Daylight Savings Time Ends!

11/4/2024 (Permalink)

Let Daylight Savings Time be a reminder to check your smoke detectors to keep your home & family safe this winter.

The official end of Daylight Savings Time is on Saturday, November 3rd at 2 a.m.  Since this is an annual event, it is a good practice to include checking your smoke detectors as you prepare for the colder, darker months ahead.  According to the National Fire Protection Agency, 3 out of 5 home fires resulting in a death did not have working smoke detectors.  The following should be included in your annual check list:

• Change the batteries:
  • Note: Hardwired detectors also have a backup battery that should be changed. If you lose power, the alarm will not work without the battery.
• Smoke detectors have an expiration date:
  • Check the manufacturer’s date on your smoke detector. Smoke alarms can begin to lose their sensitivity after about 10 years.
• Test the smoke sensors:
  • Pressing the test button will confirm if the battery and audible alarm is working. However, it will not confirm that the smoke sensor is working.
  • To test the sensors, use smoke alarm test spray which simulates smoke.  However, after 10 years, it is still a good idea to upgrade to the newer models.
• Do you have enough?
  • Smoke detectors should be on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.

Home Restoration Myths

10/29/2020 (Permalink)

Ever stumble upon a large mess or home emergency and immediately think, “how much is this going to cost me?” We’ve all been there. Most homeowner’s first instinct is to try to take care of the situation themselves to save time and money. This has led to the rise of common home cleaning and repair myths that, in reality, cause more harm than good. From mold to water-logged carpets, if there’s a home cleaning or repair problem, there’s a hair brained home remedy for it. We here at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod aren’t saying all of this in order to encourage more customers to use our services. In actuality, calling professionals instead of using these home remedy myths will save homeowners time, money and will ensure that the problems won’t persist. Here are a few home remedies you should be sure to avoid:

• Myth: Bleach will kill most types of mold. The Truth: bleach is only useful for killing mold on non-porous, solid services. In other words, If the mold isn’t on a stone counter-top, bleach won’t do anything except feed the mold problem. If you carefully read the warning section of any mold bottle, you’ll see that mold isn’t meant for porous surfaces. These porous surfaces include drywall, carpets, wooden surfaces, furniture, clothes, bedding, etc. If any of these moldy surfaces are scrubbed or soaked in bleach, it will only add more moisture to the problem and feed the mold, making the problem larger than it was in the first place.
• Myth: Dishwashers and clothing washing machines clean themselves through normal usage. The Truth: Washing machines, both in the kitchen and laundry room, need to be properly cleaned about once a month. Both dishwashers and washing machines build up mineral deposits and other harmful residues that need to be removed manually. However, self-cleaning these machines is easy if done monthly. Running these machines with specialized appliance cleaning agents will do the trick.
• Myth: Smoke damage can be cleaned with dish soap or vinegar. The Truth: Smoke damage is very tricky to fully remove. If not properly removed, smoke damage will permanently discolor walls, china, furniture, clothes and internally destroy electronics. Using soap on smoke damaged fixtures and furniture may cause the smoke to set in further, making it harder to properly remove. It’s highly recommended that a professional restoration company should be called to take care of smoke damage for you’re the sake of repairing your house and for your own safety. Uncleaned and permanently set-in soot damage can make your living space less habitable in terms of air quality and appliance safety.
• Myth: Shop Vacuums will clean up and dry water-logged carpets. The Truth: When water sets into a carpet, it sets into several other parts of your home as well. Not only does your carpet get soaked, but so does the subfloor, drywall, floor padding and baseboard. If a large amount of water is soaked into a carpet, professional water mitigation will be needed to prevent mold growth. If mold ends up growing on a carpet, scrubbing it away will only temporarily remove the appearance of mold. Meanwhile, mold will be spreading under the carpet and will appear on the surface again and again. The only way to prevent this is professional dehumidification and chemical treatment.

Next time you try a home remedy for your home restoration needs, do some research and make sure that it’s safe. If not, the restoration experts at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod are here to help. You can reach us 24/7 at 508-778-7378. From Mashpee to Provincetown, we’re faster to any size disaster. If you need disinfection, fire, water, storm or mold restoration, trust SERVPRO to make it "Like it never even happened."