Cheers to a new year!

12/28/2021 (Permalink)

Cheers to the new year!

As we ring in the new year we would like to take a minute to reflect and share news of the year 2021. It has certainly been a rollercoaster kind of a year. Here is a quick recap.

This past year we grew in many ways, we welcomed a new Project Manager, Eli Morales. Eli brings years of experience and know-how to our team, we are very excited to have him! We also traveled to Texas when the polar vortex struck, our team was there for nearly 1 month helping get families back in their homes. We can’t forget to mention the fun moments, we were finally able to parade again this year! After a halt to the annual Poolesville tradition due to COVID, this year the town and local small businesses paraded once again. We truly enjoyed a day filled with delicious food and fun entertainment.

I digress, as we have gained team members, we will also say goodbye to a very important team member this year. Our General Manager, Philip Kirlew has decided to leave our team after 9 1/2 years. As he expressed, this was a difficult decision for Philip to make, as he was with our franchise through many ups and downs. We appreciate his many years of service, his exceptional leadership, and his hard work throughout the years. We wish him well in all of his future endeavors.

As we move forward into the new year, our team will once again pivot and evolve. We will focus on fine-tuning our current systems and potentially creating new systems in order to better our operation. We are excited to share big news in 2022! With that being said, cheers to a new year full of possibilities!

Real Christmas tree care tips

11/30/2021 (Permalink)

We wish you a safe holiday season!

Are you planning on purchasing a real tree for the upcoming holiday season? The aroma of a real tree is therapeutic and uplifting, however, a real tree does require special care. Here are a few care tips for the proper maintenance of your beautiful tree.

• Keep your tree hydrated by watering it regularly.
• Place your tree away from fireplaces, space heaters, or any other source of heat. Real trees do not typically spontaneously catch on fire, however, if it is dry enough and near heat, it is more likely to catch on fire.
• Do not decorate your tree with worn or malfunctioning lights, nor overload electrical outlets.
• Dispose of your tree properly after use, do not attempt to burn it in your fireplace.

We hope you enjoy this festive season with all of your beautiful decorations. Always remember that your local SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help and make it “Like it never even happened.”

It might be time to adjust your thermostat

10/25/2021 (Permalink)

If traveling, adjust your thermostat accordingly.

Fall is an unpredictable time of year for our area, weather-wise. It might be cooler, it might be warmer. Lately, we have been experiencing a gust of cold, and at times warmer weather. It might be questionable to determine your thermostat setting when you leave for the day in the morning, and before bedtime. However, if you are traveling, consider turning on your thermostat at a setting above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This can reduce the chances of frozen pipes in case the temperature drops drastically, and in turn water damage, while you are on vacation.

A service that you may want to consider around this time is a duct cleaning. It is a good time to clean and freshen up your duct system for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Our team is trained and experienced to perform this service for your home. Call us today to find out our process. Always remember that through all seasons, your SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help and make it “Like it never even happened.”

The Fall season has begun!

9/24/2021 (Permalink)

Enjoy Fall 2021 safely, everyone!

This past week we welcomed the fall season! That means pumpkin spice, and harvest decorations have already made their way to stores and local coffee shops. Summer is officially over. On that note, we want to share a few fall home safety tips.

• Exercise candle burning with caution, never leave a candle unattended or burning in the house alone
• Use caution with space heaters, do not place a space heater near fabric textures
• Service your furnace if needed, have it checked for leaks
• Use your fireplace safely, never leave firewood unattended
• Change your fire and carbon monoxide sensor alarm batteries

Most importantly, enjoy this wonderful season in all of its beautiful colors. We hope you find these tips helpful. Always remember that your local SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help!

Can salt damage the concrete on your driveway?

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Safely remove snow from your concrete surfaces

As we receive the snow and freezing rain this week, homeowners and property managers prepare with salt for the walkways, driveways, and steps/stairwells to prevent falls and slips. Salt is an effective way to dissolve the ice on concrete surfaces but did you know that some salts can damage your concrete surfaces? The answer is yes, especially newly poured concrete. Some de-icing agents can contain harsh chemicals that cause chips or cracks on your concrete, try to avoid said products. Another way to avoid damage to your concrete is by using rubber edge shovels, metal edge shovels can damage your concrete also.

 We hope that you have found this information helpful, have a safe and healthy winter season. Always remember that your SERVPRO is always here to help!

Do your part to help stop the spread!

1/26/2021 (Permalink)

Is your restaurant or business Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned?

As the spread of the COVID-19 virus continues, we urge business owners and local leaders to do what they can to help stop the spread of the virus. While many restaurants and businesses have learned to follow guidelines from the State and local jurisdictions, we encourage you to keep the momentum going. To our restaurant and business owners, we urge you to continue making social distancing a requirement. Please continue to require that your employees wash their hands several times a day. Also, be aware of your local resources, know that cleaning and disinfecting your facility is detrimental to helping stop the spread.

If you are interested in finding out ways in which SERVPRO can help you, please reach out! We have been providing proactive commercial disinfecting, as well as COVID-19 contaminated cleaning and disinfecting services. Remember that we are here to help and make it "Like it never even happened."

Frozen pipe? Here is what you do!

1/26/2021 (Permalink)

We are always here to help!

We just received snow, rain, and freezing cold temperatures within the last 14 hours. During these days of inclement winter weather we see lots of broken pipes due to pipes freezing. If this happens to you here are a few tips on how to react. 

1. Locate your main water shut off valve and turn your water off
2. Open your faucets so that thawing water can freely drain and relieve the pressure 
3. Use either a small space heater or a hair dryer to warm up the frozen pipe
4. If you find water damage give us a call

 If there is water damage our team will clean, restore, and make it “Like it never even happened.” We are a great resource because we do provide free water loss estimates which help you determine whether or not to place a claim through your homeowners insurance.  Always remember that your local SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help!

Outdoor Christmas lights installation

12/1/2020 (Permalink)

Happy Holidays from your friends at SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington

Christmas lights bring joy and excitement to the holiday season. Seeing the talent of our artistic neighbors come to life with their light display is fun and merry. In honor of that we have compiled a few tips for helping minimize damage to your home, and also share safe practices while installing the lights.

- Plan your design and measure the areas that you would like to light up.

- Prepare your lights for hanging. Make sure that the wires are not damaged, they can be a safety hazard if damaged.

- Make sure to look at the lights packaging for clip sizes, do not use staples or nails to hang lights.

- Set a timer for your lights, it is very inconvenient to have to wake up just to turn your lights off.

Remember that safety is key, make sure that your ladder is in good conditions before you start. We wish you all a happy holiday season. Always remember that your SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help!

Proper Christmas tree care tips from your SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington

11/30/2020 (Permalink)

Tree safety

The holiday season has begun and though this year it may be different we still want to enjoy the traditions that come along with the Christmas Holiday. For many of us this will include the Christmas tree. Though as beautiful as it may be with lights and gifts underneath we should understand and actively make an effort to keep your home safe from Christmas tree hazards. Here are a few tips for proper Christmas tree care.

- Plan your tree placement before purchasing, you do not want to buy a tree that does not fit in the desired area of your home. When seeking for the placement area keep in mind that a live tree should not be placed in front of heat outlets.

- Make a fresh cut to the tree trunk before bringing it inside your home. By doing this you are re-opening the stem so that the tree can absorb water.

- Water your tree immediately after placing it on it’s stand. Continue watering your tree daily, keep in mind that dry trees may catch on fire.

- Do not place candles near the tree.

- If you are leaving your home for extended periods of time, turn off the Christmas lights.

We hope that you have found these tips helpful. Always remember that our local SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help.

Proper window protection for winter season

11/24/2020 (Permalink)

Window frost

Have you ever wondered why cold air seeps through the windows during the winter? Before winter arrives make sure that your windows are properly equipped. By preparing with time in advance you may save money on your heating bill and it may help preserve the condition of your windows. Here are a few steps you can take to properly winterize your windows.

- Purchase insulated curtains

- Refinish the window seals

- Bubble wrap your windows

- Caulking your windows where needed

- Weather stripping small gaps

We hope that these tips help keep your home warm this winter season. Always remember that your SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help!

Restore Vs. Replace

11/6/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO, your disaster mitigation specialts

SERVPRO’s purpose is to successfully restore a facility after it has been damaged from water, fire, or mold. We restore instead of replace because we want to reduce the carbon foot print as much as possible. By doing this we also preserve the original structure of the facility. We also minimize the costs; it is much more costly to replace than it is to restore. Aside from the financial standpoint, restoring also saves time, time is a very valuable asset to a homeowner. We are able to restore by using our equipment and knowledge to bring damaged property and belongings to their pre loss condition. We are trained by the IICRC, this organization oversees our industry. If you would like more information, give us a call, we are always here to help!

Preparedness month at SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington!

9/8/2020 (Permalink)

Preparedness month at SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington!

This month we focus on preparing you, our community member, for disasters like flood, fire, mold, or bio-hazard. As industry experts we feel that our input is valuable and important to help insure that when disaster strikes, your employees, and your family members are prepared. When putting together an “emergency ready plan”, we suggest you involve everyone, even the little people.

Questions to think about when putting together an emergency ready plan:

-How will I receive emergency alerts?
-What’s my shelter plan?
-What’s my evacuation route?
-What’s my family communication plan?
-Do we have the essentials in case we have to shelter in place?
-Know where your main water shut off valve is, in case you have a broken water pipe.
-Prepare an evacuation plan with a map.
-Make sure that everyone knows every detail of your emergency ready plan.
-Keep a fire extinguisher in your home or business.
-Keep sand bags to create a water dam in case of heavy rains. This will avoid water intrusion through basement doors or basement windows.

We hope you found this information valuable. If you would like more information, feel free to reach out, your SERVPRO of Wheaton/Kensington is always here to help!