Here to restore your property when fire damage happens

3/25/2023 (Permalink)

Always here, and ready to help

Beyond the fire damage restoration service, smoke and soot can be toxic, creating a hazardous situation. Even if a fire is contained in one area, smoke and soot can travel throughout a structure.

Our professionals are highly-trained, with the experience, tools, and knowledge to clean up fire damage and remove the smell of smoke.

In keeping with our goal to restore your home and cherished possessions to their pre-fire condition, we use appropriate personal protective measures to safely clean, deodorize and restore your property.

We will work with your insurance agent to determine which items are a loss, and which items can be restored. We offer pack out services to inventory, documents, and remove those items that can be restored. We will transfer your items to our secure restoration warehouse and clean and treat your property to its pre-fire condition.

Fire damage? Call the trusted professionals at SERVPRO of Wichita Falls at 940-263-1550.

Prepare your family, and your pets, for storm damage

3/25/2023 (Permalink)

Tips for keeping your fur babies safe when storm damage happens

Are you prepared? Storm damage in Texoma can result from severe thunderstorms, hail storms, tornadoes and flooding.

And sometimes, it all hits at once. 

SERVPRO of Wichita Falls wants to help you be prepared before the storm arrives.

Make a family plan. Know where to meet if you're separated. And don't forget to make plans for your pets!

Include basic survival items and items to keep your pet happy and comfortable. 

• Food. At least a three day supply in an airtight, waterproof container.
• Water. At least three days of water specifically for your pets.
• Medicines and medical records.
• Important documents. Registration information, adoption papers and vaccination documents. Talk to your veterinarian about microchipping and enrolling your pet in a recovery database.
• First aid kit. Cotton bandage rolls, bandage tape and scissors; antibiotic ointment; flea and tick prevention; latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and saline solution. Including a pet first aid reference book is a good idea too.
• Collar or harness with ID tag, rabies tag and a leash.
• Crate or pet carrier. Have a sturdy, safe crate or carrier in case you need to evacuate. The carrier should be large enough for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down.
• Sanitation. Pet litter and litter box if appropriate, newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags and household chlorine bleach.
• A picture of you and your pet together. If you become separated, a picture of you and your pet together will help you document ownership and allow others to assist you. Add species, breed, age, sex, color and distinguishing characteristics.
• Familiar items. Familiar items, such as treats, toys and bedding can help reduce stress for your pet.

Have a plan in place for your entire family! For more planning tips, visit: 

https://www.ready.gov/pets

Storm damage? We're here to help. Call the professionals at SERVPRO of Wichita Falls at 940-263-1550.

We are the storm damage restoration experts

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

Severe weather happens. That's why we're here to help.

We're Faster to Any Size Disaster

A fast response is crucial to flooding and storm damage, because it reduces secondary damage and restoration costs. Storms don’t wait for regular business hours and neither do we. Our technicians will respond immediately, day or night, to help Wichita Falls business owners and residents.

We're Highly Trained Storm Damage Specialists

We specialize in flooding and storm damage restoration, the cornerstone of our business. We have extensive water damage and storm restoration training that allows us to get your home back to normal quickly.

• Water Damage Restoration Technician
• Applied Structural Drying Technicians

We have direct expertise in dealing with storm damage, and have helped hundreds of families recover from losses from storm damage.

Severe weather happens. Be prepared to call the team with the experience, the equipment, and the resources to help make it "Like it never even happened." Call SERVPRO of Wichita Falls - 940-263-1550.

When freezing temps freeze pipes

3/23/2023 (Permalink)

Call the cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO of Wichita Falls

Living in North Texas, we don’t have to deal with the months of freezing temperatures that are typical in the northern parts of the country; however, we unfortunately still deal with frozen pipes on a regular basis. 

Frozen pipes are inconvenient and problematic. Along with preventing water flow into your home, they regularly burst and cause costly damages. Be better prepared for the next artic blast by following these frozen pipe prevention tips:

• Keep faucets dripping to relieve pressure and prevent the pipes from freezing. Particularly important over night when your plumbing system is not being used frequently and the temperature is dropping.
• Disconnect hoses on outdoor faucets and use faucet covers to prevent them from freezing.
• Seal any leaks that might be allowing cold air inside your house, especially in areas that are close to pipes.
• If you have some particularly vulnerable pipes you can use heat tape. Heat tape and heat cables are electrically powered heat sources that you wrap around pipes that are at risk for freezing. Like using any other type of heater, they will need to be monitored to ensure their safe use.
• Try to keep your house at a constant temperature all day and night. Many people turn down thermostats when they go to bed, but night time is when your pipes are most likely to freeze. Opening cabinet doors, especially at night, allows the warm air in your home to circle around pipes and reduce their risk of freezing.
• Additional insulation is one of the best choices when preparing your house for winter weather. Any pipes on outdoor walls or in areas with less insulation (i.e. attic) may need some foam or fiberglass sleeves from your local hardware store. Insulation will always be less expensive than a water damage, so the more insulation the better.

If you do experience a burst pipe this winter, call SERVPRO of Wichita Falls. We are a 24-hour emergency service business, and can have a professional on site within hours to help you get your home back to normal. Call us anytime at 940-263-1550.

Fire damage is also water damage

3/22/2023 (Permalink)

There's a lot that has to happen to restore your property. That's why we're here to help

This may come as a surprise to you, but fire damage may not be your biggest concern when a fire strikes your home. In order to put the fire out, your local fire company uses a lot of water. While this sounds like a great idea at the time, all that water can cause damage to areas of your home not affected by the fire directly. This is why it’s important to examine all areas of your home after a fire for damage, even those places where the fire didn’t reach.

Unexpected Water Damage

The amount of water a fire department uses to put out your house fire can easily exceed one thousand gallons. That’s a lot of water for the structure of your house and your belongings to absorb in a short amount of time. In addition, if the fire is hot enough, some of that water gets converted to steam, which can penetrate areas the liquid water may not be able to reach. This is why your home can suffer significant water damage in addition to fire damage when a fire occurs.

Damage From Fire Hoses

Firefighters have one goal when they arrive at your house fire: to put out the fire as quickly as possible. To do this, they use powerful hoses to deliver the water into your home. While a fire hose is an efficient way to deliver a huge amount of water to a confined area in a short period of time, they can also cause damage to your home when dragged through rooms.

Fire damage isn’t the only problem you deal with after a fire. Unfortunately, you may discover that smoke and water damage are also serious problems that need resolving in the fire’s aftermath.

That's why we're here to help.

What to do when fire damage happens

3/21/2023 (Permalink)

Call the trusted experts at SERVPRO of Wichita Falls

What To Do After A Fire

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

What NOT To Do After A Fire

• Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting your local SERVPRO.
• Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.

When fire damage happens, call the trusted cleanup and restoration experts at SERVPRO of Wichita Falls. We’re here to help.

Why you can trust SERVPRO after a fire

3/20/2023 (Permalink)

Insurance companies, adjusters and agents trust SERVPRO

A fire can break out at any time, and our SERVPRO of Wichita Falls' Customer Care Center is ready to take your call, day or night. Contact us -24/7 for fire cleanup, smoke damage, and fire damage restoration.

Our fire damage restoration professionals have the expertise and equipment needed to get the job done to your satisfaction as quickly as possible.

Our team of experts will help you navigate the insurance claims process and coordinate the necessary paperwork for a quicker, easier experience.

And since many national and local Insurance companies trust in our 50+ years of experience in cleanup and restoration, this helps the claim process go even easier for you.

Your SERVPRO of Wichita Falls team is a trusted leader in the fire damage restoration industry.

And we're here to help make fire damage "Like it never even happened."

We're your neighbors, and we're here to help

3/18/2023 (Permalink)

We are the trusted name in cleanup and restoration

Why choose SERVPRO of Wichita Falls when damage happens?

Because we live here. We're a part of our community. And we care about our friends and neighbors.

You've heard it said that bad things happen to good people. We agree.

Fires happen. Pipes burst. Storms pop up, bringing excessive winds and water.

And while you try to prepare your family and your business for every emergency, sometimes damage happens without warning.

That's why we're here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our team of cleanup and restoration experts have the training and equipment to properly care for your property.

Whether it's fire, water, storm, or biohazard damages, our team is ready to help whenever you call.

So when damage happens, call the name you know and the brand you trust. Call SERVPRO of Wichita Falls at 940-263-1550.

Easter is a time for celebration, not fires

3/17/2023 (Permalink)

We are the experts in cleanup and restoration (and keeping ranch gates closed)

Easter is a time to celebrate new beginnings.

It can also be a time of disaster. And I don't mean Aunt Lulu's peep pie!

Our customer called SERVPRO of Wichita Falls after a kitchen fire just two weeks after Easter. Grease in a pan had got too hot, flared up, burned numerous items on the stove top, and left soot throughout the house.

SERVPRO of Wichita Falls immediately responded, knowing fire and smoke damage goes beyond the physical fire itself.

There will likely be soot covering walls and ceilings, smoke and soot clinging to the interior surfaces of duct work, and water damage to most surfaces due to firefighting efforts.

We inspected the home and confirmed the majority of damage was in the kitchen. We did a pack out of the kitchen contents for restoration purposes, removed the items needing replacement, and cleaned all surfaces.

Our teams worked to ensure that each surface in each room was cleaned and deodorized.

When the job was finished, Martha thanked SERVPRO for being there so quickly, taking care of her property, keeping the ranch gates closed, and helping her get her life back. 

Her certificate of satisfaction comment sums it up better than we could:

"The team was super sweet, watching for the animals, and left nothing unturned."

You can't always see water damage

3/16/2023 (Permalink)

Water can wick up into walls, causing additional damages

This customer thought the only water damage from her HVAC and hot water closet was in the garage.

But our SERVPRO of Wichita Falls professionals found water on adjacent walls!

While inspecting the damage, our technicians are trained to check surfaces surrounding the immediate location.

We found water had traveled under the walls in both the laundry room and kitchen.

SERVPRO of Wichita Falls professionals specialize in water damage restoration, the cornerstone of our business. We have extensive water damage restoration training with an emphasis on monitoring and documenting the drying process until completion.

SERVPRO of Wichita Falls teams are dedicated to responding immediately to water emergencies. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces cost.

If you have water damage, call and let our team of specialists inspect and protect your home or business.