Is Your Water Bill Too High?

With the way the economy is currently impacting our nation, you can be sure people are trying to do everything they can to save money and more cost conscious. This could include using less electricity, packing a lunch to work, or even carpooling. Of course, there are many other ways people can save money that are more effective and more creative. Sometimes however, the simplest methods can make the largest impacts.

The average person uses between 40-80 gallons of water per day (gpd). A number that is higher than most of the world and surprised even us. With this use on a daily basis, the equipment responsible for water distribution in your home will develop natural wear and tear. Pipes, faucets, toilets and water heaters can develop many issues over time that may be costing you more money than you think on your water bill. Leaks can be the largest unseen factor in causing your monthly water bill to be higher than the natural useage of water in your home. Leaks will continue to affect the home throughout the day, while you are at work, school or whatever it is you do during the day. Over time these leaks grow to become bigger problems such as broken pipes, and can even cause mold in your home. However, there is a remedy for your high water bills. Most of these causes are easily avoided with the right preventative measures. In most cases, a leak may just mean a pipe needs to be tightened or a washer be replaced. Many of these repairs and preventative measures can be done by a homeowner and saves you a lot of money in the long run. Resources are available to the general public to perform these procedures at home. http://www.middleburg.org/report.pdfs/Info%20Sheet%20-%20High%20Water%20Bills.pdf

We are often called into people's homes and businesses to mitigate water damage. There are many cases in which water damage to the home could have been avoided with simple maintenance and repair. Though we are more than happy to perform mitigation and restoration services, we desire to see our clients well informed on how they can better protect their properties. As always, if you find yourself in a water loss or water damage situation, call our trained technicians at 1-800-439-8833, we are here to serve you 24/7/365.

Why ServiceMaster Clean?

People have choices, plain and simple. In today's marketplace, consumers look for options, making decisions based on who and what best meet their needs. The disaster restoration industry is no exception to this rule. Our clients, whether they are insurance companies or direct consumers, seek to work with a company that goes out of its way to meet the satisfaction of its clients. So the answer begs the question, why pick ServiceMaster Clean and not a competitor?

The answer to this question is simple; ServiceMaster Clean provides more comprehensive services than any of our competitors. To begin, ServiceMaster Clean is the largest disaster restoration vendor in the industry, with offices both domestic and international. Our global network comprises of more than 4,500 locations spread throughout the world. With the capacity to work on such a large scale ServiceMaster Clean is able to provide a vast array of services.

These services range from janitorial cleaning, to residential water damage/fire damage recovery services, and even continue onto commercial disaster restoration services. The next competitive advantage ServiceMaster Clean carries is the fact that it is made up of a network of individually owned franchises. These franchises communicate with each other to help meet the needs of the clients. An example of this might be a scenario in which a franchise focusing on janitorial services has a client experience a large water loss. This same franchise can reach out to a disaster specific ServiceMaster Clean franchise for assistance in responding to the water loss, working as a team and network to ensure the needs of client are always met. Combine this mindset with employees who are trained and certified, and you will get the top professionals in the disaster restoration industry.

ServiceMaster Clean is a company made up of individual franchises that seek to work together. By leveraging the experience and resources that we all bring to the restoration industry, we work together to meet the needs of our clients. At the end of the day, the reason ServiceMaster Clean has been successful in the disaster restoration industry is because the people that make up the company are dedicated to use their knowledge and skills to ensure the best service and quality is provided to our clients.

After the Smoke Settles- What are the health risks associated to fire damage?

Fire is a disaster that can have an immense impact on any property. The causes of a fire are vast and can be accounted to just about anything. Following the right prevention methods can help keep the statistics low, the truth however, is that fires still occur at an alarming rate and continue to cause property disasters. Though most damage occurs in the intial fire itself through the destruction of property and the emotional trauma inflicted, there is a strong amount of damage inflicted after the fire as well. One factor many people overlook is the impact to health in a post fire damage environment.

The human body and immune system are designed to protect against many contaigens. However, this is not always the case when the body is confronted with carcinogens caused from fire damage. The remnants of a fire are found in the smoke and soot damage still present in a fire damaged property. Many times, these factors are present in the structural walls and contents of the house/building. The primary risk associated with these factors is the damage to lungs and respitory systems. Smoke can be inhaled into the respitory system and cause internal damage of the lungs. Examples of this damage are found through coughing and shortness of breath, following exposure to a fire damaged property. Many times these symptoms don't reveal themselves until time has gone by from exposure to smoke and soot damage.

However, these are preventable risks, resources are available to consumers to not only regain their home and protect their home, but to also protect their health. Having fire damage restoration companies perform services on damaged homes and homes exposed to smoke damage can eliminate the risk on respitory problems. The sooner a company works to eliminate the smoke and soot damage caused by a fire, the effectiveness of lowering risk.

ServiceMaster of San Francisco performs fire damage recovery services as a primary service to its clients. Our technicans are trained by state requirements to ensure every client who receives their services, receives the best quality. We are available at all times to respond to emergency fire damage restoration needs. Call us at 1-800-439-8833 or visit our website at www.svmrecovery.com

Got a Superhero on Dial?

The title of this post may very well have you a bit confused and lost. After all what does having a superhero on dial have to do with disaster restoration. Well we at ServiceMaster consider our roles to be very much aligned with the roles and characteristics a superhero demonstrates. Superheroes are called into action at the sign of distress and trouble. They have to over come hurdles and obstacles to reach the over all goal. These goals are varied but range from saving a damsel in distress to having to save the world from an impending danger. Either way, the role of the superhero is to serve the people and to uphold the benefit of others.

In this same way, we at ServiceMaster view our roles as being ready to serve others;whether that is a family who has experienced a property disaster or a business that has found damage to their facility, we must be ready to respond. Similar to superheroes our team has to be prepared at a moments notice to respond to the needs of our customers, whether it's during the daytime or at night. We usually have to over come obstacles, which may include: flooded basements, multi-level flooding, fire damage, smoke damage or even mold. Our heroes are our technicians, the ones who arrive at your property in the time of the disaster. They are the ones ready to serve at a moments notice. Our technicians power is their knowledge and skill. They use these together to ensure our clients are returned to pre-loss conditions.

So make sure you have the superheroes at ServiceMaster Restoration & Recovery Services on dial. We are available 24/7/365, including holidays. To use our emergency services call us at 1-800-439-8833 or visit our website at http://svmrecovery.com/

Fire Damage Risk- Electrical Fires

One of the main disasters that poses a risk to your home is fire. Fire damage to your home can be caused by both external and internal factors. One of the largest sources of fire damage to homes in the U.S. is electrical wiring. Faulty wiring can eventually lead to the cause of a house fire from an electrical appliance or electrical socket. One of the easiest ways that a fire can be caused is from simply plugging in too many appliances or devices into an electrical source. An example of this would be overloading power strips, causing electrical overloads. Another cause is exposed wiring from any electrical devices. Wires that are exposed to carpet or any other furnishing in the home can pose a deadly fire risk. Be sure to check cables from electrical devices to make sure they are all properly wrapped and have no exposed wiring. Electrical fires can cause a lot of damage but there are a few simple steps you can follow to make sure you prevent the risk to fire damage to your home. Here are a few helpful tips for you to follow:

1. Replace fuses with the correct size replacements
2. View signs of flickering lights or overheated light switches (these are all early signs of fire risks).
3. Inspect outlets for any damage or exposure.
4. When plugging in any appliance, be sure that they are plugged in securely and fit snug.
5. Use correct wattage bulbs for lamps and lighting fixtures.

For more information on fire damage safety or to schedule emergency* fire damage services contact us at the following information:

ServiceMaster Restoration & Recovery Services
1-800-439-8833
http://svmrecovery.com/

*Services available 24/7 including holidays and weekends.

A Little Fact About Mold

Fact:

Mold problems occur in airtight homes more frequently in the warmer months (when humidity reaches high levels inside the house, and moisture is trapped), and occur in drafty homes more frequently in the colder months (when warm air escapes from the living area into unconditioned space, and condenses). If a house is artificially humidified during the winter, this can create conditions favorable to mold. Moving air may prevent mold from growing since it has the same desiccating effect as lowering humidity. Molds grow best in warm temperatures, 77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Call us at (800)439-8833 for mold inspection & remediation whether you are in San Jose or San Francisco we are there to help you 24/7.

Broken Pipes, House Fires, Shattered Glass-Earthquake Party

One of the primary disasters that puts residents of the Bay Area at risk is the potential for earthquakes. Furthermore, the risk that is faced by most Bay Area residents is the fact that we are still waiting for the next "big one" to hit, and most are not prepared for this event. So what can you do to minimize the risk to your home or business?

There are a few different things that you can do to make sure you limit the amount of damage and risk you expose your home or business to in such an event. Most of the prevention measures can be based on what you see going wrong in the event of an earthquake. For example,in the event of an earthquake, one of the objects that carry's the most risk to your home or business are the pipes in your home. Most pipes can break or twist causing leaks and sometimes even leading to flooding in your home or business. This can turn out to be one of the larger damages resulting directly from an earthquake. Related to this, any gas lines or propane lines that are not secure can also be viewed as a potential risk to your home. Many websites on earthquake safety will tell you to analyze 3 main points, they are: Hazard, Exposure and Vulnerability. These ideas can be implemented for your home and business to find and correct the risks that are lurking in your home.

To get you started on better earthquake safety, here are a few quick tips:

1. Secure gas lines and water lines in your home.
2. Use bracing systems for water heaters/dryers/washing machines.
3. Move electrical appliances away from edges (to prevent from falling over).
4. Secure book cases
5. Check the glass on your windows for any protective coating to lower the risk of the glass breaking into shards.
6. Have an earthquake preparedness kit ready in your home or business!

All of these tips were provided by resources available to all on the internet. Do your research and find new ways you can help prepare and protect your home/business from the risk of earthquakes. For more information check out the websites listed in this posting. For any emergency services related to property damage call us at 1-415-584-6100. We are available 24/7/365, especially when something goes wrong!

http://www.disastersafety.org/Earthquake
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/risk.shtm
http://svmrecovery.com/