Why Hiring Professional Reconstruction Services Mitigates Losses and Saves You Money

7/26/2021 (Permalink)

When disaster strikes, it pays to hire a reconstruction professional.

If a disaster has damaged your commercial building, knowing what to outright replace or fix can seem daunting. The good news is, you don’t have to take a match to it. When disaster strikes, it pays to hire a reconstruction professional. 

Professional reconstruction and damage restoration businesses like SERVPRO North Irving know how to assess your property correctly and mitigate any further losses. Here’s why hiring professional reconstruction services can save you money in the long run. 

Be Forewarned and Forearmed

If a storm, wildfire, or flood hits your area, scammers are like sharks smelling blood in the water. Be aware of scammers posing as reconstruction professionals. 

Contractors, general handymen, and remodelers who have no experience with disaster restoration and reconstruction will also add these services to increase their revenue. 

But disaster restoration is a complex field that requires specialized knowledge on the most critical aspect of the whole endeavor — restoration. 

Restoration means returning a building and its contents to its original condition for less than replacement cost. Unfortunately, a non-restoration business or contractor will continue with business-as-usual practices, tearing out otherwise salvageable materials because they simply don’t know how to recognize something that can be restored or how to restore it anyway. 

You’ll end up losing money if you hire a non-restoration and reconstruction business. Check certifications, references, licenses, and past work to ensure you’re dealing with a company that does actual restoration. 

Ways a Professional Reconstruction and Restoration Company Will Save You Money

#1. Restores Salvageable Materials Instead of Replacing Them

A professional reconstruction company will thoroughly inspect the property and identify the materials and objects that can be salvaged, restored, or reconstructed. In this way, they can cost-effectively complete the project. Restoration and reconstruction typically cost less than a full-on replacement. 

#2. Correctly Identifies What Needs Replacing

General contractors and remodelers may think a material looks good on the surface and, therefore, doesn't need replacing. But a professional reconstruction and damage mitigation business will know what to look for to correctly identify objects and materials that may not be so sound under the hood. 

#3. Understands the Needs of Different Surfaces and Materials

A qualified professional will understand the different surfaces in a damaged building and what they require for appropriate cleaning and restoration. 

For example, cleaning and restoring a wood floor or reconstructing a damaged part of the floor is less expensive than a complete tear-out. Professional reconstruction services also understand how to clean and repair sections of drywall instead of going through a total replacement. 

This specialized knowledge saves you time and money in total replacement costs. Plus, restoration is usually less messy than full tear-outs. 

#4. Experience with Insurance Companies

Professional reconstruction and damage restoration companies know how to coordinate with your insurance company. Our SERVPRO reconstruction professionals have the experience necessary to service a claim from the initial call to mitigation completion. 

#5. Uses the Right Equipment for the Job

 A professional reconstruction and damage restoration company like SERVPRO North Irving has the equipment necessary to properly mitigate the damage. 

High-tech meters and instruments can correctly identify the extent of hidden damage that may not be noticeable on the surface. Advanced equipment also allows us to work efficiently and quickly so you can get your business up and running again. 

Let’s Get Your Property Reconstructed the Right Way

We offer 24/7 reconstruction and damage restoration services in the DFW area. Call us anytime, day or night, for a free estimate at (972) 986-7677.

Dallas Roof Restoration Vs. Roof Replacement

7/15/2020 (Permalink)

Is your roof in need of restoration or reconstruction? SERVPRO provides building reconstruction services for Dallas residents.

In Dallas, we’re no strangers to wild weather. In October of last year, 10 tornadoes hit our area in a single day and caused significant storm damage in Dallas. With climate change in effect, we can expect to see an increase in storm activity.

Severe storms serve as a reminder of the shelter a roof provides. While we stay dry and safe, the roof takes a beating from forceful winds, hard rain, hail, and sometimes even a tornado. 

At SERVPRO, our hope is that you remain safe when facing extreme weather but we are also here to remind you to check your roof once a big storm has passed. Storm damage roof repair could be necessary.

While it’s a tremendous relief for your home to still be standing after a major event, that doesn’t mean the structure went unharmed. Severe conditions like hail, ice storms, and extreme wind cause damage that eats away the integrity of the roof (shingle damage especially).

Can a Roof Be Repaired Instead of Replaced?

Considering the time and cost that goes into a complete roof replacement, a simple repair is preferable. However, repairing the roof may not be the appropriate remedy.

The extent of the damage and how long it’s been that way determine the extent of remediation. It may just be a small area of damage that needs patching. But if there is significant damage underneath these trouble spots, it needs more extensive work.

Roof Repair Vs Roof Replacement Vs Roof Restoration

Understanding what roof remediation involves begins with understanding the three different approaches: roof repair, roof restoration, or a complete roof replacement.

We’ll go over each of these.

Roof Repair

The least involved process, a roof repair is best for minimal roof damage. A small section of the roof (30% or less) sustained minor damage. Examples of this would be missing shingles or replacing a few pieces of rotting wood.

Roof Replacement

Now for the most involved roofing repair method. For a roof replacement either the entire roof is removed to make way for the new one, or rebuilt on top of the original roof.

If the roof is older than 20 years, a replacement is more than likely necessary. If you notice roofing work happening on your neighbor’s houses, that’s a strong hint that it’s time to call the professionals (like SERVPRO)

Signs of a roof beyond repair or restoration: cracked or curled shingles, bald spots, dark streaks, mold, moss, indications the roof will collapse, etc.

Roof Restoration

Roof restoration is less extensive than a complete replacement. The purpose of the project is to restore the roof back to preloss condition (including resurfacing the roof with a protective treatment).

Restoration isn’t always related to weather damage. Other scenarios are roof improvements when a home is up for sale/rent, or when the roof causes heating and cooling issues inside the home.

To qualify for a roof restoration, the roof needs to be structurally sound and not old. Any leak issues should be readily repaired. Roof restoral situations: some fire damage, water damage, hail damage, wind damage, etc.

The advantages of roof restoration are:

• Lower cost and less invasive than a complete replacement
• HVAC savings
• Extends the life of the roof
• Tax benefit
• Less landfill waste

So, why do Dallas homes end up needing these repairs?

Common Causes of Dallas Roof Damage

Our SERVPRO specialists have seen roof damage of all kinds. Here are the four types of damage we see most often in the Dallas area. 

1. Dallas Water Damage: 

Leaks in a roof are usually caused by weather damage and a leaking or soggy roof is bad news. 

Contributing factors: damaged shingles, faulty roof installation/manufacturing, warped flashing, issues with a skylight, or a chimney.

If your roof is “California style,” it’s susceptible to valley damage. This occurs where the pieces aren’t cut properly for effective rainwater channeling.

If you’ve had a new roof installed within a year or so, leak repairs ought to be covered by the warranty.

2. Dallas Fire Damage: 

A house fire to the property or even from a neighboring property can cause damage even if the roof didn’t burn at all due to extreme heat from the flames. 

From the asphalt shingles to the rafters, damage from a house fire penetrates the roof structure.

3. Dallas Hail Damage:

Texas-sized storms will sometimes drop hard ice pellets known as hail. Hail damage is either surface-level shingle damage or it impacts the deeper layers. 

The shingles are the protective skin of the roof. Weakening these pieces leads to areas of exposure and leaks. 

When high-impact hail chunks cause cracks or depressions, this creates vulnerable points for water to sneak in. This, of course, leads to leaks and may progress to rotting of the wood.

4. Dallas Wind Damage:

And while hail is rare, strong winds come with storms of all seasons. Every piece of the roof (no matter how small) comes together to protect the integrity of the structure. 

When winds peel off shingles or other pieces, this leaves the roof exposed to water and other damage.

Whatever the cause, SERVPRO is here 24/7 for immediate response to Dallas, TX storm damage events. Call us anytime, day or night.

Steps to Dallas Roof Restoration

Say you do need a roof restoration. What does the Dallas storm damage repair process involve? Here are the essential parts.

1. Assessment: A professional roof restoration service (like our SERVPRO team) visits the property to inspect the entire roof. They meticulously search for any signs of vulnerability or water damage. When needed, we’ll place emergency tarping on the roof to prevent further water damage during roof replacement or restoration.
2. Cleaning: Remove debris and wash away dirt/grime. Other trouble areas may be discovered during the cleaning process. Any rust, moss, mildew, or lichen is also removed.
3. Seal weaknesses: The seams, flashing, or fasteners are checked for cracks or wear. Damage around vents, skylights, chimney, etc. may also have water or moisture entry points. These problem areas will be sealed.
4. Repair/rebuild the roof: New materials replace broken, worn, rotten, or warped parts to bring the roof back to its original state.
5. Coating: Adding a protective layer extends the life of the roof elements. Coating options are acrylic, asphalt emulsion, solvent-based asphalt, or solvent-based silicone.

SERVPRO's roof recovery goal is to restore the roof back to its original condition or better.

Contact SERVPRO For Professional Roof Damage Repair in Dallas, Texas

Roof damage repair is something most property owners can’t complete on their own. It involves professional equipment and a trained eye for flaws in the roof (that may not be apparent to others). Construction or installation that isn’t done properly may cause issues in the future.

During the inspection, our SERVPRO experts uncover any and all roof issues to prevent matters from getting worse. Next, we do a thorough roof restoral. Our professionals ensure that the construction is sound and that the roof is watertight. (Check out the before and after images of a collapsed roof from a storm that brought a tree down on a Dallas residence.)

SERVPRO’s Dallas building reconstruction services are carried out by experienced professionals so you won’t have to worry about flaws in the work.

We make it "Like it never even happened." Call the team at SERVPRO of North Irving when the next major storm event blows through or any time you have any roof damage concerns.

How Clean is Your Dallas Gym?

2/13/2018 (Permalink)

This shower floor in Texas has an ATP score of over 3,000--well above the <10 score we maintain for safety and cleanliness.

Bacteria in Athletic Training Facilities

It’s sometimes easy to see when something isn’t clean.  A floor can have mud tracks or a piece of equipment an unpleasant smell.  Yet, sometimes, what looks clean can actually be hosting a high level of bacteria that isn’t visible to the naked eye.  

Microbial contamination is very common in athletic facilities, but it can happen everywhere.  Bacteria is present in hospitals, schools, hotels, stores -- everywhere. Every surface and textile can host microorganisms, including allergy and disease causing bacteria including MSRA (staph infection bacteria), gram negative bacteria (salmonella, E. coli), fungi, mold, and mildew.   

Dirtiest Places in the Gym

Our SERPVRO tested an athletic training facility in the Dallas area for contamination levels, and we found high levels of bacteria in the following places (click for photos):

• Door handle to locker room
• Door handle to training room
• Locker room floor
• Player locker
• Bathroom sink handle
• Bathroom shower floor

In an athletic environment, it's important to clean surface areas where athletes are likely to make contact and ensure that the disinfectant used is safe for skin contact and does not leave an unpleasant or lingering odor.  

Top 5 Cleaning Questions

When we’re asked to clean facilities, five questions are normally asked:

1. How do you clean these areas without leaving a chemical odor or harming an athlete's skin?
2. How do you really know its clean?
3. When are you available?
4. How fast can you do the work?
5. What’s the cost?

1. How do you clean athletic training facilities and equipment without leaving an odor or harming an athlete's skin?

SERVPRO of North Irving has various options to help meet the needs of different teams and facilities.  A popular option is to use a Fragrance-Free Disinfectant with antimicrobial, mildewcide, bactericide, fungicide, and deodorant properties.  

Once this cleaning agent is dried on the surface, it’s safe to touch.  To further help eliminate odor, we can also install a temporary air scrubber with carbon and HEPA filtration for the duration of the cleaning process.  

Whatever the needs of your facility, rest assured that we will find a way to help.

2. How do you really know its clean?

When it comes to the health and safety of players, looking clean is not good enough.  

Clean has to be proven.  

We approach cleaning tasks with an objective and science-based approach.  We use ATP testing to prove contamination levels. ATP -- adenosine triphosphate -- is found in all living cells.  Anything alive has ATP. The greater the ATP level, the greater the microbial contamination.

We take an ATP sample before and after cleaning.  We test before to prove that the item is contaminated enough to warrant professional cleaning and afterward to prove it's been sanitized successfully.  

Check out a before and after photo:

Sink Handle Before & After

3. When are you available?

We are available 24 hours a day.  Cleaning should be scheduled when the facility is not in use.  

4. How fast can you do the work?

The time it takes for testing, pre-cleaning, sanitation, and post-testing varies on the size of the facility and the degree of contamination.  Most facilities can be cleaned in less than one (1) day.

5. What’s the cost?

The cost is dependent on the size of the facility, the number of equipment that needs sanitizing, and the state of cleanliness.  For example, it is much easier to quickly clean an entire gym with just a few pieces of equipment and light soil. An athletic facility with lots of equipment and heavy soil levels takes more time and therefore has a higher cost.

Give us a call to schedule a free consultation and bid in Dallas!

Ready for Dallas Professional Cleaning Services?

If you’re unsure whether you need professional Dallas cleaning services like ours, we can still test your facility for contamination levels and provide you with a report that will detail which areas pose a health risk to athletes and should be cleaned.  

Give us a call at (972) 986-7677 to schedule an estimate.  We will take a look at your facility and will provide you a bid for contamination testing.  

Trusted Leader in Water Damage Restoration and Fire Damage Restoration in Dallas Texas

SERVPRO of North Irving is a water damage restoration and fire and smoke damage restoration company in Dallas, Texas. We have performed work in Dallas for more than 30 years. We also have a Texas Mold Remediation Contractor License and offer free mold inspections.

Our crews are available dispatch for 24-hour emergencies every day of the year. We can be reached 24/7 at (972) 986-7677.  Call us anytime!

“Like it never even happened,” only happens here.

Proving Cleanliness on Hard Surfaces in Dallas

2/12/2018 (Permalink)

This shower floor in Plano was ATP tested prior to cleaning. Its score was 3,263--a fail. A passing score on a non-porous material is 10 or less.

Proving Cleanliness on Hard Surfaces

Contamination on hard surfaces happens everywhere -- schools, gyms, stores, homes, and hospitals.  It happens everywhere!

We have been servicing Dallas homes and businesses for 30 years.  We have dealt with all types of contamination, and we have helped thousands of people sanitize their environment.  We have seen it all, and we can help you through it all.

When SERVPRO is called to sanitize an environment, we test for contamination levels before and after cleaning.  For us, the Dallas biohazard cleaning process isn’t just about spraying chemicals and wiping them off. Our cleaning process scientifically proves the success of our work.

Dallas Testing for Cleanliness Using an ATP Test

We use ATP testing to prove contamination levels.  ATP -- adenosine triphosphate -- is found in all living cells.  Anything alive has ATP. The greater the ATP level, the greater the microbial contamination.  

We take an ATP sample of different surfaces before and after they are cleaned, and this is how we prove:

1. If your surface is dirty enough to warrant professional cleaning, and
2. That our team has successfully sanitized the area after cleanup

Our primary purpose in testing for ATP is to prove our results and ensure the safety of our customers.  If any item fails to receive a passing ATP score, the area is cleaned again at no added cost to the customers.  Our process is thorough and gives our customers peace of mind.

When a cleaning project is done through an insurance claim, we are sometimes asked by insurance companies and adjusters to prove our work.  This is understandable. They want to make sure their customers are taken care of, too. When this happens, we happily share our photo and paper documentation of our results.

ATP Sampling

How does ATP work?  The process is simple but requires training.   Our technicians are trained to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to the contamination site.  We follow strict safety protocols.

First, we use an ATP Sampling Swab and swab the surface area of the affected surface.  The swab is coated with a detergent that lifts ATP from the item. This detergent will not damage the material it touches.  It dries in just seconds.

Then, we moisten the ATP swab with a bioluminescent reagent which will make the ATP create light.  The amount of light that is created is directly correlated to the amount of ATP.

Finally, we insert the wet swab into an ATP meter to measure our results.  The result we receive is in Relative Light Units (RLU). Using this data, our technicians know the level of contamination.  

Our measurement for hard surface, non porous contamination is:

• Pass:  =<10 RLU
• Fail: >10 RLU

A Pass score puts the item at a food grade safe level, meaning it is clean enough to prepare food on without the risk of contamination.  When we clean an item, we often get a passing score on our first try in about ten minutes.

If an item receives a fail score, it will be cleaned again.

The Cleaning Process

SERVPRO ensures our cleaning process is objective and science based.  We use EPA registered disinfectants with antimicrobial, mildewcide, bactericide, fungicide, and deodorant properties.  

Our disinfectants helps prevent:

• Bacteria that causes allergies
• Disease causing bacteria including MSRA (staph infection bacteria)
• Gram negative bacteria (salmonella, E. coli)
• Fungi
• Mold
• Mildew

The specific disinfectant we choose for your project will depend on the type of contamination present.  

After pre testing the area and finding the trouble spots, our technicians will apply the correct disinfectant.  We will do this in one pass and allow the chemical the appropriate dwell time for it to be completely effective.  After dwell time, our technicians will clean the area and get any remaining chemical spray off. Afterward, we will perform an ATP post test to make sure it’s clean.

All pre and post test ATP results are documented and can be provided to you at the end of the project.

Odor Removal

If odor is a concern, we can use a fragrance free version of a deodorizer, which contains all the same bacteria eliminating properties.  We can also temporarily install an air scrubber with carbon and HEPA filtration for the duration of the cleaning process.

Proven Clean

When it comes to health and safety, looking clean isn’t good enough.  Trust us to decontaminate your living space with the highest quality disinfectants and scientific testing tools available today.  

Trusted Leader in Water Damage Restoration and Fire Damage Restoration in Dallas Texas

SERVPRO of North Irving is a water damage restoration and fire and smoke damage restoration company in Dallas Texas.  We have performed work in the Dallas community for over 30 years. We also have a Texas Mold Remediation Contractor License and offer free mold inspections.

Our crews are available to dispatch for 24-hour emergencies every day of the year. We can be reached 24/7 at (972) 986-7677.  Call us any time!

“Like it never even happened,” only happens here.