Take a Proactive Approach to Protect Your Household From Storm Damage

7/27/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of The Mountains is on call 24/7 with rapid response! Please call us if your home has experiences storm damage.

Especially in Northeast Georgia, thunderstorms frequently pop-up and quickly leave without much incident. That said, any storm has the potential to cause damage. It’s always a good idea to be prepared in the event of a severe storm. Even a storm that doesn’t that severe can cause damage in the right circumstances. It doesn’t take much for some fallen trees to dam up a river, or a house that hasn’t been well maintained to have a water intrusion.

SERVPRO recommends a proactive approach be taken to severe weather preparedness. This is important so that you have peace of mind that you are ready and safe. Being prepared can also save you lots of money. Making an emergency plan and walking the family through is a great way to be prepared.

What is a Microburst Storm?

7/27/2021 (Permalink)

Microburst storm causing sever lighting storm.

According to The National Weather Service, a microburst is a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) that is in a thunderstorm and is usually less than 2.5 miles in diameter.

These storms can cause massive damage at the surface and can put people in danger. Wet microburst and dry microburst are the two primary types of microbursts. Wet microburst come with large amounts of rain and are common in the Southeast during the summer months.

In recent years, Northeast Georgia has had an increase in annual rainfall. This has coincided with an increase in evening thunder cells and storms.

These storms are small and come on very quickly, which causes them to be overlooked by local or and national news reports. However, the damage to homes and business while in a small area, can be extensive.

The wind speeds in microburst often get as high as 100 mph, which is on par with an EF-1 tornado! These winds can cause major damage to buildings, neighborhoods, and hundreds if trees. It is supremely important that you take Severe Thunderstorm Warnings as seriously as you do Tornado Warnings!

Make sure to take appropriate shelter to protect your family and loved ones. Once the storm has passed, SERVPRO is here to help repair whatever damage you might have experienced from the storm.

Because SERVPRO is individually owned and locally operated, we are often only a few minutes away from where these events occur.

Whatever is needed to clean, dry, repair or restore a damaged structure can be coordinated thru your local SERVPRO team.  

We remain “Ready to Help.”

Flooding/Rising Water

7/27/2021 (Permalink)

A couple of inches of standing water in a flooded basement.

The mountains and rolling hills of Northeast Georgia are a sight to beyond! The hilly terrain also provides the benefit of being natural flood protection. Because the water must run down steep and rocky slopes, rainwater usually moves quickly and safely downstream.

The same is not true of other parts of our great country that have large flood plains and low-lying rivers. Compared to those areas we are somewhat sheltered from large scale flooding.

That said, we are not totally protected from flooding. Local creeks and rivers do on occasion flood.

With the high temperatures, sudden and intense thunderstorms do occur. These heavy rains can quickly stress and over-whelm residential and commercial drainage systems. The impact of water intruding into our homes and business can be very disruptive and costly.

Rising waters can be particularly challenging as they can bring mud, silt, and bacteria from unsanitary sources. Quick action must be taken to extract and clean all affected surfaces to prevent mold, mildew, and other possible health effects.

Quickly removing standing water is the first important step toward restoration. SERVPRO truck mounted and portable extraction machines can quickly pump out and remove the water. Extraction is 1200 times more effective than surface evaporation only.

Next is the removal of damaged materials that often hold a lot of moisture. Some examples of these would be carpet, pad, and drywall. Quick removal of these materials will also cut down on drying time and prevent mold.

Cleaning and disinfecting of all the affected surfaces with products approved by the EPA is recommended to remove any pollutants or contaminates that the ground water might have brought into your structure.

If you have experienced loss from rising water, contact SERVPRO of The Mountains for consultation on partial or total restoration services.

Ask not for who the pipe drips….

7/27/2021 (Permalink)

An old leaking pipe causing a water damage that might not show up for a while.

There are few things more essential to life than water!

However, water can also be one of the most destructive forces to the structure of our homes and businesses. Protecting against unwanted water intrusion is extremely important!

Leaking pipes, especially slow leaking pipes, can go undiscovered for months and even years. If the leak is slow enough, it may hide itself by absorbing into the structure, and leaving not evidence such as standing water or puddling. The water can also find its way down into the crawlspace, which may also take time to notice.

Problem areas are often under sinks, especially inside of cabinets. The seal at the base of the toilet should be inspected and replaced every 5 years or less. HVAC drain pans often clog and can slowly back up and release water.

Long term leaks can cause rot and mold which are a danger to both structure and the occupants.

Sour smells or musty odors are often a first indicator of hidden moisture problems. Floors or walls that darken, curl, give or are soft to the touch can also be the result of water intrusion.

It is always a good idea to plan to inspect your plumbing at least once a year to find leaks before they can do significant damage. Many insurance policies do not include these types of leaks as covered events, makes early detection even more important.

Contact the professionals at SERVPRO of The Mountains to perform moisture mapping by using highly sophisticated moisture meters, we can help you determine both the cause and extent of moisture intrusion at your home or business.

Substantial experience for your emergency

7/27/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of The Mountains employees posing for a picture together.

SERVPRO is committed to the training and development of its employees. For this reason, SERVPRO Industries maintains an IICRC accredited school on location at the Gallatin, Tennessee location. IICRC stands for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, which is the industry standard. Each year, this school trains hundreds of SERVPRO professionals in how to succeed in fire, water, and mold damage restoration.

The IICRC also maintains accreditation in its classroom courses for the restoration industry. These courses teach technicians in the industry a strong and applicable understanding of the industry standards.

Your local SERVPRO of The Mountains, which services Habersham, Rabun, White, and Banks Counties, has a highly trained staff with well over 100 years of combined on the job experience.

Your local SERVPRO also holds over 21 different industry recognized certifications issues by the IICRC.

Should you be in need, you can rely on your local SERVPRO professionals to provide the highest quality in restoration and cleanup services.

Highly Trained

7/13/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is certified to clean up your messes.

Water, fire, smoke, and mold damage can all devastate residential and commercial buildings with unique issues and challenges.

Specialized expertise is necessary to perform restoration, and return homes and businesses to safe, clean, and odor free conditions.

That expertise and knowledge begins thru training and deepens with experience. Your hometown SERVPRO of The Mountains trains and employs certified and caring technicians to Rabun, Habersham, White and Banks counties. 

The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration), which maintains a series of accredited classes for the restoration industry, is what SERVPRO Industries bases its comprehensive training program on. Technicians gain a firm and workable knowledge of industry standards and best practices that grows from the first day of hire and continues throughout their career.

SERVPRO Industries has been serving this great nation since 1967 – over 53 years and counting!  During that half century, SERVPRO has continued to collect and train its employees with the best cleaning and restoration methods available.

Why SERVPRO?

7/6/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians stocking a truck so that they are ready for the next job.

We are close to home:

One of the wonderful benefits of living in Northeast Georgia is the laid-back environment. Our rural location allows us leisure to enjoy life and our neighbors.

We know that living in smaller towns and in the country can lead to supplies and services being delayed.

Sometimes, we must wait for professional service providers to travel from other areas. Often this is from as far away as Atlanta!

However, if your home or business experiences a fire, water, or mold damage, professionals who are trained to deal with such events live and work in our community.

SERVPRO of The Mountains is located north of Clarkesville, and is just a few minutes’ drive from Rabun, Habersham, White, and Banks Counties.

Being your neighbors, we care and take more pride in every customer and in giving them the highest quality service and professionalism.

Don’t wait on help that comes from many miles away! Call your local professionals at SERVPRO of The Mountains whenever you are facing fire, water, or mold challenges.

Historic Microburst Storm is small but dangerous

7/1/2021 (Permalink)

Storm ravages Hart County during the night of April 6, 2017. By Michael Isom Staff writer. Highly trained crews from SERVPRO of The Mountains.

This storm covered about 2 miles, but it was extremely destructive as it was concentrated into a straight-line wind shear that took out trees, power poles, and structures like a bomb had been dropped.

Storm ravages Hart County during the night of April 6, 2017.  By Michael Isom Staff writer

A line of severe storms rumbled through Hart County just after midnight last Thursday causing county-wide damage and power outages.

“The worst storm damage was out there by Cateechee (Golf Club) or out there on Bowman Highway next to the Ag Center,” said Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland The sheriff’s department started getting phone calls from Hart County residents when the storm began.

James Fulghum lives on Bowman Highway near the Agriscience Center and was awoken by the storm. “I don’t get scared that often, but I have to admit that really scared me,” said Fulghum.

 Lynne Adams had a similar experience at her Ross Road home. “I have lived in this house nearly 30 years, and haven’t, until now, heard a hailstorm like this here,” she said. “I seriously thought the windows might break.”

According to Ed Hoy, supervisor of system operations with Hart EMC, over 1,500 members were without power at the height of the storm.

The biggest concentration of incidents were reported in the Liberty Hill and Sardis areas. “Enough praise cannot be given to the (Hart County) Fire Department and the volunteers and the (Hart County) Road Department. They were actually the hands-on chain saws, tractors, and whatever was needed to get the job done,” Cleveland said. “It was just amazing the amount of huge trees in the road. We aren’t talking about one tree. We are talking about multiple trees.”

Excerpts from the Hartwell Sun Newspaper, April 13^th, 2017

Thankfully, no one was hurt from the storm!

However, hundreds of trees were knocked down and as many homes and businesses were damaged.

Microburst storms like these have been more frequent lately and their damage can be severe.  

Highly trained crews from SERVPRO of Tri-County & SERVPRO of the Mountains were on the scene early that morning helping those in need with water removal, debris cleanup and property restoration.

We all get cleaned up for the first day of school

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of The Mountains is always extremely proud to help our local schools get their carpets ready to welcome back our kids to their classrooms.

We all like to look our best and wear new cloths for the first day of classes – including the schools themselves.

During the summer months, our local schools and colleges are busy painting, replacing, and cleaning. Furniture is cleaned or replaced, equipment is upgraded, walls painted and of course carpets and other flooring types are cleaned.

Despite meticulous planning and coordination, delays and setbacks always occur. The last weeks before students return is always hectic, and everyone is trying to get ready on time.

Usually, the last thing to be complete before school starts is to clean the carpets.

Carpet cleaning can really improve the indoor air quality and the health of the occupants. Professional cleaning can remove the dust, dander and other pollutants that dirty carpet can release.

With the arrival of Covid, it has become is even more important to remove these debris that can harbor germs and bacteria. The cleaning detergents and hot water rinse used can help restore carpets to its best appearance and condition.

SERVPRO of The Mountains is always extremely proud to help our local schools get ready. Fresh cleaned carpets help safely welcome back our kids to their classrooms.

That means on the first day of school, we are all looking and feeling our best!

Who do you call when your Structure is not well?

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

This clinic in Hartwell, Ga was flooded by a broken water pipe, SERVPRO OF The Mountains assisted removing more than 200 gallons of water.

Knowing when to call the doctor when you are not feeling well is something we have all been taught whether through experience or our mother’s instruction. The questions is, how do we know when our home or business is not feeling well? When this small Family clinic arrived in the morning to get ready for their day, they discovered about 200 gallons of standing water preventing them from caring for their patients. Removing all that standing water was the top priority in preventing further damage and getting the clinic back up and running. Your local SERVPRO of The Mountains received the call and immediately responded, dispatching our local highly trained technicians. These technicians are always ready to go, often in the middle of the night to keep homes and businesses in your community thriving.