When Should I Schedule Furnace Maintenance?

8/16/2023 (Permalink)

Regular furnace maintenance is essential for ensuring the efficient and safe operation of your heating system. Neglecting furnace maintenance can lead to reduced performance, higher energy bills, and even potential safety hazards. In this blog post, we will discuss when you should schedule furnace maintenance to keep your heating system in top shape.

Annual Maintenance: Fall is Ideal

Experts recommend scheduling furnace maintenance at least once a year. Fall is the ideal time to have your furnace serviced, just before the colder months set in. By getting your furnace inspected and tuned up before the heating season begins, you can address any potential issues and ensure that your system will run smoothly throughout winter.

Signs That Indicate Your Furnace Needs Maintenance

Apart from the routine annual service, there are certain signs that indicate your furnace may require immediate attention. If you notice any of the following, it is advisable to schedule maintenance as soon as possible.

If your furnace starts making unusual noises like banging, clanking, or rattling, it could be a sign of loose components or a failing motor. Timely maintenance can prevent further damage.

If you notice weak airflow or limited heat distribution in your home, it could be due to a blockage, a dirty filter, or a malfunctioning blower motor. Regular maintenance can address these issues, ensuring proper airflow and efficient heating.

If your energy bills have suddenly increased, your furnace may be working harder than necessary. A professional inspection can identify the cause and optimize the furnace's efficiency, saving you money in the long run.

If your carbon monoxide alarm goes off, it is crucial to shut down your furnace immediately and evacuate the premises. Call a professional service technician to inspect and address the issue promptly.

If some areas of your home remain cold while others are overly warm, it could indicate an airflow or ductwork problem. Regular maintenance can identify and resolve these issues, ensuring consistent heating throughout your home.

Foul or unusual odors coming from your furnace can also indicate a variety of problems, such as a gas leak or a ventilation issue. It is important to have your furnace inspected to ensure the safety of your home and family.

Benefits of Regular Furnace Maintenance

Scheduling regular furnace maintenance offers several benefits, including:

Improved Energy Efficiency: A well-maintained furnace operates more efficiently, resulting in lower energy bills.

Extended Lifespan: Proper maintenance helps prevent premature wear and tear, extending the lifespan of your furnace.

Enhanced Safety: Regular inspections detect potential safety hazards, such as gas leaks or faulty electrical connections, preventing dangerous situations.

Consistent Performance: Routine maintenance ensures that your furnace consistently provides the comfort and warmth you expect during the winter season.

Warranty Protection: Many furnace manufacturers require regular maintenance to maintain the warranty coverage for your system.

By scheduling furnace maintenance annually and paying attention to signs of trouble, you can keep your heating system running smoothly, maximize energy efficiency, reduce the risk of breakdowns, and ensure the safety and comfort of your home.

Remember, it's always best to consult with a professional HVAC technician for expert guidance on furnace maintenance and servicing. They have the knowledge and experience to thoroughly inspect, clean, and tune up your furnace, keeping it in peak condition throughout the year.

Different Types of Hoarding Explained

12/12/2022 (Permalink)

Risks of Hoarding

Hoarding is a mental health condition that affects 2% to 5% of people in the United States. It's characterized by a persistent inability to get rid of possessions due to a perceived need to save them. Over time, this can lead to dangerous situations and cause emotional stress on both the hoarder and those around them. There are several different types of hoarding, each with its own unique characteristics.

What is Hoarding?

Hoarding is a mental disorder that causes people to accumulate items in their homes to the point where it becomes dangerous to their health and well-being. Hoarding occurs when a person experiences severe distress at the thought of getting rid of any item, regardless of its value. This can lead to extreme clutter and many hazards associated with living in an unsafe environment.

Why do people hoard?

There are many reasons why someone may hoard, but the most common causes include:

• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• depression
• anxiety disorders
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Risks of Hoarding

There are many ways that clutter can cause an unsafe environment. Clutter has been shown to increase the risk of falls and other types of accidents, and hoarding can also be linked to malnutrition, health care problems, and even fires.

This can cause problems with sanitation, food storage, and fire hazards. But the danger doesn't stop there. Hoarding also makes it hard for a person to keep their home clean and safe, which can lead to serious problems for both them and those around them. When you live in a cluttered space, you're more likely to get injured by tripping over things or having your belongings fall on top of you. The mess also creates an environment where mold can grow, or animals can live, which could lead to rodent infestation. It also makes it easier for fires to break out and quickly spread throughout the space.

Hoarding Cleanup and Restoration Services

Hoarding cleanup and restoration services are a relatively new industry. These companies specialize in helping people who are dealing with hoarding issues, by removing the items from their home, cleaning up the space and restoring it to its original state.

Some of the services provided by these companies include:

• Removal of trash, debris and other excess items
• Deodorizing or sanitizing the area 
• Hauling away unwanted materials to be recycled or disposed of properly
• Packing up valuables for storage (if required)

Don't be ashamed to live in a cluttered home. 

If you live in a cluttered home that makes you feel ashamed, don't be! There are many companies and professionals out there who can help. Companies such as SERVPRO of Providence can help you safely remove debris, deodorize and sanitize the area, and dispose of unwanted materials safely so that you can return to a clean and safe home.

Conclusion

Hoarding is a complex mental health condition that can be difficult to deal with. However, it's important to know that there are options out there for people suffering from this disorder. If you or someone you know has been struggling with hoarding or another type of OCD, contact us today! We have the professional resources needed to help get your home cleaned up.

What To Expect From an Indoor Environmental Tester

8/29/2022 (Permalink)

Hire an indoor environmental specialist to inspect any residence to which you are considering moving, as doing so could reveal costly complications before they become your debt to bear. Read on to learn how to pick one and what to expect once a professional has been selected.

What Indoor Environmental Testers Reveal

A comprehensive building examination can diagnose the presence of:

• Allergens
• Flammables
• Asbestos
• Radon
• Mold
  
  

Because of its prevalence and potential for rapid progression, the existence of mold is the most serious discovery an investigator can make. Before signing a lease, hire an expert to clear the home you wish to occupy.

How Indoor Environmental Testers Work
Beware that inspections conducted by an indoor environmental specialist average $400, although more extensive analyses run upwards of $1,000. Larger living quarters will result in heavier fees. Added services, such as testing for specific pollutants, will further increase your bill.
Qualified testers carry certifications acquired from officially approved associations. When interviewing inspectors, request documentation as proof. If doubts persist, contact the claimed institution directly for verification.
Experts remain significantly more accurate than any off-the-shelf mold test. Avoid the risk of accidental misdiagnosis by using a fungal renovation service to definitively determine the existence of mold growth. This is done by taking samples from exposed surfaces using swabs or tape. In certain instances, specially trained detection dogs may become necessary to pinpoint a problem’s origin.
When searching for other harmful substances, equipment such as air quality monitors, moisture meters, and thermal imaging cameras may be utilized. Inspections typically last up to three hours. Once the process is complete, you may have to wait between two and ten days to receive a detailed report.
Use an indoor environmental specialist to identify possible issues inhabiting a prospective dwelling located in or around Elmwood, RI. Though the initial cash outlay may seem unnecessary, the price will always remain preferential to the expense of extensive remediation.

How To Successfully Restore Wet Documents

7/31/2022 (Permalink)

Losing important documents in a flood or fire can be devastating for your business in Elmwood, RI. You can rebuild the structure and replace the furniture, but what about irreplaceable papers and photographs? They may not be a total loss if the water restoration company you select has document restoration services available.

What Documents Can Be Restored?

Contracts, manuscripts, and other files
Books and magazines
Blueprints and maps
Photographs, films, and negatives

Finding an experienced technician as quickly as possible is the key to successful document restoration. Insurance companies choose SERVPRO more often than any other restoration service because of the advanced technology and knowledgeable professionals available all over the country. Each office is locally owned and operated, but has corporate resources available.

How Are the Documents Restored?
SERVPRO uses the latest in document drying technology. The vacuum freeze-drying technique is the same process used by the Library of Congress to dry historical papers and other valuable documents. In fact, this drying method is the only process that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has approved for restoring wet documents.
Documents that have been exposed to flood water or sewage will likely contain harmful chemicals and bacteria. Technology using a gamma irradiation process will sterilize the documents so that they are safe to handle.
You can also rest assured that your sensitive documents will remain confidential. SERVPRO employs HIPAA-certified technicians, who are under constant supervision.

What About Digital Services?
There is no better time to have your important papers converted to digital format than before a disaster strikes. In a flood or fire, your records will be saved. You can also free up valuable storage space by keeping digital files.
The quicker you send out your irreplaceable documents for document restoration after a flood or other disaster, the faster you will be able to get your business back on track.

The Benefits of Claims Inventory Services

6/28/2022 (Permalink)

Clients can always view the updates on their online accounts.

SERVPRO's Claims Inventory Service

When a commercial property is damaged by fire, flooding or mold, the expenses for mitigation and restoration can really add up. Business owners need a reliable way to keep track not only of structural elements that are compromised but also of items inside their buildings that need repair. SERVPRO's claims inventory service makes the process of filing an insurance claim for damaged property easier for your clients in Providence, RI.

Visual Proof of Damage
When SERVPRO technicians arrive at the building, they start with a thorough assessment of the damage to the structure. They may take several pictures of the affected area:

• Saturated drywall
  
• Collapsed ceiling tiles
  
• Damaged flooring
  
• Compromised items
  
  

This assessment gives business owners and their insurance providers a clear picture of the work that needs to be done. They can access the information at any time in order to file accurate claims.

Itemized List for Insurance Claim
Before any ruined building materials can be removed, the certified damage mitigation experts must take out furniture, equipment and other items that were in the path of destruction. Once these things are removed, they are inspected to see if they're salvageable.
An insurance agent may see a distinction between repair and replacement costs for the separate lists on the claim. Clients can always view the updates on their online accounts. Technicians update the report throughout the process to verify the work that has been completed or add new steps that have to be taken. Because the information is revised whenever there is a change, the itemized list serves as an accurate backup to the claim filed with the provider.
No matter why your clients need mitigation services, the claims inventory system helps them keep track of what's going on with their property. It makes filing an insurance claim as simple as possible.

3 Reasons Black Water in Your Home Is an Emergency

5/16/2022 (Permalink)

Three Reasons Why Black Water in Your Home Is a Disaster

While unwanted water in your home in Elmwood, RI, is a big problem, the situation becomes much worse if the water is contaminated. This could be the result of floodwaters coming into your home, or it could be from a ruptured pipe that carries sewage. At this point, you will need a professional sewer cleanup. Several important factors label this as an emergency.

1. A Sewer Backup Poses a Risk to Everyone
Dirty water in your home puts everyone in the household at risk. Any surfaces that water came in contact with could be contaminated. Sometimes that damage cannot be seen, but it is there nonetheless, resulting in unsanitary conditions. The best bet is to call a local water damage restoration company. Trained technicians will arrive in a matter of hours and focus on safety right away.

2. A Flooded Toilet Can Spread Throughout the Home
Water does not tend to stay in one place but can seep into floors and even drip into the room below the initial spill. A professional sewer cleanup will work to contain the contaminated water, thus limiting the scope of the property damage. With the right equipment for the job, such as water vacuums and powerful pumps, a trained crew ensures the water does not spread into other areas.

3. A Water Spill Gets Worse Over Time
As a powerful corrosive agent, water, especially black water, can eat away at nearly all the elements of a home. This includes breaking down wooden structures and even having an impact on metals, ceramics and other durable materials. A rapid cleanup doesn't give water a chance to work on vulnerable materials. It also is less likely to result in mold growth from saturated surfaces and elevated humidity levels.
A sewer cleanup is a job for professionals who will arrive quickly. It requires a rapid response to limit the damage caused by black water.