Did You Know Summer Is Mold Season in Ocean County?

4/26/2024 (Permalink)

Drywall is porous (like a sponge) and all the little pores allow perfect breeding grounds for mold as shown here.

As we head into the summer and fall months, cases of mold growth will become more common. So much so, in the restoration industry, we refer to summer as "mold season", especially in Ocean County.

Here are some general proactive tips that can help mitigate the chance for mold growth:

• Engage in “moisture controlling” behaviors, such as fixing plumbing issues and other water problems as soon as they occur and drying the area completely.
• In bathrooms or other areas prone to a lot of moisture, consider running a fan, opening a window, or cleaning more frequently to minimize the chance for mold growth. Run exhaust and/or bathroom fans as appropriate, when showering. The goal is to increase ventilation and decrease dampness.
• If possible, keep the humidity of your property’s interior below 60%. The EPA recommends an ideal relative humidity percentage of 30% – 50%. You can measure relative humidity with a small device called a humidity or moisture meter.
• Condensation can be a sign of high humidity and may occur on walls, windows, pipes, or more. If you see condensation, act quickly to dry the surface, and if possible, stop or reduce the water source. Reduce humidity by using air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
• Repair roof gutters and make sure they are cleaned on a regular basis.
• Make sure appliances that use moisture ventilate to the outside, if possible. 
• Be sure water pipes, or other cold surfaces, are covered with insulation if possible.
• Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
• As part of routine maintenance, buildings should be checked regularly for evidence of water damage.

Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees but it can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, and pets can and be carried indoors. It may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces and come in contact with moisture or water. It can grow especially well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.

Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors. Color is not an indication of how dangerous a mold may be. Any mold indoors should be removed and the moisture source that helped it grow should be removed. It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors. Some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust but the mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Remember, moisture control is the key to mold control.

If you do find mold in your home or business, SERVPRO of Point Pleasant will be there. With the personalized care of local restoration professionals who live and work in Ocean County, we are dedicated to making any mold situation “Like it never even happened.”

SERVPRO of Point Pleasant IICRC Certified Firm 2024

1/15/2024 (Permalink)

Since 1972, the IICRC has provided the highest quality to industry professionals around the world and SERVPRO of Point Pleasant is proud to be one.

Finger Print Powder Removal by SERVPRO of Point Pleasant

12/19/2023 (Permalink)

Fingerprint powder and evidence-gathering chemicals can be tricky to handle, but our have the experience and tools to manage them effectively.

Oftentimes the aftermath of a robbery is overlooked. However, the cleanup process of a crime scene is a very vital part of the road to recovery.

In this particular incident, a homeowner's worst nightmare came true when they returned to their Brick home one evening to find that someone broke in. Thankfully, and most importantly, no one was injured. The robber took what they pleased and vandalized their beautiful waterfront home in the process. Brick Township Police Department responded quickly to the call and began to start their investigation. They had their canine unit on site and immediately dusted the scene for fingerprints. After they left to continue their investigation, the home was covered in white powder. Although a sign of a job well done by our local officers, the homeowners were left with the messy residue.

Wanting to get their home back to preloss condition, they called SERVPRO of Point Pleasant to perform crime scene cleanup.

How does SERVPRO of Point Pleasant clean fingerprint powder?

Our technicians use dry soil removal methods and powerful extraction devices to clean up powder and prevent transfer to adjacent surfaces. The cleanup process following a robbery requires meticulous attention to detail, technical knowledge, and compassion for the individuals who were impacted emotionally during this event.

Is Human Waste a Biohazard

5/11/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Point Pleasant provides cleanup and recovery services for many biohazard situations. Call us today at 732-202-3001.

The definition of Biohazard waste according to Wikipedia is “Biohazard waste is a biological substance that poses a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily humans. This could include a sample of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can adversely affect human health. A
biohazard could also be a substance harmful to other living beings.” Human feces may
potentially contain a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Cornell has provided us with a list of these pathogens, but here is just a few of many that human feces can carry:

• Salmonella
• E. coli
• Hepatitis A
• Shigella
• Candida
• Yersinia

These diseases are dangerous and sometimes can be life threatening, therefore human feces is
considered a biohazard.

Recently, we received a call from the Sheriff of Brick Township. A landlord had reached out to them originally because their rental unit was left in a disastrous manner and they were seeking help. The tenants had moved out, and the landlord discovered the walls, carpets and most areas of the house covered in human feces. Their contents and garbage was also left behind. SERVPRO of Point Pleasant came in and performed an emergency biohazard cleanup.

When it comes to a situation like this, hiring a professional is your only option. If you’re in need
of cleanup and restoration services, contact our professionals today at 732-202-3001.

What is the Transition from Thunderstorm to Hurricane?

4/26/2023 (Permalink)

We’re dedicated to responding immediately to storm damage emergencies because A fast response helps lessens the damage and reduces cost.

About 25 to 30 thunderstorms happen per year in New Jersey and in Point Pleasant. There is roughly 11 significant two day storms that happened per year. While hurricanes normally occur once every ten years. Although that is not often, all it takes is a thunderstorm, warm ocean
water and light winds for a hurricane to form. It is important to understand the difference in order
to protect yourself, your family, and prepare properly. SciJinks accurately breaks down the four transition stages from thunderstorm to hurricane below:

• Tropical Disturbance: Once water vapor from the warm ocean condenses to form
  clouds, it releases heat into the air. The warm air then rises and is pulled into the column of clouds. A pattern starts to develop with wind circulating around the center and as it encounters more clouds it is called a tropical disturbance.
• Tropical Depression: The air at the top of the cloud column starts cooling and becoming unstable as the thunderstorm grows higher and larger. As the heat energy is released from the cooling water vapor, the air at the top of the clouds become warmer, making air pressure higher causing winds to move outward. The movement and warming causes pressures at the surface to drop. When winds reach between 25 and 38mph the storm is called a tropical depression.
• Tropical Storm: Winds have to reach 39mph for the tropical depression to become a tropical storm. The storm will get a name, winds blow faster and start twisting around the eye.
• Hurricane: Once wind speed reaches 74mph it is considered a hurricane. The storm is at least 50,000 feet high, reaches 125 miles across and the eye is between 5 to 30 miles wide.

Hurricanes Categories:

• Category 1: Winds 74 to 95 mph (Minimal damage)
• Category 2: Winds 96 to 110 mph (Moderate damage)
• Category 3: Winds 111 to 129 mph (Extensive damage)
• Category 4: Winds 130 to 156 mph (Extreme damage)
• Category 5: Winds 157 mph or higher (Catastrophic damage)

Experiencing a storm can be an unsettling thing, and it is even worse if your home or business
has been affected. If you find yourself in that situation, we are here to help. Call SERVPRO of
Point Pleasant for all your storm damage repair
needs 732-202-3001.

How Is Commercial Restoration Different than Residential?

4/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Point Pleasant helps commercial customers with a wide variety of cleaning, reconstruction and restoration projects of all sizes.

Commercial buildings include apartment complexes, industrial spaces, hotels, retail spaces and office spaces. These have rooms designed for a specific function.

Residential is any property that has between one and four residential units. This can include a single-family home, a townhome, a condo, a mobile home, or a multiplex building.

The main difference between the two is the size of the building and how it is being used. Commercial properties are generally larger than residential properties.

Plumbing

Commercial properties usually have more pipes due to the increased number of bathrooms, kitchens etc. While residential homes have standard plumbing. Just like a residential home, a broken pipe can equally destroy a commercial property.

Business Spaces & Appliances

A commercial business might involve networks of computer systems, document storage, complicated desk setups etc. When restoring these rooms this needs to be done with an extreme amount of caution.

HVAC systems

The HVAC and sprinkler systems in commercial properties are on a very larger scale and can cause a significant amount of damage. HVAC systems can fail, it is important to get them regularly maintained and checked for old hardware or a leak. By doing so, it will help decrease the chances of issues caused by your HVAC system.

You can count on SERVPRO of Point Pleasant for all your commercial restoration needs to:

• Respond immediately
• Formulate the right solution
• Keep you operational if possible
• Document the process
• Get the work done fast
• Get the work done right

The right equipment and trained professionals are needed to address these specific types of issues. Every day your business is closed or only partially operational, you could be losing money. Whether you are dealing with a water damage, fire damage, storm damage, or you have mold or a biohazard contamination SERVPRO of Point Pleasant is here to help. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us today at 732-202-3001 for all of your restoration needs!

Who Cleans Vandalism from Graffiti in Bricktown?

2/13/2023 (Permalink)

This door has vandalism from graffiti inside the property before it was removed. SERVPRO of Point Pleasant removed, cleaned & sanitized the property.

Graffiti is never a good look for any business. When you experience graffiti damage it is important to act quickly. The quicker it is removed, the less likely it will leave permanent damage to your property. Every graffiti medium is different so each of those could require a different chemical composition to remove it effectively without damaging the surface. Even with the most common graffiti medium, spray paint, there’s a thousand different chemistries that causes many different interactions. 

Will high pressure remove the graffiti?

• High pressure will normally cause more damage than it actually helps and it may actually damage the surface in the process.

At SERVPRO of Point Pleasant, we have been mitigating graffiti damage in Brick for years. We have the advanced training to clean and restore graffiti from many types of surfaces, including:

• Brick, stone, and concrete cleaning
• General cleaning and graffiti removal 
• Odor removal and deodorization
• Debris removal

When your Brick business suffers vandalism from graffiti, SERVPRO of Point Pleasant is available 24/7 at 732-202-3001 to make it “Like it never even happened.” 

Is a Sewer Backup Bad for My Point Pleasant Home or Business?

2/3/2023 (Permalink)

We are available 24 hours a day—our highly trained technicians are standing by for any size biohazard cleanup.

A sewer backup creates a stressful and emotional situation for any Point Pleasant home or business owner. In some cases, there are not only safety concerns but also concerns over significant property loss. Proper and a quick response to this situation can significantly minimize property damage.

What is a sewer backup?

A sewer backup occurs when sewage and/or dirty water (called wastewater) comes up a drain, sink or toilet. This usually happens when there is a blockage in the sewer pipe that is preventing wastewater from freely flowing. If this occurs, sewer backups need to be stopped and cleaned immediately to eliminate any sort of exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses. “Sewer systems connect entire communities and carry the wastewater to a treatment facility where it is treated and returned to the environment,” according to Lentz Wastewater Management Inc. 

What causes sewer backups in Point Pleasant?

There are several reasons why a sewer backup occurs, but the two main categories would be:

1. There is a blockage and it is preventing the sewage from flowing, or there’s just too much wastewater for the system to handle. If something is blocking the pipe or otherwise preventing wastewater from flowing, eventually that wastewater will back up into the drains inside your home. Particularly older homes are more susceptible to damaged sewer pipes, but there are many things that can cause a blockage. Like flushing items that should not be flushed – wipes, grease, oils, fats, etc.
2. Heavy rains can also be the cause of sewer backups. Particularly for homes connected to municipal sewer systems. There are wastewater systems in most cities and separate the rain water and the sewage. Some cities have a combined sewer system that carries sewage and rain together. During heavy rain fall, the sewer system can get filled with rain water and it forces the water and sewage up into the home systems that it’s connected too. Which result into a sewage backup.

It’s one thing to have a flooded basement full of water; it’s quite another to have one full of backed-up sewage. Sewer backups aren’t necessarily the most destructive thing that can happen to your house, but they are definitely one of the most disgusting. These situations should be considered an emergency and dealt with as quickly as possible to prevent any further damage to your property. Consider your personal protection-the raw sewage can be extremely dangerous and filled with gases, viruses, bacterial, and fungi. SERVPRO employees have all the PPE (personal protective equipment), proper training and products to tackle such biohazard cleanup jobs. There is no disaster cleanup service that the experts of SERVPRO of Point Pleasant can’t tackle. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate reaching out to us. We know how to contain the situation and neutralize it. Call 732-202-3001 today for all your sewage cleanup needs

Pipe Burst While on Vacation?

2/3/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO can determine the scope of your water damage, inspect and test to determine the extent of damage and how far the moisture traveled.

If you are planning to travel away from your Lacey home, it is of the utmost importance to occasionally check your vacant property. By having a trusted friend or family member stop by even a couple times a week to make sure everything is as you left it, is strongly recommended. In a winter cold spell, water pipes may develop ice and form a blockage. If left untreated, this can lead to increased pressure, causing the pipe to burst. A burst water pipe in your home can cause more than $5,000 in damage, so it’s important to act quickly.

A family in our community had a pipe burst while travelling during the holidays when the temperature changed drastically (which is usually the cause). Thankfully, they had a family who was checking the home catch this before the water damage spread. They called SERVPRO of Lacey, Manchester and we were able to get there to begin the water damage restoration process. If the water was left sitting for too long untreated moisture can result in bacteria, mold and mildew growth or worsening structural damage.

Even if you’ll only be away from your home for a few days, consider having someone check up on your living space. Especially if it’s during extreme weather condition. As always, SERVPRO of Lacey is here to help with any emergency service regarding water damage. Contact us at 732-408-3161, we are available 24/7.

SERVPRO of Point Pleasant Commercial Damage Restoration Services

9/6/2022 (Permalink)

Water from unit above came down into a business in Point Pleasant causing water damage.

When it comes to your commercial property, you need a restoration company that can minimize the disruption while delivering superior and fast results. Whether you need water or fire damage cleanup, mold removal, storm cleanup, flood cleanup, sewage removal, bio-hazard cleanup, professional cleaning services or Covid-19 cleaning services, SERVPRO of Point Pleasant handles it all. We are your local commercial cleanup experts. We service:

• Office Buildings
• High-Rise Office Buildings
• Apartment Buildings
• Restaurants
• Hotels and Motel
• Retail Stores
• High-Rise Buildings
• Manufacturing Buildings
• Industrial Parks
• Warehouses
• Flex Buildings
• Suites or Condominiums
• Multi-Dwelling Units and Buildings
• Medical Buildings
• Government Buildings
• Military Buildings

A professional commercial water damage restoration company, like SERVPRO of Point Pleasant, will have the knowledge and experience to mitigate these risks, as well as restore your property. our technicians are trained and certified to handle any commercial water damage restoration project. We can assist you through every step of the process and help return your property back to a state of normalcy.