Fire/Smoke Restoration: The Most Thorough Cleaning Available!

5/16/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties uses industry leading methods and specially formulated products made to battle the heaviest smoke damage.

Cleaning and restoration following a fire or smoke damage can be challenging. SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties uses a two-step approach when cleaning heavy smoke. The SERVPRO Team first performs a dry-cleaning method to remove the majority of oily smoke residue from a given surface. This is followed by a wet cleaning performed by our technicians using SERVPRO's own specially formulated cleaning products. This is performed on most hard surfaces such as wood, metal, marble, and porcelain to name a few. Why is this important? If wet cleaning was performed prior to dry cleaning when attacking harmful soot, it is very likely that the process will spread the residue and smudge the surface. By using basic, over-the-counter products, that are not made specifically for cleaning soot, there is a high risk that it will stain thus making it more difficult, or impossible, to completely remove. If you experience smoke damage to your home or commercial building, contact the team that is faster to any size disaster: SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties. You can be sure your property is receiving the most advanced cleaning methods, by industry certified technicians, who nothing but products created specifically for fire and smoke damage restoration. SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties, here to make fire and smoke damage "Like it never even happened."

30 Years in Westmoreland!

4/3/2023 (Permalink)

2023 marks 30 years at our Westmoreland, NH location!

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties has been providing Southern Vermont with industry-leading cleanup and restoration services since the late 1970s. When the franchise was taken over by the Paul Family, SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties shared a building with a local dog groomer on Court Street in Keene, NH. Having quickly outgrown the current location, Owner Richard Paul decided to move the business across town to Water Street. It wasn't long before the growing business outgrew the Water Street location and Paul was looking elsewhere for a larger building and a new location which would better accommodate the company's growing client base in Southern Vermont. What Paul found was a large red industrial building which would fulfill both needs. The decision was made in 1993 that SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties would be moving to Westmoreland, NH.

The location was great. Just off NH Route 12 with tremendous visibility, only 10 minutes outside of Keene, and easy access to Vermont, especially Interstate 91 which is a main north-south corridor within SERVPRO's Vermont territory. The building's space was a huge upgrade as well. SERVPRO was increasing personnel, equipment, cleaning products, and vehicles which the new space would better necessitate. The property required a lot of landscaping, tree removal and sprucing up. The building interior went through changes as well including small renovations, remodeling, and reconfiguring. This was all being done as SERVPRO continued to provide services to its clients.

It took a lot of hard work and patience, but the move to the new location in Westmoreland was just what the company needed. The business continued to grow and expand. Now with Ryan and Derek Paul at the helm, a satellite location has been added in Ascutney, VT to better serve the Vermont market. That move 30 years ago was an integral part of the success of SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties, and we look forward to what the future holds!

Commercial Cleaning: Transport Facility

2/13/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties is prepared to handle all of your commercial cleaning projects.

Here at SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties, we're able to provide a variety of services in any type of facility, large or small. We're the nation's leader in emergency cleanup and restoration services follow fire, water, and mold damage. We are also capable of handling large, commercial sized cleaning projects whether it be emergency related, cleaning following a construction project, mold remediation, or a maintenance related cleaning of the facility. 

In this recent project, our team was contacted by one of our clients to carry out a top-to-bottom cleaning at their long-haul transport facility's extensive garage area. Over time, as their trucks are being serviced and are constantly entering and exiting the building, exhaust dust and debris accumulates on a variety of surfaces in the garage area. Our clients knew exactly how wo contact for this type of project.

Our skilled team, while working off of lifts, ladders and movable stairs, went through the affected areas and carried out an extensive cleaning, using similar methods and products that would be used following a fire or smoke damage. Our technicians used HEPA filtered vacuums and dense dry-cleaning sponges to remove the heaviest layers of debris and followed up with a more detailed wet cleaning in specific areas of the garage. The process not only removed heavy debris, but also helped to deodorize the area.

We're grateful to have been contacted by this client on multiple occasions for this service and look forward to working with them again. Commercial cleaning projects such as this are but another way SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties can be a valuable resource to your commercial business or facility.

February Freeze-2023

2/11/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties: The team that is faster to any size disaster!

Winter in New England can bring a multitude of surprises and challenges when it comes to weather. Snow, slush, sleet, ice, and of course, frigid temperatures.

Last weekend, parts across New England experienced some of the most bone chilling temps in recent memory. Beginning Friday night and culminating into Saturday morning, temperatures reached negative digits. When the windchill was factored in, depending on the location, temperatures reached -20, -30, -40, and in some places even -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Now that is cold! On top of Mount Washington, the windchill pushed the temp to over -100 degrees. Incredible! 

These frigid temps and high winds led to power outages and an extremely high quantity of frozen pipes throughout our team's coverage area. SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties received over 100 service calls due to burst pipes in the week following this extreme freeze event. Our team has been incredible with responding and providing service to as many of our customers as possible without sacrificing quality or professionalism. We want to extend a big thank you to our clients who have been patient and understanding during this event as we continue onward. Lastly, we want to give a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated crew for their hard work for the past week. We're grateful to have such an amazing team here at Windham & Windsor Counties!

Kitchen Fire: Residential Fire Mitigation Project

1/24/2023 (Permalink)

Fire mitigation projects can be very complex with several different phases. We can help!

Recently, our team here at SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties received a service request for emergency mitigation services following a kitchen fire at a local residence. The fire originated and caused the most significant damage in the kitchen, but there was heavy contamination from smoke throughout the rest of the home. Luckily no one was injured in the fire.

There were multiple phases throughout the project with the first being the packing and removal of salvageable belongings and furniture to our location to be cleaned and deodorized. Items that were unable to be restored were inventoried and disposed of. The next step was to remove all the building materials that were damage from the fire. Our team carefully removed, bagged, and discarded these materials. All other areas were then professionally cleaned. While all of this was taking place, we installed large air scrubbing devices and deodorizing machines to assist with odor removal. Lastly, we applied a coat of our smoke sealant product in all areas where demolition was performed.

In the end, the areas were completely deodorized, sealed, and ready for reconstruction. Once the reconstruction phase is completed by a contractor, our team will deliver the furniture and belongings back to the property.

Why SERVPRO? The Disaster Restoration Provider You Can Rely On

1/24/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties: the emergency restoration provider you can rely on to make fire & water damage "Like it never even happened."

For our next installment of "Why SERVPRO?" we'd like to reference an online review from a past client, Lorene, following a septic backup issue in the basement of her home in southern Vermont. Following her call, the professionals here at SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties mobilized a team of technicians to the property and began emergency services. Here are her comments:

"I had a septic incident at my home that caused a great deal of mess in the basement. I tried calling several places without even getting someone to respond. I called SERVPRO once and they had someone out that day, then had a team in the next day cleaning up!!! Fantastic job and very nice people to deal with. Everyone made a nasty situation better for me. Thank you."

Thank you for the feedback, Lorene. Unexpected emergencies such as these are always complicated, stressful, and can be difficult to address. We're very appreciative that you contacted us so we could make this situation easier for you. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties is here to help. Thanks again!

Winter Weather: Is Your Home or Commercial Property Prepared?

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Winter weather can be potentially damaging to your home or commercial property. Is your property prepared this winter?

It's winter here in southern Vermont which means snowstorms, ice, and cold weather are upon us. Our homes and properties are susceptible to damage when winter weather arrives. As we like to do each year, here are a few reminders and suggestions to prepare your home or property during the cold months.

• Protect water pipes from freezing. Flow-based leak detection systems can shut down your home's water supply in the event of an emergency. Be sure to cover outside faucets as well.
• Keep thermostats at a reasonable level to adequately heat your property. As a recommendation, avoid dropping your thermostat below 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Backup generators are a great way to ensure key elements to your home can run in the event of a power outage. Furnaces and water heaters need power to run, not to mention the benefit of having light and the ability to use kitchen appliances.
• Adding insulation where needed, such as attics, cold and unheated basements, wall cavities, floors, basement windows, and around exposed pipes can greatly improve your property's ability to hold in heat and keep out the cold. 
• Be sure that the area around windows is caulked thoroughly to reduce heat loss and to cut down on your heating costs. 
• Clear rain gutters as often as possible. Specifically, be sure the downspouts are clear of debris to ensure proper drainage. 

Be sure to monitor and inspect these areas of your home regularly this winter. The more often they are checked, the more likely a potential issue is discovered before it becomes a real problem.

Winter weather can be potentially damaging to your home or commercial property. Is your property prepared this winter?

45 Years: Serving the Area Since 1978!

1/23/2023 (Permalink)

Thank you to our clients and community for supporting our business for 45 years!

We are happy to announce that 2023 marks 45 years SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties has provided emergency cleanup and restoration services to southwestern New Hampshire! Founded in 1978, SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties began primarily as a cleaning and janitorial service and eventually evolved into the area's leader in disaster restoration.

In 1988, SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties was purchased by Richard and Susan Paul and was based out of Keene, NH. In 1993, headquarters were moved to our current location in Westmoreland, NH. In early 2002, Ryan Paul came aboard as a Project Manager, and in late 2003, Derek Paul joined the family business as a Marketing Representative. The staff has grown over the years, technology has improved and methods and products within the industry have become more advanced. Our staff continues to obtain new certifications while training within the different services we provide. Our staff works incredibly hard and total customer satisfaction is their goal.

Community involvement and support is also very important to us. As we are locally owned and operated, we care deeply about giving back to our local community. We proudly participate by way of sponsorships, fundraisers, charities, events, educational and athletic programs, and local associations to name a few.

In 2015, Ryan and Derek Paul became minority owners of the company, handling more of the day-to-day operations. To better serve our clients in Southern Vermont, we added a second office location in Ascutney, VT in 2018. And in the Fall of 2021, the two brothers officially took over full ownership, while Richard and Susan transitioned into retirement. This past fall, Ryan and Derek celebrated 1 year of their full ownership.

We are beyond grateful for how far our business has come in 45 years. We are thankful for our staff, our community and of course, our clients. We look forward to providing the same quality of service to those who need us well into the future! Thank you for your support for the past 45 years! 

Water Damage Mitigation: Containment is Key

1/12/2023 (Permalink)

Water damaged properties can be dried more efficiently by "containing" affected areas from non-affected areas during the drying process.

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties handles emergency water damage cleanup and restoration following a variety of different types of mishaps. Every water damage restoration project is a little different from the last, but the methodology and science of drying the structure is consistent: remove standing water, determine what areas have been affected, remove damaged materials that CANNOT be salvaged, dry the areas and materials that CAN be salvaged. This is a simplified example of course.

Having the right equipment for these projects is very important. Extraction units, high-powered air movers, dehumidifiers, moisture detecting meters, and one item that may not be as hi-tech, but is equally important: plastic. Plastic sheeting to be more specific. Plastic sheeting is used regularly on water mitigation projects. It can be used to protect furniture or belongings. It can be used as a protectant on floors and flat surfaces. Additionally, plastic sheeting can be used to create barriers or "containment.” Containment is key in preventing cross- contamination. When demolition is being performed in one part of the building, the containment will prevent dust and debris from contaminating the unaffected part of the building.

When it comes to the drying process, containment is a key piece to improve drying time. For example: if a large room has water damage, but the damage is confined to half of the room, our machines can dry the area quicker by making the room "smaller." This is done by setting up containment, ceiling to floor, and containing our drying efforts only to the specific parts of the room that are wet. There is no need to dry the areas that are not wet and thus by shrinking the room, air movers and dehumidifiers can dry the affected areas quicker.

Although dehumidifiers and air movers tend to get all the credit when properly drying a structure following water damage, plastic sheeting is another key component in the drying process!

Why SERVPRO? Professionally Trained and Certified Staff

1/10/2023 (Permalink)

Training and education are equally important and essential in the world of emergency cleanup and restoration.

Two areas in which we pride ourselves here at SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties are training and education. The world of emergency cleanup and restoration is constantly evolving. Techniques for mitigating fire and water damage are updating, products are improving, and equipment is regularly changing for the better. It is important to stay on top of these advancements so we can better and more effectively serve our clients when they need us.

SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties team members receive hands on training for fire and water damage restoration. Additionally, our production team, as well as members from our admin and estimating staff, attend courses in these areas of emergency restoration to become certified by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning & Restoration Certification). It is important for each person within the organization to be familiar with and educated in the science of emergency cleanup and restoration whether it be a result from fire, smoke, water, mold, trauma, or sewer damage.

Having a staff that is trained and certified in these areas allows us to better serve our clients. One more reason why SERVPRO of Windham & Windsor Counties is the best choice for emergency cleanup and restoration.