Recent Posts

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.

Smoke and the damage it can cause

10/19/2021 (Permalink)

Occasionally we get a request regarding smoke damage, this can include a multitude of categories, causes and effects. How so? Smoke from fires, stoves, candles, oil lamps, fire places, smoke from tobacco or cannabis, BBQ smoking, incense, and vehicle exhaust.

First, lets look at the explanation of smoke.

Smoke is a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates also gases.

We had a smoke damage once that was caused in a garage. The homeowner had been smoking some salmon in his garage, and some interested critters got in and tipped over the smoker. Causing quite a mess and fire too.

Other smoke damages we frequent are landlords whose tenants have odor from tobacco or cannabis residue.  It’s amazing the damage these can do within your home. One of our employees is a rental owner and used our services to remove tobacco stains from the walls. Nicotine can leave an orange-ish brown residue to your walls, and other surfaces. It can be an easy clean up on some surfaces and others it requires a little more grunt work.

We’ve had a fire/smoke damage where the client had a basket weave to her head board and bedroom set. She also had respiratory problems, because of that basket weave we could not guarantee all the smoke or soot had been completely removed. We cleaned the bed set, we placed it in our ozone room to remove all odor, we cleaned it again. And the truth is, as many times as we could clean that with the smallest of surface areas, we could not guarantee that that set was going to be clean enough for her health.

Smoke produces an odor that like its residue, is not the easiest to remove. Odors take some time to remove and proper precautions need to be taken. All our techs have experience in removing smoke, odor and smoke residue. A homeowner can attempt this on their own but will not always end with the desired conclusion. Sometimes they can get lucky, but it truly is best to let the professionals take care of your smoke, or odor damage. The Removal process can be anywhere from a small to extensive process. Ranging from cleaning and taking contents to our shop for the ozone room. The next step would be to be sealing and painting the effected rooms. And the most extreme case is to dispose of the items, this would-be worst-case scenario and best for you and your family’s health.

Just remember as trained and certified professionals, there isn’t much we haven’t seen. Let us provide you with excellent service with great communication, customer friendly technicians and office staff, and a quick and speedy response and turn around. SERVPRO Gig Harbor/North Tacoma strives to make every experience one that is pleasant. Nobody wants to have their lives turned upside down, and nobody wants their lives turned around for an extended amount of time. If something isn’t right, we have amazing accountability. We want to make it right and WILL.

We don’t wish for damages, in fact SERVPRO understands how devastating it can be to have a disaster. We just want you to know that we are a trusted, local family operated business. Our goal is to get in and get out quickly and help you get back to life, we want your damage to be “Like it never even happened.”

Commercial loss with a speedy response

10/18/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma will make your commercial business water damage, fire cleanup or mold remediation "Like it never even happened." At SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma we are locally owned and operated which gives us the quickest response time when you have an emergency in your business. When your commercial property has been affected by water damage call SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma. When you work with SERVPRO you are working with IICRC trained (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) & thoroughly background screened professionals.

SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma is the fastest responder for the Gig Harbor, North Tacoma areas. We will immediately start by containing the area that was damaged, so no further damage occurs. From there if it is a water damage from a broken sprinkler line, toilet overflow, or broken pipe, we will start by extracting water and cleaning the area with the appropriate method preventing microbial growth.

Water intrusion or smoke damage can spread quickly throughout any building, ruining carpets, upholstery, furniture, books, and other important items. When water damage occurs, exposed metal is susceptible to tarnish, and wooden furniture can swell and damage beyond repairable. Mold and bacteria’s can also grow in a rapid rate. If water damage is is not addressed further damage can occur to doors, windows, and walls. It is extremely important to start the cleanup process as soon as the water damage is found.

Step one: locate the cause of the damages, and stop it (I.e. water shut off valve, sprinkler shut off valve, etc.)

Step two: Call SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma to start immediately mitigating the damage

Step three: Call your insurance provider and update them with the current progress

Step Four: Organize the most essential areas of operation to get back up and running

We have worked with many local businesses and have multiple testimonials that we would be happy to provide you upon request. It is our goal to give you all available information so you can make the best educated decision on how you would like to move forward with mitigating the damages and get your business back up and running.

No matter what size of your commercial business, from a multi-building auto dealership to a smaller mom and pop run business we are prepared to take care of your business and get it back up and running. We understand here at SERVPRO that your business is your livelihood and your entire life’s work. We know that as long as your business is not fully functioning the financial impact increases daily. SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma is a family run business and we promise to treat your business like it was our and get you back up and running as soon as possible. You can reach a SERVPRO of Gig Harbor/North Tacoma representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 253-851-6711 and we will make it "Like it never even happened."

Commercial building insurance claims

10/15/2021 (Permalink)

A commercial property insurance claim is a formal request to an insurance company asking for payment based on the terms of that company’s policy. The insurance company will review the claim for validity and then pays out to the insured or the requesting party (on behalf of the insured) once approved. Payment will be determined by the bill submitted by the mitigation company, and the estimate for repairs prepared by the general contractor selected for the repairs.

A commercial building can have multiple different types of property insurance claims. In a survey conducted by the Hartford, about 20 percent of small business owners filed a claim for burglary and theft in the previous five years. Water and freezing damage is also a frequent claim. About 15% of small business owners filed a claim against their policy for this type of damage. You may have filed a claim for wind and hail damage if you work in an area near a storm’s frequent path. Fire is a large risk to any building structure. It is also a claim about 10% of small business owners have filed in the previous five years. Something to take into consideration when dealing with a fire loss is that you may have more water than fire damages from the sprinkler systems and the fire department. Fire losses can range widely in terms of value, and can start from something as simple as a space heater left on after leaving the office for the day.

Every city has large commercial buildings, do you manage or work in a large commercial building? Consider having SERVPRO prepare an emergency readiness profile in place for your commercial building in the case of an insurance claim.

When the manager on duty or the facility coordinator determines that the damages are beyond their own employee’s capability it is time to file an insurance claim. This is when SERVPRO’s emergency readiness profile can come into play. The profile will create a plan that any employee can start implementing, it includes emergency contacts, utility contacts, locations of shut offs, etc. This will get the mitigation process started immediately. When the call is made to the insurance company informing them of the loss,SERVPRO will alreadybe responding to the loss and have the buildings information at hand in the emergency readiness plan.

Our SERVPRO technicians and managers are prepared to handle these insurance claims 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our managers are skilled communicators, explaining the entire process so you feel comfortable understanding the process. We take pride in our technicians training process and their thorough knowledge in the field. This may be your first commercial insurance claim, but with SERVPRO you get our experience along with all our franchises resources so we can handle any size of loss.

If you’d like to have a service agreement prepared between SERVPRO and your company, call us today and we can come out prepare an emergency readiness plan and review a service agreement. Here at SERVPRO Gig Harbor/N. Tacoma it is our goal to make sure its “Like it never even happened.”