Recent Posts

Storm Preparedness

11/1/2024 (Permalink)

Here are some ways to prepare your home and your family for storm emergencies.

Here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma we are pro preparedness. We provide a complementary service for businesses and homes called the Emergency Ready Profile to help you locate your water, gas, and electrical shut offs. It is a free app you can look for on your app store.

This app is useful for commercial properties AND homeowners.

When a winter storm is approaching, we recommend heading to the grocery store and stocking up on some food for your home, perishable, and nonperishable.  Do not forget water, water for toilets, dishes, hydration, etc.

Invest in flashlights and or lanterns. Place them strategically throughout your home in case you lose power any time of the day. Do you have a crank radio? Crank radios provide a way of hearing emergency broadcast alerts and staying in the know when things seem a little unknown.

Walk the perimeter of your home and check your trees and make sure there are not any branches that could potentially fall onto your roof.

Do you have a generator? Make sure you have fuel on hand to power it. There are also electrical generators you can invest in. We recommend doing your research and find the best fit for you and your house.

If you are looking for more ways to prepare your home and family for a potential storm, call our office today and we are happy to help you avoid a potential disaster or damage. Our friendly office staff is ready to help!

Hurricane Preparedness

11/1/2024 (Permalink)

No matter what state you live in, there is bound to be a type of disaster to hit you. Weather is so unpredictable that we never know what to expect until we are in the thick of that situation.

Here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma and SERVPRO of Mason County, we believe in providing all the needed information to you in hopes it helps in disastrous circumstances.

Next week, May 10-14 is Hurricane Preparedness Week. Our social media accounts will be giving you some tips on how to prepare for a storm in your area. Here on this blog, you get early access to that information.

  • Have an emergency plan for you and your family.
    • Have a family meeting and select a safe meet up place within your home.
    • Discuss a safe place in your neighborhood to meet at.
    • Have a safe meet up someplace outside of your neighborhood.
  • Have an emergency kit
    • Have a kit for the following places:
      • Work
      • Car
      • In home
    • What should it include:
      • Water
      • Non-perishable foods
      • Blanket
      • Boots
      • Flashlight
      • Batteries
      • First Aid kit
    • Review your insurance
      • Look at your policies
      • What is covered? What isn’t?
      • Is flood insurance available?
    • Evacuation Plan
      • Plan a route and have an alternate route planned too
      • Prepare for IF you need to drive for hundreds of miles
      • Possibly keep extra gas on hand

These are just some things to think about. Put together your list today. It’s always better to be more prepared than not prepared at all.

PNW Winter Months

11/1/2024 (Permalink)

Here in the Pacific Northwest our storm season can consist of wind, rain, hail, and snow. I remember the first year we moved up here from Southern California we had our first glimpse of the storms. We lived in a rural area here in Gig Harbor. We are surrounded by trees up here and where we lived at the time. Windstorms in Washington remind me of Santa Ana winds in Southern California, however in Southern California palm trees rarely fell from the winds. Nor did we experience power outages. That first year our main road had a tree fall that we had to drive under, and it took our power for over 7 days. We ended up packing some major essentials and staying with my in laws who were 20 minutes away and inside the city limits. They still had power, heat, water, lights, you know all the essentials.

I wish I had known how to be better prepared that first winter, so here is a list of quick tips and tricks that can help you get by next storm:

  • Keep a tote somewhere easy to get to
    • Have nonperishable food: top roman, soup, spaghetti sauce, noodles, etc.
    • Invest in a propane burner for camping
  • Keep flashlights on hand or candles
    • Check batteries before the storm hits
  • Keep a case of water on hand
  • First aid kit, every household should have one
  • If you have a wood stove, make sure you have matches and wood ready
  • Be sure to have spare warm blankets or sleeping bags
  • Invest in a generator

These are just a few of many ways you can prepare yourself before a storm hits. Be sure to check your supplies periodically. I hope these tips and tricks help for any future storms we have in the future. Remember SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma and SERVPRO of Mason County are here to provide you with awareness and prevention tools to avoid your next damage. 

Community Projects

11/24/2021 (Permalink)

Its the time of the year that many look forward to. Coming together with families and sharing meals and memories. There are many who are unable to have the luxury of large family gatherings, much less large family gatherings with a bountiful food spread.

This is the time of year we team up with a teacher at one of our local private schools and we reach out to Food for Backpacks and ask what their holiday food need is. 

Both members collect and advertise to gather as many pieces of this request as we can. We know that whatever we collect is shipped out to over 1600 individuals and their families. Personally, this is something I am guilty of taking for granted. Many of these families were strongly effected during the beginning of COVID. Kids unable to go to school  and receive their daily hot meal.  

Food for backpacks kicked into high gear collecting to bless those who soul relied on these meals.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we encourage you to look up a local charity and see what the need is. Christmas is coming and there is always a need we can fill as community members.

Here are SERVPRO it is an honor for us to team alongside with local businesses and charities. We value our friendship with Food for Backpacks and are so blessed to have a partner in that gathering with this local teacher.

It helps us to connect on another level of compassion. As you prepare for a warm and loving holiday with family or friends, consider donating to Food for Backpacks.

Call today if you would like to here how we are teaming up with them this year!

253-851-6711

Biohazard clean up

11/11/2021 (Permalink)

We get an occasional biohazard call: homicide, suicide, unexpected death, animal infestations or medical accident. Biohazards must be handled correctly and professionally. Bloodborne pathogens can be dangerous, and we handle these situations with the most discrete and delicate of manner. We have special certifications and training for these unfortunate events. Statistics show that 1 out of 24 people have Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV. Depending on the environment our biohazard is in, these diseases can survive up to 16 days in the affected person. It’s not something we enjoy doing but we are proficient and courteous to our customers during this difficult time. Our protocol for this is the following:

Call: we get your call and send a certified technician to the site within one hour depending on your location. Our technicians are professionally trained and are also empathetic to the type of situation we could be working with.

Evaluation: our tech(s) evaluate the extent of this damage. Our techs wear special bio uniforms and respirators. This is to protect them from any kind of disease that could spread while cleaning. As mentioned above these diseases can survive up to 16 days in certain biohazard environments. Exposure can happen with any kind of open skin, scrape or wound, sharp fragments that may puncture while cleaning, inhalation, or potential splatter resulting in exposure through the nose, eyes or mouth.

Restoration: restoration to floors are much like a water damage. Carpet is pulled away and the sub floor is treated and sealed. Carpet padding is replaced and the carpet itself is cleaned on the underside and top. Any kind of dry wall exposure is cleaned and sealed. Depending on the situation some drywall may need to be replaced all together. Each damage is unique and requires special care and evaluation.

To perform biohazard cleanups its highly recommended that the professional you have cleaning is OSHA certified. What is OSHA?

O- Occupational

S- Safety

H- Hazard

A- Association

Rest assured that our techs are OSHA (Occupational Safety and Hazard Association) certified and trained. Anyone who is not OSHA certified, is fined heavily. When looking for a company it’s important to know if they are certified and aware of the OSHA requirements. We take all the extra steps needed to qualify for this certification.

As mentioned above, not all biohazards are human related. Animal infestations are more common than you would think. Rats, squirrels, otters, birds, etc. Pests are not hygienically clean, they carry many diseases. Rats alone can directly transmit the following: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM), Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever, Plague, Rat-Bite Fever, Salmonellosis, South American Arenaviruses (Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Sabia-associated hemorrhagic fever, Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever), and Tularemia. That is just rats alone, not including the other above-mentioned animals.

If in doubt, let a professional check it out. Our professionally trained and certified techs take care of it all for you. Let us save you the headache and stress. Here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/N. Tacoma we are happy to help and make your biohazard “Like it never even happened.”

Call us today @ (253)851-6711

Insurance agents

10/28/2021 (Permalink)

As an insurance agent one difficult but necessary task is getting clients to renew their policies. Let's say a client of yours has a damage of some sort and wants to place it on a claim. Once that has been approved, you should recommend SERVPRO to your client. Let me tell you why, first off, you can ensure that they will receive the best care. SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma and SERVPRO of Mason County offer a timely first response, to a quick, careful and efficient clean up, so we will make the process simple. We understand that any sort of damage to a home or business can be a traumatic and stressful experience for everyone involved. We also understand that the process can be confusing. Our staff will always make sure to break the process down (if need be) so that it makes sense to the client. Once the damages are taken care of whatever those may be, and everything is back up and running smoothly again it is a great time to talk to your client about renewing their policy. Going into the conversation knowing that your client has no stress and is happy with the work that has been done makes it so much easier. A lot of times clients don’t feel like they really know their insurance agent, whether that is for their home or business. This process can help facilitate that relationship, making it a lot easier to get that policy renewal. Not to mention the trust that it builds between you and your client. 

Fast food vs. sit down restoration

10/27/2021 (Permalink)

Let’s take a moment to think about food, when you’re hungry sometimes you want what’s fastest or easiest. And sometimes when I’m hungry I want the ‘experience’. I am one of those people who get Hangry, angry and hungry when I hit that point, I need food and I need it now! Then there are other times when I want the ‘experience,’ sure I can go to Taco Bell and get a taco or burrito, but I love the experience of sitting down to a Mexican restaurant and having chips and salsa, an occasional margarita, and the choice of a combo plate vs. fajitas.

If we take it to the next level, there is the Primo Experience at a restaurant. Like fine dining, when the waiters offer you a black napkin for your black slacks’ vs a white napkin. Ever have that happen when the white lint gets on your dark garments? Party fowl.

In the end we make the choice of wanting something fast and that will “do for now” vs. an experience and something to get the taste buds tingling, salivating, and ready to truly enjoy every bite.

Attention to detail, that’s important to everyone isn’t it? What will be your takeaway?

Let’s spin this around, let’s look at a water damage now. You come home and your house is saturated in water from your washing machine from one side of your house to the other. You take a step and hear the squish squash of water. What’s your next step? (no pun intended)

  1. Call your insurance and place a claim
    1. Do you know what’s included in your claim?
    2. Do you know how much your deductible is?

These questions are typically how you establish who you choose to handle your water damage/fiasco.  We understand that money can be tight and typically water damages happen when we aren’t expecting them, right? I don’t typically budget a water damage insurance deductible into my family vacation. Because we all know that is typically when something of that inconvenience happens when we least expect. “Hi, yes water pipe, can you please choose to burst when I have a good savings built up and no big things to take care of?” In a perfect world we wouldn’t want a damage at all.

Sometimes our initial response is “I can do this, I can fix that watching YouTube videos,” I’ll be honest, been there and done that. Note: Do NOT try to fix your water damage yourself. The water can be contaminated, and you could need to remove and replace your carpet pad, linoleum, dry wall typically needs to be removed. We have special products that seal and treat the effected areas when a water damage occurs.

In the long run we are trained and certified professionals who have seen it and are trained to handle any size disaster. We are educated in knowing moisture temperatures and levels to properly dry and treat a water damaged area. We know how to treat and remove mold safely. We go above and beyond to produce a positive experience for you to remember and make your damage "Like it never even happened."

When it comes to deciding on what to do, which company to use. Choose the number one performing company there is in our industry, SERVPRO.

Home buyer tips

10/23/2021 (Permalink)

First time home buyers or experienced home buyers, when searching for a home what are some of your major concerns?

Are they:

  •             How many rooms?
  •             What is the square footage?
  •             What schools are nearby?
  •             Is it a kid friendly neighborhood?
  •             Or do you prefer to be secluded no neighbor interaction?

When looking for that dwelling, are you thinking about:

  •             Is the plumbing up to date?
  •             How long has it been since the roof has been replaced?
  •             Are the gutters working and maintained?
  •             Are the windows old and need replacing?
  •             Has it had multiple water damages?

I think sometimes our focus can be on the outer exterior not the pieces that keep it together.

How much are you judging your future home by the cover and not the content within? How much are you hoping your home inspector catches all those potential future damages?

It is easy to get swept into the excitement of buying a home, we encourage you to make a list of what’s important when home shopping. Not just the outside important qualities but also long-term functioning aspects of the home.

These are all things your home inspector should be looking for. It will help you as a buyer show your concerns and awareness of what they should be checking for. Make sure you are interested in their process and value how they inspect the future residence.

Good and experienced inspectors use equipment such as Infrared cameras, and moister readers. They are hands on in every part of the inspection process. Inspectors look for water staining and moisture damage.

We want to help you avoid calling SERVPRO two weeks into living in your new home. Good luck in your future home shopping from us here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma.

General information on supply lines

10/22/2021 (Permalink)

Okay, I know what you're thinking. Mold and now Supply Lines? Where's the snooze button? BUT, here at SERVPRO of Gig Harbor and North Tacoma we want to help educate you on the basics before you have a catastrophe on your hands. So here is some general Supply Line information in a Q and A format....ready? Set, go!

What is a Supply Line?
A supply line is a main water way from the plumbing in your wall into your faucet.

Where can you find a Supply Line?
Sinks, dishwasher, washer (clothing), toilet, refrigerator and hot water tanks.

Supply Line materials (made out of):
*Metal braided
*Plastic
*Rubber
*Copper

Here's what you can do and what you should know about your Supply Lines:
*Hot water tanks- look for rust and leakage
*Plastic Supply Lines- are not durable and crack with age
*IMPORTANT- make sure your braided metal Supply Line does not have plastic in the middle of it.

Supply Lines should be checked once a year and replaced every 3-5 years.

What happens when a Supply Line breaks:
Basically what happens or what this means, a burst pipe with full water pressure spilling out into the area it is in.

Supply Lines are super easy to replace- connected to a supply line you'll find an angle stop and that will turn off the water for only that supply line, you screw off the existing supply line and screw on the new one. Easy peasy, right?
New Supply Lines cost about $20 give or take. 

Are you reading this blog post a little late? Are you currently dealing with a broken Supply Line, which is causing a water damage as we speak?
We are so sorry to hear this, give us a call and we can get you back in your daily routine. SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma is here 24/7, 365 days a year for your reassurance. We go above and beyond to make these messy situations "Like it never even happened."

Burn bans and why we have them

10/21/2021 (Permalink)

Living in the northwest is beneficial for air quality and let’s face it, the greenness of our surroundings is breath taking. Growing up in Southern California I am not a stranger to smog or heat warnings. I miss the 90 degree weather and the sun, but I have grown to call Washington state home. I have always struggled with asthma, due to secondhand smoke, smog and mold within my home. A trifecta of worse case scenarios to live with. When we moved up to Washington, I was astonished that I didn’t need my inhaler daily. I didn’t struggle with shortness of breath or heavy chest pressure to breathe. We moved up in the summer, summertime in Southern California always seems to be ablaze. We have had to pack up a family members house with important valuables while viewing flames yards away from their house. Talk about terrifying. In southern California I don’t feel like the trees are as compacted as here. So, moving I may have been a little naive in wondering why burn bans are so heavily monitored. Then I looked around and realized the atmosphere is not prepared to handle ninety-degree summers, sure it remains lush and green, but the dryness is what will act like a reactor to any type of flame. Our amazing first responders are very serious about this, it’s important that they keep us aware and using safe practices. If you are ever unsure of when or if a burn ban is in effect, you can call 253-798-7278 or visit the website: co.pierce.wa.us

On this site it provides general information in regard to burn bans, such as tabs that include:

what can I burn?

Can I use a fire pit?

Can I use my grill?

Can I use fireworks?

With firepits, it walks you through fire pit regulations and how to comply with the proper installation or whether you can burn in your fire pit. It provides information on who regulates the outdoor burning.

Did you know there are two types of burn bans in Pierce County? Fire Safety burn ban and Air Quality Burn Ban.

As you scroll down this site also provides your local Fire Districts, the station number, their phone number and location. This is very helpful information to have.

Our first responders are amazing hard-working men and women and they do their very best to provide awareness and prevention. First responders work hard to prepare everyday citizens to make our emergencies a little more manageable.

Consider SERVPRO as your second first responder. We do our best to provide awareness and prevention to all who meet us. We don’t want you to have a disaster or damage. No one wants their lives, or homes to be turned upside down. That is why we do our best to provide you with the knowledge and tools to prevent them.

Be sure to thank a first responder today and let them know how much their hard work is appreciated. Don't forget to mind our burn ban regulations for the safety of you, your neighbors, and our first responders.