Recent General Posts

Mold in the crawl space

10/8/2021 (Permalink)

Mold growth on crawl space wall Mold growth on Crawl space wall

SERVPRO of Sioux Falls was recently called out to look at a possible mold growth in the crawl space of a lake home. Homes upon the waterfront are notorious for having high humidity and encountering water damage from ground water seepage. 

The home in question had about 2 feet of water for almost over a year. As you can guess, this provided the optimal conditions for the growth and spread of mold. 

Working in a crawl space or other confined spaces are one of the areas that SERVPRO specializes in! Our crews are ready to perform the work, wherever it needs to be done. Using the proper PPE and mold remediation techniques, our technicians are able to successfully remediate mold in nearly any setting. 

If you have a possible mold growth in your home or business, give a call to SERVPRO of Sioux Falls at 605-213-3303 to schedule your mold estimate today! 

Home smoke alarms

10/15/2020 (Permalink)

Smoke alarm with smoke visible Smoke alarm with smoke visible

As fires in the home can be devastating, we wanted to help our customers be prepared in their homes. Today we will talk a little bit about smoke detectors and the important role they play in protecting your family from harm.

Why you need smoke detectors in the home

Smoke detectors are the last line of defense between your family and the dangers of a fire. A sleeping person could miss the sight and smell of smoke and be completely oblivious to any threats. This is one of the reasons it is recommended to put smoke alarms inside and just outside of every room where someone sleeps in your home. According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or non-functioning smoke alarms. Functioning smoke alarms are a must have in your home.

Smoke Alarm Maintenance

When you have functioning smoke alarms installed, it is important to conduct routine tests and maintenance. It is recommended you test your smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button on your alarm. While not always possible with older models, if you purchase new models, try to get them on an interconnected network so when one sounds, all the other in the home go off. Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years.

Sump Pump Maintenance

6/15/2020 (Permalink)

Sump pump and well in home Sump pump and well in basement of home.

If you have a sump pump in your Sioux Falls area home, you may often find yourself not thinking about it unless something goes wrong with it. To avoid potential sump pump disasters, it is important to perform regular maintenance on your pump.

Sump pumps are typically installed at the lowest point of your home. Sump pumps are used to pump water out of your home when water levels reach your foundation. A properly functioning sump pump will kick on when water levels get too high, sending water out to help keep your basement dry. The typical sump pump runs on electricity, but if you live in an area prone to violent storms that can cause power outages you may want to consider purchasing a battery back up-operated sump pump or a water pressure-activated sump pump. The middle of a storm is a terrible time for you to discover your sump pump has failed.

Performing a full maintenance check on your sump pump system is a pretty simple process that can potentially help you avoid a costly water loss.

  • Before adjusting or moving sump pump, disconnect the sump pump from its electricity source.
  • Remove the pump from the well and check the intake grate for any rocks or debris that could have been pulled in.
  • Clear well of any debris.
  • Put sump pump back in to place and reconnect to power source.
  • Fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and pour in to the sump well to make sure the system kicks on and is operating as should.
  • Outside your home, check the condition of the pump discharge pipe, making sure it is free of blockage and debris.

If your sump pump appears to not be operating as intended, do not hesitate to call a professional to assess your system.

Should you encounter a sump pump failure in your home or business, SERVPRO of Sioux Falls is standing by 24/7 to help make it “Like it never even happened.”

Summer Safety Series: Storm preparedness

6/15/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Storm Alert logo SERVPRO Storm Alert Logo

Summer is finally here and that means its storm season!  Wind, hail and thunderstorms usually happen during the warm months in the afternoons or evenings.  But keep in mind, they can occur throughout the entire year at any time of the day or night.  Protect yourself and your home by preparing and knowing what to do before, during and after a storm hits.

Preparations

The first step is to create a disaster plan.  Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do when a severe storm hits and where to meet if you should get separated from one another.  Have an emergency kit, including a first aid kit.  Some basic supplies to have on hand include, battery-powered flashlight, canned goods, bottled water, candles and a battery-powered radio.

There are some simple precautions you can take in almost any situation.  If there’s a concern about flooding, wind or lightning, you can:

• Clean your gutters• Keep tree limbs trimmed• Be aware of weather forecasts and patterns• Secure loose patio furniture• Seek shelter in a basement or interior room away from windows

The Aftermath

After the storm has passed and it’s safe to go outside, go and take a look at your homes exterior.  Note any damage including broken windows, fallen tree branches or missing shingles.  Don’t overlook the small things like dents and dings.  These could be signs of worse damage.

The next step is to call your insurance agent.  Be prepared by having your policy number at the ready and by reviewing your policy and having an understanding of your coverage.

We hope disasters don’t strike, but if they do SERVPRO of Sioux Falls is here to help 24/7 to make it "Like it never even happened."

Benefits of changing HVAC air filter

6/11/2020 (Permalink)

Clean air filter next to dirty air filter Clean air filter next to dirty air filter

Summer has sure gotten off to a hot start in the Sioux Falls area. If you can’t make it to the pool or a body of water, staying inside with the air conditioning on is about your only other option for keeping cool.

As usage of your HVAC system increases so does your energy bill and the amount of dust and debris being circulated through your home. These are just some of the reasons to regularly change your HVAC system air filter. A clean filter will improve efficiency, saving you money, as well as more effectively trapping more dust and debris. Cleaner air circulating through the home will help alleviate allergies and odors.

On top of helping maintain higher air quality, changing your air filter can help extend the life of your HVAC system. To get a fresh start with your HVAC system, pair the next changing of your HVAC air filter with a duct cleaning from SERVPRO of Sioux Falls! We will use our truck-mounted duct cleaning system to clean and remove debris from your entire home’s HVAC system.

To schedule a duct cleaning with SERVPRO of Sioux Falls, please call our office at 605-213-3303!

Emergency Facility Cleanings

5/5/2020 (Permalink)

Professional cleaning services ad Ad for professional cleaning services

As businesses in Sioux Falls and the state of South Dakota start re-opening and trying to get back to a semblance of normalcy, we want you to know we are here and ready to help. At SERVPRO of Sioux Falls we are available to come clean and disinfect your business at a moment’s notice. As we know anytime a business has to close its doors, that is a potential loss of revenue. We are treating proactive and confirmed case cleanings as emergency work, just like we would a water loss. You call us and we’ll come running. We know how important it is to you and your customers to have a clean facility and to be able to provide peace of mind to both your customers and your employees.

Being a part of the SERVPRO family brings with it access to EPA and CDC approved disinfectants developed by our own in-house chemists. This includes our premiere disinfectant SERVPROximist. We have the equipment to take our primary disinfectant, SERVPROXIDE, and use it to mist your commercial facility.

We will gladly consult with you and gather some information on your current cleaning and disinfecting practices. Once we have an estimate of what we would recommend needs to be done, we will work with you to put together an option and pricing package that works for you and your business! As a staple of the Sioux Falls area business community since 2014, we want to put you at ease and let you know that “We’re here to help!”

Call us today at 605-213-3303 to schedule your cleaning today!

For a more detailed explanation of our Covid19 response and recommendations, please refer to this post: https://www.SERVPROwestsiouxfalls.com/blog/post/207631/why-SERVPRO/we-are-cleaning-experts

Yes, We’re Open

3/30/2020 (Permalink)

Yes We’re Open Sign Yes We’re Open Sign

In the past several months, life all around the world has changed dramatically. People are working from home, parents are adding teacher to their resume, dance, sports, cheer, prom and other extracurricular events are canceled, churches are not meeting, clerks at the grocery stores, convenience stores and elsewhere are wearing gloves to protect themselves. NYC and other normally busy cities are now quiet and still. The times are definitely unlike anything that many of us have experienced before. However, in this time of uncertainty, SERVPRO of West Sioux Falls wants you to know that we are open, and we are here to help.

Unfortunately, flooding, fires and other disasters don’t stop in unprecedented times such as these. Excellent Customer Service and Safety have been and will remain our number one priority. Be assured that we have in the past and will continue to take the necessary steps and appropriate sanitation methods to ensure your well being if you find yourself needing our assistance.

If you find yourself in need, please know we are here, we are open, and we will assist you in restoring your home or business back to it’s original state “Like it never even happened.”

Our Highly Trained Restoration Specialists can restore your Sioux Falls Home

6/5/2017 (Permalink)

We are an IICRC Trained Firm

SERVPRO of Sioux Falls is an IICRC 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, andpublic health professionals. Every five years, the standards are reviewed and updated. The water damage restoration field changes rapidly with advancements in technology and science, and therefore the standards must evolve to keep pace. About SERVPRO of Sioux Falls SERVPRO of Sioux Falls 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.

Great time for duct cleaning!

12/17/2014 (Permalink)

This example is not uncommon. This is a home we did duct cleaning for last week. What are you breathing?

This time of year is a great time to have your ducts cleaned.  With your house sealed up tight, indoor air quality is important to everyone.  It's recommended to have your ducts cleaned every 3-5 years.  Give us a call to schedule your appointment today!