How to Encourage Fire Safety With Your Kids | SERVPRO of Shelby

7/28/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Shelby is here for you and your family if you experience a fire in your home or business.

It’s hard work having small children in your home! While all of the work is certainly rewarding, it can keep you busy keeping them entertained while also teaching them about the world around them. Teaching your children about difficult concepts or potentially scary situations is especially tricky.

Experiencing a house fire can be scary whether you are 65 or 5, which is why everyone in your home needs to have a basic understanding of fire safety and how to react in the event of an emergency.

Read on as our SERVPRO of Shelby team explains some easy ways to incorporate fire safety lessons without overwhelming your children below.

Explaining the Risks of Fire

It can be hard for children to understand what “cause and effect” means, so they really only learn in the moment when something is happening. This can make it difficult to explain fire to your little ones. To start with, walk around your home and talk about all of the different places that fire is used, along with where it can break out, and discuss how it spreads.

Take out your matches and lighters to show them what they are used for, and be sure to instill the fact that these items are never to be played with and are only for adults to use. If they find a match or lighter laying around, they should bring it to you directly.

Introducing Firefighters

As adults, we all know that firefighters and police officers are there when you need them. Not all children will immediately trust an authority figure, though, especially if he or she is hidden behind a uniform or heavy equipment. This is why it is important to expose your child to pictures, videos and books about friendly heroes and what they look like. You can also attend local meet-and-greet events to help deepen that connection with your child.

In the best case scenario, your children will be able to easily get out of your home quickly as a fire starts. However, they need to learn to be able to call for help and make their presence known in case they get trapped. Have a contest with your kids to see who can be the loudest in their room and who can army crawl to the front door the fastest.

Create a Game Plan

No matter what kind of house or apartment you live in, you need to have an emergency exit plan in place. Your kids can—and should—help with its creation! Go from room to room, have your children identify all of the ways out of the room and have them practice escaping as quickly as possible from each space. When you are done, create a diagram of your home and write it all down.

While it may sound scary to do, you also need to teach your children how to open the windows in your home. In a true emergency, windows can be used as exit points and your children need to know that. However, be sure they understand that windows are never toys and should never be used unless a true emergency is occurring.

Finally, pick an outside meeting location together and practice your entire escape plan from top to bottom at least twice a year. Once you are outside, quiz your children on how to call 911.

Fires can cause widespread damage. Call us for a thorough and efficient restoration.

How to Catch Water Leaks Early | SERVPRO® of Shelby NC

5/24/2023 (Permalink)

If you experience any water damage inside your home or business, reach out to SERVPRO of Shelby.

Water is constantly flowing through the pipes of our homes and out of our appliances and fixtures. We rely on water for so many household uses that it is no surprise that the threat of water damage is so abundant in our lives.

Spotting a water leak before it gets out of control can help prevent a costly and extensive repair process. Check out our tips for preventing a water issue in your home below!

The 4 Components for Starting and Ending a Fire | SERVPRO® of Shelby

4/14/2023 (Permalink)

If your home or business has any damage, SERVPRO of Shelby is ready around the clock to help you recover.

Have you heard of a tetrahedron? Don’t worry, we will share our answer with you! It’s a three-dimensional, triangular shape with four equal sides.

This discussion about the tetrahedron relates to fire safety, believe it or not. In fact, there is something called a fire tetrahedron, which relates to the four major components a fire needs in order to survive! Read on to learn more.

The 4 Things a Fire Needs to Live

Fuel. Fuel is clearly what will make something go, and fires need this in order to keep roaring! Things that can easily be burned, like wood, plastic or organic materials, will continually feed a fire with the fuel it needs.

Heat. A fire require heat in order to get it going and keep going. Once something has been exposed to heat, it will eventually ignite or melt, producing more fuel for a fire.

Oxygen. Oxygen is needed by every living thing, and a fire is no exception to the rule. Oxygen provokes an expanding series of chemical reactions, which can generate products of combustion in the process.

Chemical Chain Reaction. A chain reaction resulting from the three items mentioned above is what will continue to feed a fire. So long as the chain reaction isn’t disturbed, a fire will continue to burn. 

The 4 Ways to Stop a Fire

Cool it. The most common way to stop a fire is to cool it, or exhaust the heat! This is usually accomplished by dousing the fire in water. But remember that because of the heat, the water is likely to evaporate or even boil, so it will take a lot of water to put a fire out.

Smother it. Sometimes a fire can’t be put out with water alone; it will need to be smothered! Removing all oxygen will eventually put the fire out, because you are starving it from the oxygen it needs. This is the mechanism behind the popular “stop, drop and roll” mantra we’re taught as kids.

Starve it. Something has to keep feeding a fire, so therefore logically speaking, the best thing you can do is starve a fire. Remove any fueling agents like wood and grass in order to help the fire come to a natural end.

Interrupt the chain reaction. Another guaranteed success is to interrupt the chain reaction, and you can do this by using chemical agents like halon. While these agents are effective, halon also has an elevated potential for ozone depletion, meaning it is an environmental threat and has been banned.

If the fire tetrahedron makes a wreck of your home or business, we’re ready around the clock to help you recover. Contact SERVPRO anytime for fast, thorough cleanup and recovery after a fire.

The Process for Restoring Your Home After Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Shelby

4/14/2023 (Permalink)

When water damage strikes, make the call to SERVPRO of Shelby for A-to-Z cleanup and restoration.

On a daily basis, there are 14,000 Americans who experience water damage issues in their homes. If this happens to you, you can count on us here at SERVPRO to help you all the way through the cleanup process.

Because any kind of damage to your home is life-altering, we will be here ready and waiting for your call. Here’s what to expect from us at every step of the process:

Emergency Contact. Emergencies tend to happen at the most inopportune times, and because we know that, we are here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We will talk with you to gather information about the nature of the damage, set up an appointment to visit the site in person and determine next steps. We know that a quick reaction time isn’t only necessary for your home—it’s also important for your checkbook and mental well-being.

Inspection and Water Damage Assessment. When our SERVPRO technicians arrive, we immediately make sure that the water has been stopped at the main source. We will then evaluate the damage, making note of any hazards along the way, and sit with you to figure out where to begin.

Water Removal. We will start by removing all the water inside of your home. We use powerful pumps and extraction units that can remove hundreds, or even thousands, of gallons of water from your home.

Damaged Material Removal. As we remove the water, we will work with you to discuss what items can be saved and what will need to be replaced. We will act quickly to remove the items and use industry-leading equipment to help restore your belongings.

Cleaning, Sanitizing and Deodorization. Water damage obviously creates a need for cleanup, sanitizing and deodorization for many things inside the home. We will work diligently to make this happen by using time-tested techniques to restore your belongings.

Drying. The drying process doesn’t stop once the standing water is gone. There is remaining moisture that eludes the eye, which we can remove by using our cutting-edge equipment. Base on the specific needs of your situation, we do whatever we can to help moisture levels return to normal. This will help prevent mold growth.

Monitoring. Throughout the process of drying out your home, we stay in constant contact so that we can assess the damages and make sure we are using best practices. We will call and make visits daily so that we can adjust equipment and techniques as needed to speed things up.

Repairs and Construction. While the water might be gone, it doesn’t mean the hard work is over. That’s when the reconstruction or repairs begin! And we can handle everything from the simplest things to large scale rebuilds if that’s what it takes.

When water damage strikes, make the call to SERVPRO for A-to-Z cleanup and restoration. We’ll make your damaged property look “Like It Never Even Happened.”

Restoration Can’t Wait | SERVPRO® of Shelby

4/14/2023 (Permalink)

If a fire issue pops up during the holidays, remember the trusted leader in the recovery industry, SERVPRO of Shelby.

Picture this: It’s Friday evening, your best friend is over for a sleepover, pizza was just delivered and you’re anxiously awaiting TGIF to start. We’re talking two solid hours of your favorite shows. Life is good!

But these days, you don’t have to wait for Friday night to watch your favorite shows. Life is all about instant gratification. You can watch what you want, when you want.

While there are still some times in life when we have to wait, there are some instances where you not only don’t want to wait—you simply can’t. That’s the case when disasters or accidents strike your home or business, leaving you in a desperate situation.

And here at SERVPRO, we understand that to the fullest. That’s why we’re here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so that we can help you during your darkest hour.

After a fire. While the flames of a fire can cause major damage to a structure, the truth is there are other aspects to consider.

Flames may burn up your possessions or the building structure, but even if they don’t, soot or smoke can not only cover your home from floor to ceiling, but also absorb into the walls of the home. That leaves behind residue and odor that’s difficult to remove.

After water damage. Even a small leak needs to be cleaned up quickly. When water damage sits, it can create another mess that can easily cause damage as well. Standing water or even moisture left in place for only 48 hours can result in mold growth.

And we know mold is not something that is an easy fix, especially the longer you go without addressing it. It not only causes health issues, but it absorbs into the structure of your home.

When disaster strikes, prompt action can help fix the problem and prevent future problems. That’s why we’re here for you when you need us, 24/7.

When you need help after a home or business disaster, fast service is a priority, and there’s nobody faster or more prepared than SERVPRO. Call us anytime to take advantage of our 24-hour emergency service.