IICRC Certified Firm Standards

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol is an IICRC Certified Firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field is constantly changing with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol

SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke, or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Our Services Offered

8/1/2023 (Permalink)

We cover a range of restoration and cleaning services for your commercial or residential property.  When the unexpected happens, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to make it "Like it never even happened."  

Restoration
• Fire, Smoke, and Soot
• Water Removal & Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation & Remediation
• Catastrophic Storm Response
• Move Outs & Contents Restoration
• Electronics & Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
• Asbestos Abatement 

Cleaning:
• Air Ducts & HVAC
• Biohazard & Crime Scene
• Vandalism
• Carpet & Upholstery
• Drapes & Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls & Hard Floors
• Deodorization
• Debris Removal
• Vandalism & Graffiti
• Trauma & Crime Scene
• Sewage & Toilet Overflow

No matter what your restoration or cleaning needs are, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to get things back into working order.  Give us a call today at 423-245-5552 to schedule. 

Spill Red Wine?

7/13/2022 (Permalink)

You're entertaining at your home and before you know it, you hear a frantic yell and look just in time to see a friend spilling red wine on your carpet. Don't worry...try these tips. If the spill is too deep, call us for our professional cleaning services at 423-245-5552.

Here are a few tips to remove a red wine stain

• Blot up as much of the wine as possible and pour cool water on the stain.
• Cover it with salt.
• Boil water and pour over the stain.
• Prepare a mixture of half a tablespoon of white vinegar and one cup of water. Pour over stain and let it soak for a few minutes. You can also add a few drops of liquid detergent to the mixture. 
• It's always a good idea to test a small spot first to make sure it will not harm your carpet.

Contact SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol at 423-245-5552 for immediate assistance. 

Extreme Summer Heat

7/1/2022 (Permalink)

There are several things you can do to prepare for and prevent extreme heat for affecting you. If possible, stay indoors in air conditioning. Be sure to check on your pets who may be outdoors or bring them inside. Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and caffeine intake. If you must go outside, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, and be sure to apply sunscreen often. Pay attention to signs of heat exhaustion, which are heavy sweating; weakness; cold, pale, and clammy skin; nausea or vomiting; and fainting, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is life-threatening. Signs of heat stroke are a high body temperature (103°+), rapid and strong pulse, and possible unconsciousness. If you think someone has heat stroke, call 911 immediately and move the person somewhere cool. Reduce body temperature with cool, wet cloths or a bath. Do not give a person with heat stroke fluids, and treat the situation as a serious medical emergency (CDC).

If you live in a humid climate, be aware of the heat index. The heat index factors in the humidity, which can make the temperature feel 15° hotter.Extreme heat is a serious danger. For more information on preparation and prevention, visit ready.gov or cdc.gov. 

Extreme Heat Safety Tips to Prepare Your Home

• Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate if necessary.
• Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.
• Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside.
• Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. (Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.)
• Keep storm windows up all year long.

Winter Weather

1/14/2022 (Permalink)

BE PREPARED FOR WINTER

• Protect your pipes from freezing. Allow water to drip from faucets when temperatures dip below freezing. Wrap the outdoor faucets with an insulated faucet cover or towel.
• If leaving your structure for more than a few days, consider turning off the water supply. Have a designated person checking in on your structure. Keep your home or business at a moderate temperature.
• Leave cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes observing the status daily.
• Clear gutters of all debris, leaves and other objects that can lead to blockages causing roof damage and interior water leakage/damage. 
• Keep walkways and nearby storm drains clear of debris to alleviate flood hazard potentials.

Whether it is heavy winds, rain, freezing temperatures, sleet or snow, all these factors can cause costly damage. While we cannot control the weather, here at SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol, are here to help you take a preventative approach and help take the sting out of winter weather. 

SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol Services Offered

1/12/2022 (Permalink)

We cover a range of restoration and cleaning services for your commercial or residential property.  When the unexpected happens, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to make it "Like it never even happened."  

Restoration
• Fire, Smoke and Soot
• Water Removal & Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation & Remediation
• Catastrophic Storm Response
• Move Outs & Contents Restoration
• Electronics & Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
• Asbestos Abatement 

Cleaning:
• Air Ducts & HVAC
• Biohazard & Crime Scene
• Vandalism
• Carpet & Upholstery
• Drapes & Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls & Hard Floors
• Deodorization
• Debris Removal
• Vandalism & Graffiti
• Trauma & Crime Scene
• Sewage & Toilet Overflow

No matter what your restoration or cleaning needs are, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to get things back into working order.  Give us a call today at 423-245-5552 to schedule. 

We're a IICRC Certified Firm

7/2/2021 (Permalink)

We're a IICRC Certified Firm

SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol is an IICRC Certified Firm. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) creates the standards for the restoration industry and provides training and certification to restoration companies. IICRC Certified Firms have the right to display the IICRC Certified Logo.

IICRC Certified Firms must

• Present accurate information to consumers and conduct business with honesty and integrity.
• Require a technician on all jobs who has been formally trained and passed all required tests.
• Require a continuing education program to keep technicians up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
• Maintain liability insurance to protect all parties in the event of an accident.
• Maintain a written complaint policy and agree to Better Business Bureau or similar arbitration to resolve disputes, and accept the conclusions and recommendations of arbitration.

The IICRC Develops The Standards For The Restoration Industry

The IICRC has been the driving force in establishing the main industry standards and reference guides for professional carpet cleaning, water damage restoration and mold remediation. These IICRC standards take years to develop and require the coordination of experts in the field: manufacturers, industry organizations, insurance professionals, training schools, contractors, and public health professionals.

Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field is constantly changing with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace.

About SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol

SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

Give us a Ring if you need Dependable Cleanup Services

7/1/2021 (Permalink)

We Provide Dependable Water Cleanup Services 

The hose on your large-size portable dishwasher came loose during the rinse cycle, and water now stands all over your kitchen floor. Contacting skilled and trained professionals, like us, as soon as possible can lessen damages to your property. Plus, quick action by you may also help lower restoration costs. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster and can restore your home when possible.

The water cleanup services SERVPRO provides in Bristol are efficient and reliable and can help in this type of situation. In this case, our crew may utilize mops, portable extractors, pumps, vacuums or wands to remove water fast. If necessary, we can employ trunk-mounted extractors to eliminate water quickly. The technicians may also utilize probes and sensors to detect hidden moisture from behind the lower walls and baseboards and from under the floor tiles. Wet materials can ruin your kitchen floor and sub-flooring. Plus, it can cause mold growth and rot, which makes calling us to do the job a wise decision.

Once our SERVPRO team removes all excess water from the premises, they can begin the drying phase of the restoration process. The techs can use various pieces of equipment such as heaters, professional air movers or high-velocity axial fans to force moisture from the structure, which helps enhance evaporation and dryness. Our crew members may also employ dehumidifiers to help bring down the level of humidity inside the affected area. This step can also help increase drying.

We set goals to get work fast during the extraction and drying phases, which can prevent further damages to your home. It is our policy to remove water and dry structures as quickly as we can. Whenever possible, you can trust our team to return your kitchen to its preloss state. We aim to make it look, “Like it never even happened.”

Locally Owned Company with National Resources

SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol is close by and ready to serve your area as well as surrounding cities that includes Blountville, Colonial Heights, Walnut Hill, and Blair Gap. Our teams are experts when it comes to water cleanup emergencies. Contact us 24/7 at (423) 245-5552 at any time of the day or night.

For more on Bristol, click here. 

Choosing a Restoration Company

4/8/2021 (Permalink)

Why choose SERVPRO?  Why not just pick any other restoration company?  Let's consider this; if you find out that you have life threatening illness that requires surgery, would you not want the surgeon with the most extensive training, experience, and a reputation to be the best to get you back to good health?  Well, your property is one of the biggest investment you will make in your lifetime, so it is also very important to have a company with the knowledge, experiences and reputation that you can trust to return your property to its preloss condition.

Here are 3 Reasons to Use SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol

1. Training- SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol we never stop learning and improving our skills.  We are trained to IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) standards in fire and water cleanup, mold remediation. 
2. Equipment- Our technicians have the professional equipment and tools needed to completely clean and remove the effects of water, mold, soot, smoke, odor and more.  We keep up on all the latest technology and techniques used in the restoration industry.
3. Experience- SERVPRO is not some fly-by-night company.  They started over 50 years ago and currently have over 1,700 franchises nationwide. 

If Disaster Strikes call SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol 24/7/365 at (423-245-5552)

How we train our Technicians at SERVPRO

3/11/2021 (Permalink)

Our technicians at SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol are IICRC Certified and are required to maintain that certification. Our technicians are trained to look for damages that may not be visible to the naked eye and utilize state-of-the-art equipment to locate damages.

Our training program includes the following:

• IICRC Training
• Employee Certification Training
• Initial Franchise Training
• e-Learnings
• Continuing Education Classes

IICRC Training and Certification

The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) certifies and sets the standards for the cleaning and restoration industries. Our Professionals study IICRC standards and best practices in water restoration, fire restoration, mold remediation, carpet and upholstery cleaning, and other cleaning and restoration courses.

Employee Certification Training

The Employee Certification Training is a voluntary, self-paced program designed for SERVPRO Franchise employees. Certification is awarded after successful completion of course materials and an examination. Modules include:

• Crew Training
• Fire Restoration
• Water Restoration
• Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

Initial Franchise Training

A 15-day hands-on course at the SERVPRO Corporate Training Facility is the foundation of the SERVPRO training program. This course is primarily for new Franchise owners and covers many restoration topics:

• Fire Restoration
• Water Restoration
• Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
• Mold Mitigation

e-Learnings

All of our staff have access to web-based training. This voluntary program is designed to be an ongoing, self-paced coaching series for a Franchise's employees. Video presentations and support materials are followed by a knowledge test at the end of each module. This keeps our technicians and office staff up to speed on industry standards and the professional quality you expect.

List of our Services

1/19/2021 (Permalink)

We cover a range of restoration and cleaning services for your commercial or residential property.  When the unexpected happens, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to make it "Like it never even happened."  

Restoration
• Fire, Smoke and Soot
• Water Removal & Dehumidification
• Mold Mitigation & Remediation
• Catastrophic Storm Response
• Move Outs & Contents Restoration
• Electronics & Equipment
• Document Drying
• Contents Claim Inventory Service
• Asbestos Abatement 

Cleaning:
• Air Ducts & HVAC
• Biohazard & Crime Scene
• Vandalism
• Carpet & Upholstery
• Drapes & Blinds
• Ceilings, Walls & Hard Floors
• Deodorization
• Debris Removal
• Vandalism & Graffiti
• Trauma & Crime Scene
• Sewage & Toilet Overflow

No matter what your restoration or cleaning needs are, you can count on SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol to get things back into working order.  Give us a call today at 423-245-5552 to schedule. 

6 Common Causes of Toilet Leaks

1/19/2021 (Permalink)

Causes of a Leaking Toilet

A toilet isn’t a complicated piece of machinery. However, if you hear strange noises or notice water on the floor, you might find that it takes some trial and error to find the source of the leak. The problem could require a toilet repair or simply an adjustment. The first step is finding the cause of the leaking toilet. Here are a few:

1. Pipes

Water impurities can cause metal pipes to corrode and rust. Rusted pipes can eventually crack causing leaks around the toilet.

2. Bowl

Toilet bowls seem pretty durable, but an old toilet can develop cracks. A hairline crack may not be very noticeable unless you’re looking for it, but it can also leak. However, it’s important to act on it quickly because the crack can only get bigger.

3. Tank

Just as the bowl can crack, so can the porcelain of the tank. Most likely, if either develops a crack the whole toilet will need to be replaced.

4. Flapper

One of the most common causes of a leaking toilet is the flapper. The flapper is the rubber seal that opens the flush valve when the toilet handle is pressed. The flapper is responsible for keeping the water in the tank. Over time, the flapper can get worn due to mineral deposits from the water and toilet cleaners, causing it to warp. This will cause a continual leak into the bowl.

5. Flush Valve

When the toilet is flushed, the flush valve regulates the flow of the tank water into the bowl. When this assembly is faulty, it can cause an internal leak. In this case, the toilet might continuously run or you might hear dripping noises.

6. Fill Valve

The fill valve controls the flow of the water that refills the toilet tank after the flush. The fill valve can accumulate mineral deposits over time. These deposits can prevent the valve from completely shutting off.

It’s best to deal with a water leak as soon as you notice it. If your home sustains water damage from a leaking toilet, call SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol at 423-245-5552

Understanding Water Categorization

7/6/2020 (Permalink)

Water Damage

As a property owner,  you may have to deal with several water issues. While a toilet overflow is a simple issue to deal with, in this area you’ll probably have to deal with problems involving flood water. Flooding can cause not only significant property damage, but it also poses a potential health risk as well, and being a property owner in this area you should become familiar with the different levels of water classification.

1. Sanitary Water

Category one water is considered sanitary water. This water is the safest water to drink, cook with, and bathe with. Sanitary water is also commonly referred to as clear water, which is a reference to its appearance and an indicator that it is clean, meaning that it has not been contaminated by other sources.

2. Gray Water

Gray Water, category two, is not sanitary and can pose a risk of illness if you come into contact or consume this water. Typically, this water occurs in the event of appliance or toilet overflow, which means that it is contaminated by chemicals and sewage.

3. Black Water

Black water, category three, is the most dangerous of all waters and is likely the result of flood water. This water is formed by a mixture of rising rivers and overflowing sewers. With the high level of contaminants in this water, it is also toxic to humans and animals, causing illness and potential fatality if ingested. If you’re building is submerged in black water, it is best to avoid it and allow professionals to do the final cleanup process.

Flood water presents a serious risk to people, and when it reaches category three, black water, it should be avoided. As a business owner, you should be aware of the various levels of water categorization to ensure both your safety and the safety of your tenants. 

For more information contact SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol at 423-245-5552.

SERVPRO Provides Comprehensive Restoration and Repair Services for Our Bristol Neighbors

7/1/2020 (Permalink)

When Bad Things Happen to Your Bristol House--Call SERVPRO for Recovery and Repair

When Bristol Needs Restoration Services – Count on SERVPRO

We did not want to stop at offering only half of our area the high-caliber restoration services residents have come to expect from SERVPRO. While we service large metropolitan areas including Bristol, we have dual certifications in both Tennessee and Virginia for homes and businesses that depend on our fast response and experienced approach when disasters strike.  Along with the core services like our water, fire, mold, and storm recovery, we also offer specialized restoration like biohazard cleanup, asbestos abatement, and other expert services.

Mold Damage
With mold spores existing in every environment around your home or office, many contend with mold damage in Bristol properties. We have multiple approaches that get designed to suit the specific needs of your home during this traumatic experience and aim to limit the spread of further damages whenever possible. Our SERVPRO team begins after the initial inspection and assessment to establish practical containment barriers with physical plastic sheeting and our advanced tools like negative air and ozone machines.

We know that you might get drawn into talk of mold removal but eliminating mold spores entirely from Bristol properties is impossible. Instead of offering you false promises, we can provide you state of the art remediation practices that can eliminate mold colonies and the growing organism in your house and works to address the primary cause of this colonization as promptly as possible. The only way to prevent recurrences is to address the moisture and dampness.

Our technicians of the remediation team have accreditations both in Water Restoration (WRT) and as Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians (AMRT) through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC.) With this experience, our professionals can address the layers of mold damage that exist in Bristol properties with practices like deodorization, air filtering, duct cleaning, and full reconstruction efforts when necessary.

Water Damage
Along with our ability to address mold concerns as they get located, we also have the roster of skilled IICRC-Certified technicians to address water damage in Bristol homes as well. Much like other loss incidents that could occur, water emergencies can have multiple origin points and sources, making it difficult for inexperienced home and business owners to address all of the effects of the incident thoroughly.

Our SERVPRO team has an eye for identifying these damages, utilizing sophisticated moisture content readers and discovery devices like infrared imagery to pinpoint dampness beyond walls, beneath floors, and above ceilings in Bristol properties. With a full understanding of the spread of these effects after the source gets repaired, we can work quickly along with our contracting division to offer a full-service approach to restoration and recovery.

Even a few hours waiting for water damage effects to get resolved in your Bristol home can cause substantial damage. We can arrive quickly with industry-leading drying and extraction equipment to get things back to normal. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and that means being there for our customers quickly when minutes matter.

Storm Damage
Over the years, powerful weather events have taken their toll with storm damage to Bristol properties. From the remnants of devastating hurricanes like Florence in 2018 to other severe systems bringing hard winds, hail, and other crippling conditions for properties, our SERVPRO professionals can help. We offer wrap-around services, helping to save our customers money and time by being a one-stop shop for all restoration and recovery services a property requires.

With a full team of contracting specialists with a license (#67298) in General Contracting, Residential Contracting, and Commercial Contracting, no customer ever has to wait for useful temporary construction like board up and tarping services. These patches can prevent exposure to other damaging elements like precipitation, runoff, flooding, and animal infestations. With our involvement in a large loss recovery team, we can work to offer practical solutions to the often multiple structures affected at the same time by robust storm systems.

We know how quickly breaches in the exterior of your Bristol home or business can lead to a need for flood damage mitigation and water removal. Our disaster relief team arrives with the full measure of our powerful tools to begin extraction, drying, and intricate cleaning of your property as soon as emergency construction solutions get installed.

Fire Damage
Fire damage in Bristol homes can be a devastating force and one that requires immediate attention and mitigation to prevent from getting out of control. As much as many property owners might fixate on the structural damages that occur, this is only one small part of the equation. Our SERVPRO team must address multiple facets of fire loss recovery with every disaster we dispatch our professionals to, including:

•    Soot removal
•    Odor removal
•    Smoke residues
•    Structural integrity concerns
•    Ash and debris removal
•    Controlled demolition
•    Reconstruction and repair
•    Upholstery, fabric, and carpet cleaning
•    Content management
•    Insurance documentation

As a team of IICRC-Certified professionals with accreditations in both Fire & Smoke Restoration and Odor Control, we have become specialists in post-fire cleanup and content management in damaged Bristol properties. We have cutting-edge and industry-leading approaches to cleaning processes like soot and smoke residue removal, limiting potential smearing and staining to protect more of the damaged surfaces and construction materials from tear out and reconstruction.

We have a full team of certified cleaning technicians and fire loss experts that can remove damaged contents and personal belongings from your Bristol home and recover them in our SERVPRO facility using sophisticated approaches like ultrasonic cleaning tanks, ozone chambers, and other state-of-the-art restorative practices. Once restoration completes in the property, these same content management professionals can return these recovered items to their original positions.

We have always worked hard to be a name that those in Virginia and Tennessee could trust whenever disaster strikes. We have successfully managed the recovery needs of our customers, and helped to make emergencies of every size and severity “Like it never even happened.” Whenever disaster strikes your property, count on our SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol team to help. Give us a call anytime at (423) 245-5552.

Planning for the Unthinkable: Be Ready for Fire Damage in Kingsport

5/1/2020 (Permalink)

Fires are very destructive. Contact SERVPRO to prevent damage or when dealing with the aftermath of a fire.

Preparation and Taking Stock are Key Parts of Home Ownership

It is unlikely that any residents of Bristol will forget the heartbreaking events of the fall of 2016 when wildfires destroyed vast areas in the Great Smoky Mountains. No one wants the challenge of such of a disaster, but all of us can learn a lesson from the experiences of those who made it through that crisis. We suggest an assessment and development of a fire damage recovery plan with the help of our trained managers and our unique mobile app.
 
Both commercial and residential clients can take advantage of our expertise in preventing and preparing for fire damage in Kingsport. The aftermath of even a minor fire is stressful, and you as a homeowner are rarely experienced in the practical and emotional ramifications of such an event. We have built a rich knowledge base over the years of restoring fire damaged dwellings for other members of our community. Make use of our familiarity, training, and skills, and ready yourself for a problem you and we both hope you never encounter.
 
The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan and Profile (ERP) encourages you to take stock of your situation before a disaster happens. We help you assess your property and work out many of the logistics we need to master to deliver fast and efficient fire damage restoration if a blaze occurs. You assist us and also improve the odds of a successful fire restoration effort by creating a layout of your property, identifying the location of utility shutoffs, and clarifying a chain of command should you be unable to respond yourself.
 
You can designate another person to act on your behalf in the plan, helpful if you are injured or out of the area when the fire crisis occurs. This precaution is if you spend any time traveling or just as insurance if you think it possible you may have an issue with clarity of thought after a fire damages your property. Making decisions ahead of time helps SERVPRO follow a well-thought out plan rather than waiting for your instructions after a frightening event like a fire makes it hard for you to respond.
 
SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol wants to be certain our efforts always lead to the outcome you desire. Give us a call at (423) 245-5552 to schedule an assessment that will help us collaborate on an Emergency Ready Plan to protect and restore your property.

We are Cleaning Experts

3/18/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is Here to Help during this time of need

During this unprecedented time caused by the global pandemic of coronavirus, this is a reminder to our customers that we are specialists in cleaning services, and we adhere to the highest cleaning and sanitation standards.

Specialized Training

We are prepared to clean and disinfect your home or business, according to protocols set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have years of experience in dealing with biological contaminants, and we will go beyond the scope of work that regular janitorial staff perform on a daily basis.

The CDC encourages cleaning of high-touch surfaces such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, light switches, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets and tables. Other spaces mentioned in the CDC’s guidance for commercial spaces include:

• Kitchen/Food Areas
• Bathrooms
• Schools/Classrooms
• Offices
• Retail Spaces
• Water Fountains
• Shelving/Racks
• Sales Counters
• Carpets and Rugs
• Stair Handrails
• Elevator Cars
• Playground Equipment
• Fitness Equipment

Specialized Products

The CDC recommends usage of a labeled hospital-grade disinfectant with claims against similar pathogens to the coronavirus. Multiple products in the SERVPRO product line carry the EPA-approved emerging pathogens claims. While there is currently no product tested against this particular strain of the coronavirus, we are following all guidelines as provided by the CDC and local authorities.

Call Today for a Proactive Cleaning

If your home or business needs deep cleaning services, call the experts today – SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol 423-245-5552

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fguidance-prevent-spread.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html

How Flood Damage can Effect Your Kingsport Home

1/7/2020 (Permalink)

The Widespread Effects Of Flooding In Your Kingsport Home

Many disasters have impacted Kingsport homes throughout the last two centuries, and yet there are still many homeowners caught unaware by severe weather systems that result in flooding. From the moment that a disaster like this strikes your property, you need assurances that the situation can get resolved using a combination of experience and advanced equipment available to you through our rapid response team.

With flood damages in your Kingsport home, the longer that you wait to resolve the spreading effects, the worse they become. Taking care of the situation as quickly as possible is critical to ensuring that structural elements and the contents of your home can get salvaged from the impending damages. Our SERVPRO team is available 24/7 to help you mitigate your losses through a traumatic experience like flooding without requiring excessive tear out and reconstruction.

Much of the mitigation work that our experienced professionals can do for your flood-damaged home is a direct product of the investment our franchise has made to have the best possible equipment utilizing advanced technologies. These tools and machines like our truck-mounted pumps can extract water fast from your house with 300 psi draw to make short work of the pooling.

Improving the air quality in your home following widespread flooding is often an important step in protecting both our SERVPRO technicians and the occupants of the house. We utilize air scrubbers to capture particulates, debris, dirt, and mold spores circulating throughout the environment. Additionally, we utilize thermal imagery cameras to find moisture pockets in inaccessible areas to direct our professionals where drying equipment needs to continue getting used. With drier conditions, the likelihood of mold growth drops significantly.

Recovering from a flood in your home takes some critical steps on your end to secure the services of a team of professionals with the equipment and fast response to make a difference. Our SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol emergency response team can react fast to your emergency to help you preserve the structure and the contents of your home from becoming irreparably damaged. Give us a call today at (423) 245-5552.

SERVPRO Provides Comprehensive Restoration and Repair Services for Our Kingsport Neighbors

7/15/2019 (Permalink)

When Bad Things Happen to Your Kingsport House--Call SERVPRO for Recovery and Repair

When Kingsport Needs Restoration Services – Count on SERVPRO

We did not want to stop at offering only half of our area the high-caliber restoration services residents have come to expect from SERVPRO. While we service large metropolitan areas including Bristol, we have dual certifications in both Tennessee and Virginia for homes and businesses that depend on our fast response and experienced approach when disasters strike.  Along with the core services like our water, fire, mold, and storm recovery, we also offer specialized restoration like biohazard cleanup, asbestos abatement, and other expert services.

Mold Damage
With mold spores existing in every environment around your home or office, many contend with mold damage in Kingsport properties. We have multiple approaches that get designed to suit the specific needs of your home during this traumatic experience and aim to limit the spread of further damages whenever possible. Our SERVPRO team begins after the initial inspection and assessment to establish practical containment barriers with physical plastic sheeting and our advanced tools like negative air and ozone machines.

We know that you might get drawn into talk of mold removal but eliminating mold spores entirely from Kingsport properties is impossible. Instead of offering you false promises, we can provide you state of the art remediation practices that can eliminate mold colonies and the growing organism in your house and works to address the primary cause of this colonization as promptly as possible. The only way to prevent recurrences is to address the moisture and dampness.

Our technicians of the remediation team have accreditations both in Water Restoration (WRT) and as Applied Microbial Remediation Technicians (AMRT) through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC.) With this experience, our professionals can address the layers of mold damage that exist in Kingsport properties with practices like deodorization, air filtering, duct cleaning, and full reconstruction efforts when necessary.

Water Damage
Along with our ability to address mold concerns as they get located, we also have the roster of skilled IICRC-Certified technicians to address water damage in Kingsport homes as well. Much like other loss incidents that could occur, water emergencies can have multiple origin points and sources, making it difficult for inexperienced home and business owners to address all of the effects of the incident thoroughly.

Our SERVPRO team has an eye for identifying these damages, utilizing sophisticated moisture content readers and discovery devices like infrared imagery to pinpoint dampness beyond walls, beneath floors, and above ceilings in Kingsport properties. With a full understanding of the spread of these effects after the source gets repaired, we can work quickly along with our contracting division to offer a full-service approach to restoration and recovery.

Even a few hours waiting for water damage effects to get resolved in your Kingsport home can cause substantial damage. We can arrive quickly with industry-leading drying and extraction equipment to get things back to normal. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster, and that means being there for our customers quickly when minutes matter.

Storm Damage
Over the years, powerful weather events have taken their toll with storm damage to Kingsport properties. From the remnants of devastating hurricanes like Florence in 2018 to other severe systems bringing hard winds, hail, and other crippling conditions for properties, our SERVPRO professionals can help. We offer wrap-around services, helping to save our customers money and time by being a one-stop shop for all restoration and recovery services a property requires.

With a full team of contracting specialists with a license (#67298) in General Contracting, Residential Contracting, and Commercial Contracting, no customer ever has to wait for useful temporary construction like board up and tarping services. These patches can prevent exposure to other damaging elements like precipitation, runoff, flooding, and animal infestations. With our involvement in a large loss recovery team, we can work to offer practical solutions to the often multiple structures affected at the same time by robust storm systems.

We know how quickly breaches in the exterior of your Kingsport home or business can lead to a need for flood damage mitigation and water removal. Our disaster relief team arrives with the full measure of our powerful tools to begin extraction, drying, and intricate cleaning of your property as soon as emergency construction solutions get installed.

Fire Damage
Fire damage in Kingsport homes can be a devastating force and one that requires immediate attention and mitigation to prevent from getting out of control. As much as many property owners might fixate on the structural damages that occur, this is only one small part of the equation. Our SERVPRO team must address multiple facets of fire loss recovery with every disaster we dispatch our professionals to, including:

•    Soot removal
•    Odor removal
•    Smoke residues
•    Structural integrity concerns
•    Ash and debris removal
•    Controlled demolition
•    Reconstruction and repair
•    Upholstery, fabric, and carpet cleaning
•    Content management
•    Insurance documentation

As a team of IICRC-Certified professionals with accreditations in both Fire & Smoke Restoration and Odor Control, we have become specialists in post-fire cleanup and content management in damaged Kingsport properties. We have cutting-edge and industry-leading approaches to cleaning processes like soot and smoke residue removal, limiting potential smearing and staining to protect more of the damaged surfaces and construction materials from tear out and reconstruction.

We have a full team of certified cleaning technicians and fire loss experts that can remove damaged contents and personal belongings from your Kingsport home and recover them in our SERVPRO facility using sophisticated approaches like ultrasonic cleaning tanks, ozone chambers, and other state-of-the-art restorative practices. Once restoration completes in the property, these same content management professionals can return these recovered items to their original positions.

We have always worked hard to be a name that those in Virginia and Tennessee could trust whenever disaster strikes. We have successfully managed the recovery needs of our customers, and helped to make emergencies of every size and severity “Like it never even happened.” Whenever disaster strikes your property, count on our SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol team to help. Give us a call anytime at (423) 245-5552.

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Removing Standing Water Under Your Bristol Home

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

Areas where torrential rains happen annually commonly see standing water, requiring water removal from your home.

Removing Standing Water

It is normal for a house to be built with a bit of space between the footer and the poured basement. When excess water collects under your home, however, it can create musty smells in your basement and seep through small cracks in the slab.

Areas where torrential rains happen annually commonly see standing water, requiring water removal from your Bristol home. In some soils, clay holds more water than in other soils. When it becomes saturated from heavy rains, this can create pools of water underneath your home. Standing water can also be the result of poor surface water drainage.

When standing water is a problem in your home, you need assistance from a professional water removal company like SERVPRO. We arrive at your home promptly to get all the water out from under your home and repair any damage that is present.

Prevent Standing Water
Surface water can run back toward your home when it is not diverted correctly from your foundation and structure. Downspouts which are not angled to move water away from your home and are not connected to a drain pipe make water run towards your home. Patios which are not angled away from your foundation cause water to collect under your home and lower spots in flower beds next to the foundation can also add to the problem of standing water under your home. Many issues can be created from standing water under your house if it is a problem which is reoccurring or if the area of standing water is large. Water should first be discharged, which usually requires a sump pump.

Standing Water Effects On Your Home
When standing water is a regular problem under your home, structural problems can pop up, and you can have a loss of foundation stability. The water can also lead to mold problems if left untreated. Mold affects the quality of your indoor air negatively. Water and moisture under a house can attract bugs as well, which may mean they can enter your home through a crack in the foundation.

SERVPRO can work with a foundation repair specialist to fix any damage to your foundation that the standing water may cause, along with helping you get the water out and drying the area thoroughly. If there is any mold growth, our technicians also clean that for you and sanitize the area with special cleaners.

SERVPRO of Kingsport/Bristol is ready to help you with water removal from under your home. Just give us a call at (423) 245-5552 so we can quickly come to your home and prevent additional damage.

Visit http://www.bristoltn.org/ to learn more about the city of Bristol.

Planning for the Unthinkable: Be Ready for Fire Damage in Bristol

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

Fires are very destructive. Contact SERVPRO to prevent damage or when dealing with the aftermath of a fire.

Preparation and Taking Stock are Key Parts of Home Ownership

It is unlikely that any residents of Bristol will forget the heartbreaking events of the fall of 2016 when wildfires destroyed vast areas in the Great Smoky Mountains. No one wants the challenge of such of a disaster, but all of us can learn a lesson from the experiences of those who made it through that crisis. We suggest an assessment and development of a fire damage recovery plan with the help of our trained managers and our unique mobile app.
 
Both commercial and residential clients can take advantage of our expertise in preventing and preparing for fire damage in Bristol. The aftermath of even a minor fire is stressful, and you as a homeowner are rarely experienced in the practical and emotional ramifications of such an event. We have built a rich knowledge base over the years of restoring fire damaged dwellings for other members of our community. Make use of our familiarity, training, and skills, and ready yourself for a problem you and we both hope you never encounter.
 
The SERVPRO Emergency Ready Plan and Profile (ERP) encourages you to take stock of your situation before a disaster happens. We help you assess your property and work out many of the logistics we need to master to deliver fast and efficient fire damage restoration if a blaze occurs. You assist us and also improve the odds of a successful fire restoration effort by creating a layout of your property, identifying the location of utility shutoffs, and clarifying a chain of command should you be unable to respond yourself.
 
You can designate another person to act on your behalf in the plan, helpful if you are injured or out of the area when the fire crisis occurs. This precaution is if you spend any time traveling or just as insurance if you think it possible you may have an issue with clarity of thought after a fire damages your property. Making decisions ahead of time helps SERVPRO follow a well-thought out plan rather than waiting for your instructions after a frightening event like a fire makes it hard for you to respond.
 
SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol wants to be certain our efforts always lead to the outcome you desire. Give us a call at (423) 245-5552 to schedule an assessment that will help us collaborate on an Emergency Ready Plan to protect and restore your property.

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Remediating Mold Damage in Your Bristol Home

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

Mold is not always easy to detect, call SERVPRO to inspect your home for hidden mold.

SERVPRO uses different cleaning methods for each unique surface to remediate mold

Mold is often undetectable in Tennessee homes until it has become a significant problem. Not every type of mold has that distinctive, ‘musty’ odor and if the growth started behind a wall or in the attic, the smell is not noticeable until the mold has grown into a large colony of spores.

Restoring a Bristol home of the effects from mold damage is a task that needs a professional service. SERVPRO keeps a trained crew on 24-hour notice to support our neighbors and customers. We have some of the best-trained personnel in the industry to clean mold from the property and safely remove it from each home.

These technicians first determine the type of surface infested. This inspection decides both the cleaning methods needed and how much time may be required to complete the job. We usually divide surfaces into porous, nonporous, and semi-porous categories.

Porous surfaces are typically building materials and fabrics; drywall and upholstery for example. They are often cleanable, but if the mold is very thick or has grown into the material, we dispose of it. Our cleaning methods for these surfaces involve vacuuming them with special HEPS filters that catch tiny amounts of loose mold, even a single spore.

After finishing vacuuming, we move on to using spray bottles with an antimicrobial cleaner and foaming agents to dampen the surface. Wetting loosens the mold and allows technicians to remove it with cloths and sponges.

Nonporous surfaces are the easiest to clean. This category includes metal and glass tabletops as well as marble and smooth stone kitchen countertops. In many cases, we can remove the mold with dry cloths and sponges. Technicians wipe down the surfaces from top to bottom to prevent accidentally leaving spores at the top or along the sides. If the mold layer is thick, we vacuum it first before dry wiping.

Semi-porous surfaces (concrete and wood decks for example) require methods not acceptable on other surfaces. Affected surfaces may need sanding to wire brushing and other abrasive tools to dig out the mold. The cleaners we use on these surfaces would mar or otherwise destroy glass and metal surfaces. If mold has penetrated the surface of the wood or concrete, technicians may have to sand them down by hand or with a power sander to remove it.

Returning your home to its pre-mold condition is not a quick or easy set of processes. SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol has years of experience in helping our customers through each step to put you back into your home. If you need us, call (423) 245-5552 today to set up an inspection.

You can learn more about Bristol at http://www.bristoltn.org/.

Is Water 'Spilling' Damage to Your Bristol Home?

1/23/2019 (Permalink)

Call SERVPRO before water permanently damages your hardwood floors.

Why SERVPRO Helps You Cope with Water Damage in Bristol Better

A water spill is a mixed bag of fortunes. On the one hand, it can lead to clean up in parts of your home that you never thought of cleaning since you occupied it. However, it is also likely to leave different kinds of damages that you have to work hard to fix. These damages range from staining of fabrics and deterioration materials like wood through warping, rotting, and microbial growth. Highly skilled technicians from SERVPRO can offer you services that reverse these damages or help you cope with the situation.  

Each case of water damage in Bristol is different depending on how the incident unfolds. If a pipe bursts when no one is home or a tap is left running, the water is likely to reach a vast section of the house ruining several contents. A small leak in a hidden part of the property might not cause such widespread damages, but since it might take time to notice, it creates a chance for microbial growth and rotting or other similar problems, which are harder to address. Our SERVPRO technicians, certified in different fields including ASD, Applied Structural Drying and Applied Microbial Remediation, allow us to respond to any situation that arises.  

Water has detrimental effects on almost every material when left submerged over extended periods. From our vast experience, we can anticipate different types of damage. In metals, the harm is limited to rust only. Organic materials like wood are damaged the most because they can warp, buckle, rot or develop mold. Wood also absorbs copious amounts of water, which can keep causing problems long after the initial incident. For example, failing to dry the lower side of floorboards can lead to cupping, and if not addressed, it can ruin the floor permanently. Using truck-mounted extractors and submersible pumps, our SERVPRO technicians can remove water before it causes severe damage. We also have specialized drying equipment like the injectidry system, which removes water from concealed spaces such as below floorboards.  

Some steps involved when fixing water damage are tedious or require special skills. For example, removing the carpet for drying or restorative cleaning is a tedious process. It also requires special skills to avoid damaging other fixtures like baseboards. Our SERVPRO technicians have the necessary tools and skills to remove and replace your carpet without damaging it.  

A water spill incident can be unbearable if not handled. Call SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol at (423) 245-5552 to help you cope. We're Faster To Size Disaster.

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Bristol Property Owners Benefit from SERVPRO for Cleaning and Sanitizing Cluttered Structures

12/3/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Cleanup, Clear Out Debris, and Sanitize Bristol Homes with Safety and Empathy

Why Choosing SERVPRO for Hoarding Cleanup in Bristol Is Your Best Choice

Not every disaster to strike a Bristol home comes from the weather, or a fire started in the kitchen or elsewhere in the structure. Hoarding is an increasing problem for many families that require a professional cleaning and restoration service.
 
In Bristol, hoarding cleanup can be accomplished with residents still in the home or not. In each circumstance, SERVPRO cleaning crews work quickly to remove the accumulate unwanted property, clean the structure, and restore each home to a livable state.
 
In any situation, speed is important, but so is being understanding of the underlying issues. If the hoarder still resides on the property, our personnel understand that moving too fast can cause the person to stop all work and make the situation worse. Our crew leader works carefully with the hoarder and the people supporting him or her to move at the quickest, acceptable pace.
 
If the hoarder is no longer in the home, our personnel move faster, but still work carefully with relatives or whoever may be in charge. Although most of what we remove may go to a landfill, there are still items like furniture, photo albums, artwork that can be important to someone and require care in removing them from the home during the cleanup process. We can store off-site possessions and belongings until the time for returning has arrived.
 
In many of these homes, SERVPRO personnel discover mold and animal wastes. While mold is not usually a health problem, the presence of urine and feces may indicate the threat of the Hantavirus or another infectious disease. When this happens, our personnel don masks or other breathing gear. Technicians next spray the affected areas with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents to kill both threats and make them easier to remove.
 
Once they clear the home of the accumulated property, our technicians scrub the home clean and inspect it for possible damage requiring replacement. Although our office is not a contractor, we can perform minor repairs like replacing drywall for interior walls, stop previously unseen plumbing leaks, and repaint affected areas of the home stained by old food containers and the ink leeched from newspapers and magazines.
 
Cleaning up after a hoarder is not a quick process, but at SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol, we try to make it as simple and empathetic as possible to everyone. If you need help returning your, or someone else’s home to a livable condition, contact us at (423) 245-5552 today.

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How Flood Damage Can Effect Your Bristol Home

11/15/2018 (Permalink)

With flood damages in your Bristol home, the longer that you wait to resolve the spreading effects, the worse they become.

The Widespread Effects Of Flooding In Your Bristol Home

Many disasters have impacted Bristol homes throughout the last two centuries, and yet there are still many homeowners caught unaware by severe weather systems that result in flooding. From the moment that a disaster like this strikes your property, you need assurances that the situation can get resolved using a combination of experience and advanced equipment available to you through our rapid response team.

With flood damages in your Bristol home, the longer that you wait to resolve the spreading effects, the worse they become. Taking care of the situation as quickly as possible is critical to ensuring that structural elements and the contents of your home can get salvaged from the impending damages. Our SERVPRO team is available 24/7 to help you mitigate your losses through a traumatic experience like flooding without requiring excessive tear out and reconstruction.

Much of the mitigation work that our experienced professionals can do for your flood-damaged home is a direct product of the investment our franchise has made to have the best possible equipment utilizing advanced technologies. These tools and machines like our truck-mounted pumps can extract water fast from your house with 300 psi draw to make short work of the pooling.

Improving the air quality in your home following widespread flooding is often an important step in protecting both our SERVPRO technicians and the occupants of the house. We utilize air scrubbers to capture particulates, debris, dirt, and mold spores circulating throughout the environment. Additionally, we utilize thermal imagery cameras to find moisture pockets in inaccessible areas to direct our professionals where drying equipment needs to continue getting used. With drier conditions, the likelihood of mold growth drops significantly.

Recovering from a flood in your home takes some critical steps on your end to secure the services of a team of professionals with the equipment and fast response to make a difference. Our SERVPRO of Kingsport / Bristol emergency response team can react fast to your emergency to help you preserve the structure and the contents of your home from becoming irreparably damaged. Give us a call today at (423) 245-5552.

Click here for more about Bristol.