Prepare Your Chatham Home For Autumn

10/27/2024 (Permalink)

It is important to be proactive to protect your Chatham home from water damage.

Autumn in Chatham on Cape Cod is one of our best seasons! There is so much beauty around us as the foliage turns bright and colorful - sometimes even brighter than our signature-green SERVPRO® trucks! But it also brings transitional weather: colder temperatures, the peak months of our hurricane season, and sometimes an early freeze.  While the snow and ice of winter are still, hopefully, further down the calendar the shift from summer heat to cooler autumn weather presents certain seasonal conditions that may impact your home.

Here are some tips to prevent potential water damage:

• Take proactive steps to safeguard your home against water damage from severe storms or hurricanes that may occur in fall. Have the roof inspected for loose or deteriorating shingles. Cut back any limbs vulnerable to breakage during high winds that can damage the roof or walls. Use caulking or spray foam insulation to seal openings in exterior walls such as around vents or other points of entry to the house around pipes or conduits.
• Clean the gutters. Autumn leaves clog gutters and downspouts. When substantial rainfall occurs, gutters overflow and spill water down exterior walls, sometimes penetrating siding and infiltrating wall cavities. Indoor water damage and mold growth can result. Gutters should always be cleaned from a sturdy ladder, not by standing on the roof! Hire a professional if you are not comfortable working from a ladder.
• To prevent exterior water pipes from bursting when the weather gets below freezing, turn off the shut-off valves to exterior faucets. Run the water until the pipes are empty. Make sure all the water is drained from the pipe to prevent it from freezing which can cause it to crack or burst.

Whether you are a homeowner or a property manager, it is important to be proactive to prevent potential damage to your property. Damage may happen but if you use preventative measures, you can possibly help minimize the level of damage and lower the cost to repair or replace your property.

If your home or business experiences any type of water damage call SERVPRO® of Mid-Outer Cape Cod at 508-778-7378.  We are here to help!

Barnstable County 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

10/7/2024 (Permalink)

our problem = Our Solution! SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod provides 24 hour fire and water damage restoration service in Barnstable County.

SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod is available 24 hours a day for water emergencies, large or small. When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We Answer the Phone Ready to Help
Call Today - 508-778-7378

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. We specialize in water damage restoration—in fact, it's the cornerstone of our business.

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO professionals may be needed.

Our SERVPRO Representative will ask several questions:

• Your name and contact information
• Your insurance information (if applicable)
• The street address of the water-damaged home or business
• When did the flooding or water damage occur?
• What caused the water damage (if known)?
• Is there electricity available (on-site)?

About SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod

SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod 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. 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.

MEET OUR CREW:https://www.SERVPROmidoutercapecod.com/employee-photos

Why Choose SERVPRO® for Your Orleans Water Emergency?

8/19/2024 (Permalink)

When water damage happens in your home, call in the professionals at SERVPRO®. Our Team is available 24/7 for your water damage emergency.

There are some flooding situations that your buddy with a shop-vac just can’t fix. Taking care of a water damage situation yourself may sound like the cheaper and easier option, but it practically never is. What about the padding, the subfloor, the walls and the cupping floorboards? An emergency call to your local restoration company will not only take care of these headaches, but they will also work with your insurance company to make this as little of a financial strain as possible.

“So, When Should I Call SERVPRO®?”

Common water emergencies include, but aren’t limited to:

• Water removal from burst pipe, pipe blockage, etc.
• Water damaged contents such as furniture, artwork and appliances
• Needing moisture detection on a water-logged carpet
• Demolition/replacement of water damaged walls and fixtures

Next time you find yourself in a large water damage situation, call SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod. We’re available 24/7 for your water emergency. Give us a call at 508-778-7378 and we’ll work with insurance to make it "Like it never even happened."

Prevent A/C Water Damage in Your Provincetown Home

8/1/2024 (Permalink)

Keeping your A/C unit at a lower more constant temperature may help to prevent water damage in your home.

So, you’ve done everything right to prevent water damage in your home. The gutters are clear, your water pressure is fine, you know where every water shutoff valve is, and every possible leak has been taken note of and taken care of. Nothing is worse than when seemingly every precaution is taken to prevent water damage, but the A/C unit decides to leak and ruin your floors/walls. In this Cape Cod summer heat, the last thing on a homeowner’s mind is turning OFF the A/C. However, taking care of your air conditioner will not only keep you cool, but it’ll also keep your home water damage-free.

Realize that air conditioners have different temperature and coolness settings for a reason. Many homeowners put their units on full blast on the lowest temperature without even thinking about it. Don’t just crank the A/C and forget it. Doing so WILL damage the unit, cause leaks, make it unusable for future summers and waste electricity. Find the optimal setting on the A/C for your living space. Keep track of the room temp, find a comfortable setting that’s lower than full power and you’ll be cool and free from water damage for summers to come.

At SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod, we understand how unpredictable and destructive water damage can be. From small leaks to feet of standing water, we’ll take care of you. Give us a call anytime 24/7 at 508-778-7378 and we’ll make your water situation our top priority. Our crew is standing by for your water damage emergency. If you find yourself in need of damage restoration in your home or business, SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod will make it "Like it never even happened."

Water Damage Protection in Provincetown

4/5/2024 (Permalink)

Knowing what to do and what NOT to do after a water disaster can mean the difference between helping minimize water damage or making it worse.

Coming home to a flooded house is one of a homeowner’s worst fears. Often, when homeowners find themselves in this situation, they understandably panic and rush to fix the situation, only to make it worse. If you find yourself in this situation, SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod has tips to prevent water damage from destroying your home:

• Shut off the water source of the leak
• Shut off circuit breakers for water-logged areas
• Mop up excessive water to the best of your ability
• Remove lamps/electronics from tables and wipe water off of wooden furniture
• Remove and dry wet cushions
• Lift furniture legs off wet carpets with tin foil or wood blocks
• Move items vulnerable to water to a safer place

Also, be sure to follow this list of DO NOTS:

• DO NOT enter rooms that put you at risk of electric shock
• DO NOT leave books, magazines and other print media on wet carpet as this causes staining
• DO NOT use a household vacuum to suck up water
• DO NOT use electronics in affected areas
• DO NOT use ceiling fans if your roof is suffering from water damage.

What you do until water mitigation help arrives is crucial to the future of your home. For your water damage, flood damage and disaster mitigation needs, call SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod at (508) 778-7378. We're here 24/7 to make sure you don't fall victim to water damage.

Understanding the Categories of Water Damage in Your Hyannis Home

2/5/2024 (Permalink)

Water damage may look "clean" but may not actually be clean. Only the source will tell.

Just like any other mess, some water related incidents are larger than others. However, it’s not just the size of a water incident that determines how dire the situation is. Water incidents are broken up into three categories of severity. As a home or business owner, it’s important to be aware of these categories so swift and careful action can be taken to restore the property to its pre loss condition.

What kind of water damage emergency are you dealing with?

• Category 1: “Clean Water”. When a clean water supply line (such as a faucet, etc.) breaks or leaks, it is considered a category 1 water emergency. Depending on variables such as temperature and contact with contaminants, a category 1 situation can escalate to a category 2 or 3.

• Category 2: “Gray Water”. When flood water crosses the line into being contaminated and hazardous for human ingestion, it is considered category 2. This could include water from a washer machine, dishwater, etc. However, category 2 isn’t severe enough to include water infested with feces or harmful chemicals. If a category 2 flood is left untreated for long enough, it can develop into a category 3 situation.

• Category 3: “Black Water”. Flood waters that are considered, “grossly unsanitary” fall into category 3. This includes, but is not limited to, water that has started microbial growth, water with feces or natural flood waters from a river/stream. All contact with black water should be avoided and needs professional mitigation. If ingested, black water may cause serious adverse health effects.

If you find yourself in a water damage emergency and you are not sure how severe the damage is or can become, call our Team of professionals.  We are available 24/7/365 for all water emergencies, large or small.  We will help you identify the severity of the water damage and begin the mitigation process as quickly as possible.  SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod is here to help! Call us at 508-778-7378

Water Mitigation in West Yarmouth

1/22/2024 (Permalink)

Our professional team and state-of-the-art equipment will dry out your home after a water damage emergency quickly & efficiently.

This West Yarmouth home had a major water leak in their bathroom.  Water traveled under the floors all throughout the home. Like many homeowners in the same or similar situation, they noticed oddly warped flooring through the house, indicating a possible water leak seeping under the floors. We had to tear up flooring and undergo extensive water mitigation. Using dehumidifiers, AirMax Air Movers and our own exclusive treatment products, we were able to perform a fast and effective mitigation process. To avoid ending up in this scenario, be aware of the tell-tale signs of water leakage:

• Visible mold
• Stains and discolorations on painted surfaces
• Warped flooring
• Dank/musty odors
• Higher than usual water bill, possibly pointing out a leak

From Mashpee to Provincetown, we're on alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your water mitigation emergency. If you find yourself in a similar situation, call SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod at 508-778-7378.  We are HERE TO HELP®!

How SERVPRO will Handle Your Water Damage Emergency in Your Dennis Home

1/11/2024 (Permalink)

When you find yourself in a water emergency, TRUST our Team to get your life back as quickly as possible. WE ARE HERE TO HELP!

Stumbling upon a flooded basement or a water-logged living room carpet is always nerve wracking and surprising. When someone finds themselves in this situation, they’re typically at a loss when it comes to what to do first. With countless reconstruction and restoration companies on Cape Cod, how do you choose the right one when time is of the essence?

What do you want from a restoration company?

When looking for an emergency restoration company, you want one that is:

• quick to arrive
• will restore instead of replacing items in your home
• will get your life back to normal as soon as possible.

SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod can do all of this and more. Here are some reasons SERVPRO is your one-stop shop for all things water restoration:

We Arrive Faster Than the Rest: Unlike the competition, SERVPRO is ready for your emergency call 24/7. Almost immediately after your call, a full, professional crew will gear up and get ready to take care of your emergency within 24 hours.

We’ll Save You Money Compared to the Reconstruction Companies: Reconstruction companies will keep you waiting for weeks, letting damage set in further, causing more work to be done. The first 24 hours of a water emergency are the most important in terms of properly repairing your property.  Also, reconstruction companies will replace nearly everything effected by the water damage. At SERVPRO, we aim to restore damaged items and fixtures rather than replacing them. This saves the customer a great deal of money and helps to make their home look as if the water damage never even happened.

We’ll Get You Back Home ASAP: Our fast response times and efficient cleanup methods will have you back home in no time. We also restore water damaged contents, meaning you don’t have to lose your important belongings after a water disaster. With our advanced contents inventory system, we’ll make sure nothing of importance is forgotten or left behind, making your house feel like a home again.

If your Cape Cod home or business is in need of water restoration, SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod is on alert 24/7 for your needs. Give us a call at 508-778-7378 to set up a free estimate or to get emergency assistance within 24 hours.

When There's Moisture, Mold's Right Around The Corner in your Cape Cod Home

10/13/2021 (Permalink)

Many homeowners throughout Barnstable County have experienced extensive water damage to their basements during the past few months. This could be due to cracks in their foundation, sump pump failures, high water tables, and much more. Heavy rain or unusually high tides produced by storms can spell bad news for a lot of homeowners who regularly experience water damage. If you begin to notice water/moisture in your basement, act quickly! Water damage can easily turn into mold issues and drastically increase the cost and time of restoration. It can be difficult to decide if drying the area can be self-resolved or needs professional attention. If this is a question you find yourself asking, it is best to go with the latter. A variety of issues can arise from attempting to self-dry your home after experiencing water damage. If the moisture is not dried quickly enough, there is a large possibility that mold growth could occur. If the moisture is dried in an adequate amount of time, but a dehumidifier is not set up, mold could begin to grow as well.

When it comes to water damage and preventing mold growth, call the professionals at SERVPRO® of Mid-Outer Cape Cod: 508-778-7378. We are here to help!

Carpet Water Damage: What you See Vs. The Reality

8/3/2021 (Permalink)

We have the equipment and expertise to properly remove deep water damage from your home or business's carpeting.

When large amounts of water seep into your carpet, the damage-causing potential is higher than it seems to be to the naked eye. You might’ve been able to dry your carpet after its been affected, but what about the water that’s seeped into the drywall, the subfloor, your baseboard and your floor padding? Untreated carpet water damage can lead to serious mold and mildew buildup. We here at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod have seen plenty of instances of carpet water damage causing floorboard warping, mold, musty odors and structural damage. Here are some tips to keep your carpets safe from further damage after a spill or leak.

What to Do with a Water Damaged Carpet:

• Wipe dry all damp furniture
• Remove and air-dry wet cushions and upholstery
• Place aluminum foil between wood furniture and the flooring
• Turn the A/C on
• Remove any rugs from carpeting
• Move all art to a safe, dry area
• Remove loose items from floor

What NOT to Do:

• Do not use your household vacuum to suck up the water
• Don’t use electric appliances in the same room
• Don’t leave books, art or other colored items on the floor

If Your Carpet is Moldy:

• Stay away from the area
• Turn off HVAC and halt air movement
• Do not touch the mold
• Do not spray with bleach

A common mistake people make when attempting to restore a moldy carpet is grabbing a jug of bleach, scrubbing the mold and drying it with a fan. All three of these actions will only make the mold issue worse. First of all, bleach is only good for use on non-porous surfaces. On a porous surface, like a carpet, the bleach will only add more moisture for the mold to feed on. Also, drying the mold with a fan will only spread mold spores throughout the room, potentially causing health effects. If you see mold growing in your carpet, the best course of action is to leave it alone and seek professional restoration. If your Cape Cod home or business is in need of water restoration, SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod is on alert 24/7 for your needs. Give us a call at 508-778-7378 to set up a free estimate or to get emergency assistance within 24 hours.

Dealing with a Burst Pipe in Your Cape Cod Home

2/8/2021 (Permalink)

One of the most stressful and common home disasters to strike during winter are frozen pipe burst. Every second a pipe is burst, the damage done to your home and belongings grows exponentially. We here at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod have discussed frozen pipe prevention on our blog before, but what about after a pipe has burst? Before you or someone you know panics, only to make this kind of situation worse, follow these three universal steps for aiding in the mitigation of this kind of disaster.

1. Shut off the source of the water: It’s essential for all homeowners to know where their house’s main water valve is located. Knowing the location of all water valves not only prepares the homeowner for dealing with a burst pipe, but other water related disasters as well. For those living in apartments or other rented properties, be sure to contact your landlord immediately in order to shut off all appropriate valves. If the affected rooms have power outlets and electric appliances, cut off all power to the room to prevent the risk of electric shock.
2. Make sure insurance covers your disaster: Take notes and inventory of where the water damage is, what it’s damaged and where it came from. Prepared with this information, call your homeowner’s insurance agent to see if the damage is covered and who they recommend calling to professionally mitigate the disaster. At SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod, we’re on alert 24/7 to mitigate water damage related disasters and will work with your insurance company to make dealing with the situation as easy as possible.
3. Safely attempt to mitigate some of the water before help arrives: Use towels, wet/dry vacuums, buckets and mops to mitigate the water. Do NOT use a normal household vacuum to suck up water as it will destroy the appliance and put the user at high risk of electric shock. Also, if floors and carpets get dry to the touch, a professional mitigation company or repairman will still need to be called. Water leaks into drywall, floor padding, subfloor and many other areas only professionals can properly dry and repair.

A burst pipe can be an expensive and time-consuming fiasco. By following these 3 steps and calling SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod when disaster strikes, you can save time, money and the stress of further water damage. Call us any time at 508-778-7378 for 24/7 emergency restoration services. At SERVPRO, we’ll make it "Like it never even happened."

Frozen Pipe Prevention on Cape Cod

1/15/2021 (Permalink)

If you're in Barnstable, Provincetown, Eastham, Dennis, or any place in between, trust SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod for your water restoration needs.

We don’t have to tell you how harsh and unpredictable winters on Cape Cod can be. Ocean effect snow, unusual amounts of ice and nearly impossible to plow roads are just a few of the pains we all have to deal with as Cape Codders. This winter, be sure not to add frozen pipes to that list. As water freezes and expands during these cold winter months, water pipes in and around your house have the potential to burst, causing flooding and other forms of water damage. Fear not, preventing burst pipes is simple and will save you a great deal of repair expenses. We here at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod have seen and cleaned up after quite a few burst pipes. Here’s what we wish we could’ve told those water damage victims before disaster struck:

• Be Sure You’re Insulated: Even if your pipes are indoors, some uninsulated parts of your house will reach freezing temps. Be sure your home is properly insulated this winter. Other benefits to checking on/updating your insulation are massive savings in energy costs and keeping your home comfortable temperature wise every season.
• Keep Your Home Temperate: When leaving the house, make sure your thermostat is set to at least 55 degrees. Many homeowners will set thermostats to below 55 when they leave the house in order to save money on natural gas and oil. However, the price of mitigating a water disaster runs much higher.
• Keep Air Circulating: By leaving kitchen cabinets and cabinets slightly open throughout the house, pipes fitted behind these areas will stay warm. Keeping houses completely shut up on the inside during the winter has the potential to make cold pockets that are dangerous for pipes.
• Leave Faucets Dripping: When temperatures are especially low, it may be wise to leave faucets dripping or slightly running to keep water in pipes from remaining stagnant. When water remains stagnant in your pipes, it has large amounts of freezing potential. Any sort of water movement will exponentially prevent a pipe burst.

If your pipes burst and the worst happens, SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod is available 24/7 for your emergency water restoration needs. Call us at 508-778-7378 and we promise to arrive faster to any size disaster and make it "Like it never even happened."

How to Clean Up after an Air Conditioner Leakage in Your Barnstable Home

8/3/2020 (Permalink)

During this summer heat, our air conditioners have been working overtime. During hot times like this A/Cs will often be left on 24/7 to keep our homes cool and comfortable. However, there’s nothing relaxing about coming home to a massive air conditioner leakage on your hardwood or carpeted floor. Both window and standing units have potential to cause disastrous leaks. For window unit A/Cs, make sure they’re fastened into the window sill with the back grate facing slightly downwards. This will often redirect all leakages outside of the house. For standing units, place a towel beneath the unit. At the first sign of the towel becoming damp from leakage, turn off the A/C and attempt to resolve the issue.  Check the unit’s instruction manual to see proper draining techniques. If you find yourself in an A/C leakage related disaster, follow these helpful tips.

Leakage on Hardwood

• Why Hardwood Leaks are Different from Carpet Leaks: When water leaks onto hardwood flooring, it causes what’s known as, “cupping”. Cupping is when the unfinished underside of floorboards warp due to water absorption. If the floor is only minorly warped at the seams, you can either hire a water mitigation company to quickly return them to normal, or wait up to a year for the boards to naturally dry and flatten out. This can be aided through the use of fans and dehumidifiers.
• How to Deal with Heavy Water Damage: If the cupping of your floorboards is so severe that nails and other fasteners start to lift off of the floor, a professional water mitigation company will be needed to dry and replace the floorboards. At the point of severe cupping, the damage has likely set into the subfloor, walls, etc. Leaving these areas untreated may cause permanent damage.

Leakage on Carpet

• Dealing with water leakage on Carpets: Cleaning up water from carpeting is a much more complicated and involved process than hardwood. Not only does water leak into the carpet, it leaks into the Baseboard, drywall, padding and subfloor. Not properly drying carpets will most likely cause deep and dangerous mold damage. Use fans, wet-dry vacs and dehumidifiers to dry. Do not use a household vacuum to suck up water.
• If mold appears on your carpet, don’t use bleach to attempt to remove it. Bleach is good at removing mold from non-porous surfaces like walls, but will not work on porous areas like carpets. For moldy carpets, limit the air flow in the room and make sure to run a dehumidifier. Call a professional restoration company to take care of the rest. In many cases, the carpet may need to be replaced at this point.

When it comes to repairing water damaged floors, taking shortcuts will only lead to more headaches in the future. Make sure you do it right the first time. If your home or business has suffered water damage from an Air conditioner leak, call SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod. We’re ready for your call 24 hours a day at 508-778-7378. Trust us to treat your floors right and get you back home or back to work faster than the competition. We’ll work to make it "Like it never even happened."

A Closer Look: Brewster, MA Home Water Remediation

6/5/2020 (Permalink)

Water damage can be unsuspecting, damaging your home slowly over time without you even knowing. For this Brewster home, the living room windows were slowly leaking into the floor. Because of this, every rain storm, no matter how small, caused more and more unseen water damage. Upon replacing their floors, these homeowners were surprised to see the damage and called SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod to quickly remediate the situation. Because of our fast and thorough service, this Brewster home can go on with their floor renovations as planned with little interruption. If you don’t want to end up finding hidden water damage like this Brewster home, be on the lookout for the following:

• Visible mold
• Stains and discolorations on painted surfaces
• Warped flooring
• Dank/musty odors
• Higher than usual water bill, possibly pointing out a leak

If your Brewster home or business is in need of water damage repair or water mitigation, call the restoration experts at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod. We’re on alert 24/7 for your water restoration emergency needs. Call us at 508-778-7378 to set up a free estimate anywhere from Mashpee to Provincetown.

A Closer Look: Water Damage in Chatham, MA

6/5/2020 (Permalink)

Appliances can fail at any given time, causing your home or commercial business a great deal of damage. This Chatham, MA home went through that exact problem. A toilet water supply line burst on the second floor of the home and flooded the entire main level. A technician from SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod removed the wet hardwood flooring from the kitchen in order to properly dry the subfloor and structure. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, here are some helpful tips if you find yourself in a similar situation:

• Shut off the source of the leak
• Shut off circuit breakers for water-logged areas
• Mop up excessive water to the best of your ability
• Remove lamps/electronics from tables and wipe water off of wooden furniture
• Remove and dry wet cushions
• Lift furniture legs off of wet carpets with tin foil or wood blocks
• Move items vulnerable to water to a safer place

Need water restoration? We’re here to restore your home or commercial building at SERVPRO of Mid-Outer Cape Cod. From Mashpee to Provincetown, we’re on call 24/7 for your water restoration emergency. Call us any time at 508-778-7378.

Is it Covered?

10/29/2019 (Permalink)

Review Your Homeowners Insurance Before Disaster Strikes

Most of us feel comfortable in the knowledge that we have an insurance policy that will cover major disasters like a fire or water damage.  Not all disasters, however, are created equal in the eyes of your insurance company. It is a good idea to check with your agent about what is and isn’t covered.  You may want to consider purchasing additional coverage.

 Although most standard homeowners policies provide coverage for water damage resulting from broken pipes, the policy usually does not cover flood damage from storm surges during hurricanes, overflowing rivers, and sewer backups. Consider purchasing a sewer backup supplement to your homeowners policy before you experience the impact sewage backup can cause to your property. Flood insurance is a separate policy that your provider can purchase through the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program).

When was the last time you reviewed your homeowners insurance policy?