters—just around the corner, now is a great time to start your One & Done game for this year’s tour,” says Oliver. “If you ‘master’ the trick of choosing the right golfers in the right tournaments, you could jump to the top of your Fantasy league.” The top finisher in the PGA TOUR game will win a new set of golf clubs, while the top prize for the PGA TOUR Champions game is a trip for two to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, Arizona, November 6-12.

SERVPRO of Wayne specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers. For more information on SERVPRO of Wayne, please contact us at (973) 546-4977 or office@SERVPROsussex.com.

*PGA TOUR Fantasy One & Done presented by SERVPRO debuts this week

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Be Ready with the SERVPRO Emergency Ready Program

9/9/2016 (Permalink)

National Preparedness Month is the perfect opportunity to share the benefits of having a readiness plan in place with your customers, business and family.

The SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile® (ERP) will help ensure you and your business are “Ready for whatever happens.”

In the event of an emergency, the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Profile®, can help minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action in place for your facility. The ERP is a comprehensive document containing critical information about your business, including: Emergency Contact Information, Shut-off Valve Locations and Priority Areas. The ERP is also accessible online using your computer or tablet; download SERVPRO’s free Ready Plan app to access this information at any time using your smartphone or tablet.

The ERP establishes your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider, giving you access to over 45 years experience and a System more than 1,700 Franchises strong. Knowing what to do and who to call in advance is key to quick response and timely mitigation. Having a plan in place may help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive and get you back in the building following a disaster.

Preparation is the key to making it through any size disaster, whether it is a small water leak, a large fire or an area flood. The best time to plan for such events is not when the event happens, but well before it happens. No one ever plans on a disaster, but now, you can plan for it.

The ERP is a no cost assessment, all it requires is a little time, making it a great value that could save a lot of time in the future.

Call SERVPRO® of Wayne at 973-546-4977 to establish your Emergency READY Profile®.

National Preparedness Month Focuses Home and Business Owners on Advance Planning for Disaster Recovery

8/26/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Ready App

SERVPRO of Wayne offers property owners no-cost tools for preparing a disaster readiness plan.

Each September, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sponsors an awareness event—National Preparedness Month (http://www.ready.gov/September) —to encourage both home and business owners to review and update their emergency preparedness and business and life continuity plans. SERVPRO® of Wayne, encourages property owners to take advantage of the information available from FEMA, because advance planning is critical in dealing with and recovering from the unexpected.

Most home and business owners have taken basic precautions to protect life and property in the event of an emergency like flooding, fire, wind damage, or even malicious attacks.  In many cases, building codes require clearly marked emergency exits, fire extinguishers, fire and flood drills, and similar preparations. But the missing link for many property owners is a comprehensive emergency plan that provides first responders with the information they need to deal with the emergency quickly and effectively, like the location of shut-off valves, fire suppression system controls, and emergency contact numbers.”

SERVPRO® of Wayne offers tools for both commercial and residential property owners to help address this problem. Business and home owners alike can download the free SERVPRO READY app, and store time-critical contact and property information electronically, in advance, where it can be accessed with a mobile device in seconds if disaster strikes. In addition, when a business designates SERVPRO® of Wayne as their disaster mitigation and restoration provider, SERVPRO professionals will conduct a no-cost assessment of the facility and assist the owner in completing a comprehensive Emergency READY Profile® (ERP). The ERP includes information about emergency contact numbers, priority and high/risk areas, shut-off valve locations and more that can then be stored in the READY app.

The most effective response to any emergency is a fast response and that means having critical information available and ready to access at a moment’s notice. FEMA statistics* show that as many as 40 percent of businesses never reopen after a major flood disaster. Minimizing downtime and repairs with a quick, effective response effort can help prevent this type of outcome for businesses and can also help families put their homes and lives back on track in less time and with less stress. Creating a READY profile in advance with SERVPRO’s no-cost tools is well worth the time.”

SERVPRO® of Wayne specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping to remediate damage, making it “Like it never even happened,” for both commercial and residential customers.

For more information on SERVPRO® of Wayne, please contact our office at 973-546-4977 or office.SERVPROwayne@gmail.com. For more information on the SERVPRO® and the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Program, please visit www.ready.SERVPRO.com.

*www.fema.gov/protecting-your-businesses

SPRUCE UP YOUR WORKPLACE

4/12/2016 (Permalink)

Birds are chirping and the temperatures have warmed up—spring is fi nally here!  Spring cleaning is a tradition allowing us to  freshen our environment and get a head start on the hectic seasons of spring and summer. While many people deep clean their homes, this is also a great time to clean and organize your business.

SERVPRO of Wayne can help get your facility in tip top shape.  In addition to air duct and HVAC cleaning, SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals are trained to use state-of-the-art equipment to remove soils hiding deep within your carpet, as well as focused stain removal and stain resistance applications.  Other services include: upholstery and drapery cleaning, hard fl oor cleaning and care, and odor deodorization.

A clean environment is a healthy environment!  Improve your living and work spaces this spring. If you need a little help, don’t worry, SERVPRO of Wayne Professionals have the tools to make your home or business sparkle in no time!

Spring Cleaning Your Workspace

• Divide Your Workspace Into Zones:

Determine how you want and need to use the space and set up zones for your daily functions. You may require a workspace for your computer, a library area for your research, a storage area for supplies and a filing area for your archives.  This will provide a foundation for a more efficient use of space.

• Keep Only What You Need At Arm’s Length:

Boxes of pens, stacks of papers and old coffee cups need to go. Rid your desk of visual clutter by paring down the items on top to the essentials only.  Supplies, paperwork and personal items should be kept in the zones you’ve established for them.

• Sort Your Catch-All Drawer:

Use drawer dividers to give everything a place, like compartments for paperclips and rubber bands. Go through the drawer every six weeks and clear out anything that is out of place or isn’t being used.

• Eliminate Digital Clutter:

Digital clutter can be just as stressful as physical clutter. Organize digital files and your e-mail inbox just as you would paper fi les–with a system of logical and clearly labeled folders. Also, keep the icons on your desktop to a bare minimum, and trade in sticky notes on your monitor for calendar reminders.

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11/21/2015 (Permalink)

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SERVPRO® Celebrates 6th Consecutive Year on Entrepreneur's Top 10 Franchise List

9/18/2015 (Permalink)

Below is a recent press release regarding SERVPRO's ranking in Entreprenuer Magazine's Franchise 500 rankings:

Cleanup and restoration franchisor stands strong in the #7 position in the 2015 Franchise 500 rankings

 SERVPRO®, a cleanup and restoration franchise company, maintains its hold on the No. 7 spot overall – out of a group of 927 franchises that qualified for inclusion in the list—in the recently announced 2015 Franchise 500 rankings* from Entrepreneur magazine. This recognition marks the sixth consecutive year Entrepreneur has included the company in its Top 10 list and the 12th consecutive year SERVPRO has earned the top spot on the magazine’s list in its own industry—Restoration Services.

 Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 selection process** uses “objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation” to help would-be entrepreneurs identify franchise investment opportunities. Some of the most important factors considered by Entrepreneur in developing the list each year are “financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system.”

 “It’s very satisfying to represent the ongoing brand leadership of SERVPRO® for disaster cleanup and restoration services in the Christian, Todd, Logan and Simpson Counties area,” said Cody Sullins, owner of “SERVPRO® of Christian, Todd, Logan and Simpson Counties. “As a SERVPRO franchisee, we have the tools and knowledge—and the responsibility—to provide the best possible service to every customer.”

 According to Sullins, SERVPRO continues to innovate with systems, processes and training designed to deliver faster, more consistent results to their customers. In the past year, SERVPRO customers benefited from the introduction of the following advanced features:

• The company’s DryBook™ proprietary software, which provides franchisees with tools to capture and track the steps of a restoration project according to industry best practices and standards.
• The Here to Help® Connection, which provides homeowners with 24/7 access to real-time data, allowing them to track progress toward project completion.
• The Drying Chamber, which uses vacuum freeze-drying technology to vaporize water in water-damaged documents—a technique recommended by the Library of Congress. The process can recover and restore even the most delicate items and preserve the integrity of a variety of media including irreplaceable files, medical files, books, x-rays, photographs and more.