Recent Posts

Emergency Water Damage Tips

2/20/2024 (Permalink)

cartoon of bull-horn with the words "Helpful Tips" Helpful tips if you experience a water loss!

Emergency Water Damage Tips

After a storm passes, it is important to stay safe while waiting for help to arrive. Here are some tips to help prevent further damage after a storm, especially if your property has some water damage:

Shut Off Water Source

Shut off the water source if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source.  

Turn Off Circuit Breakers

Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the business when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock.   

Move Important Objects

Move any paintings, art, objects, computers, documents, or other sensitive valuables to a dry place.  

Don't Enter Affected Areas

Do not enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards!   

Stay Away From Structural Damage

Stay away from visible structural damage. Close and rope off the affected area if possible.  

Have Insurance Available

Have your insurance policy available and know the name of your insurance company and broker. Call SERVPRO® today at 541-745-2097! A professional will come out and assess damage and provide necessary mitigation services.

SERVPRO® has the heart to help

12/6/2023 (Permalink)

Polar Plunge Our team members not only assist our clients, but we take the time to give back to our Community!

SERVPRO® Salem West is a company that strongly believes in giving back to our Community.  We are involved in many charitable events during the year. Our Team goes above and beyond to give back. Even after assisting customers during the business week, our team still finds time to go above and beyond when the call arises. We have even participated in two fundraisers back to back in one day! These organizations that provide assistance to those in need mean so much to our SERVPRO® family.

Our Team has proudly participated in the Polar Plunge for the Special Olympics in both Salem and Corvallis for the past few years, which benefits our local Special Olympic athletes. The event in Corvallis also combines with Run Off Your Tutu for Furniture Share, a Walk/Run 5k which helps local in-need families with beds and furniture. Both of these organizations impact our community in such a positive way.  SERVPRO® is proud to participate and assist these, and many other charitable groups, as our mission is to give back whenever we can. That’s why when you're looking for a company to work on your home or business for your restoration needs, SERVPRO® has the heart to help our community!

Certfied: SERVPRO® Clean

12/5/2023 (Permalink)

Commercial Needs Dont let the spread of the Flu or COVID-19 disrupt your business. Count on the Cleaning Professional at SERVPRO®

As we heading into Cold and Flu Season - and COVID-19 hasn't gone anywhere, we need to look to a NEW standard in Commercial Cleaning.

Starting in 2005, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) established the National Influenza Vaccination week “to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond.” In 2017, by the end of November only about 41% of the recommended US population had been vaccinated. And in 2020, we saw the tremendous toll COVID-19 on families and businesses across the country.

If you’ve already gotten the flu or COVID you can still get vaccinated to protect you against other strands of the flu, according to the CDC. People with high risk of complications from the flu include young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions and people over the age of 65, and should get vaccinated. Although anyone is at risk of getting the flu, for high-risk people, hospitalization or death is more likely than for others.

According to the CDC, flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. Get a flu or COVID shot today to protect yourself, your loved ones and your place of business.  And Certified: SERVPRO® Clean brings a higher standard of clean to business across our Communities if the Flu or COVID impact your place of business.

Cell Phone Fire Risk

12/5/2023 (Permalink)

Mattress laying on the grass due to a fire damage from a charging cell phone Know the fire risks charging cell phones can pose to help keep your and your family safe!

SERVPRO® has responded to multiple home fires that were caused by cell phone chargers. Now days it’s hard to find a home that doesn’t have a cell phone in it, and if there is a cell phone then there will be charger.  Our phones are major part of our day, and we have them will us all the time. I personally have mine on me 24/7, and I charge it on my night stand next to my bed.  Did you know that chargers produce a large amount on energy? One fire we responded to the cell phone charger caught a mattress in a child's bedroom on fire. He are some tips to help keep you safe from a cell phone charger fire.

  1. Only buy and use devices that are listed by a quality testing laboratory.
  2. Make sure to always follow the manufacturer’s instruction.
  3. Only use the battery and charging cord that’s designed for you specific device.
  4. Do not charge your device under a pillow, on your bed, on a couch or in a location that’s exposed to direct sunlight.

Your Fire Professionals here at SERVPRO® are always here to help if your home or business has experienced a fire. We are ready to help 24/7.

When a storm hits, call SERVPRO®

11/1/2023 (Permalink)

Prepared for the storm Here at SERVPRO®, we are ready for the storm!

Bend, Oregon

8/2/2017

SERVPRO of Salem West technicians maintain certifications from the IICRC this allows our team to handle weather related damages to residential and commercial properties.

A snow storm in Bend, Oregon caused property damages and our team was dispatched to the area.

Here is an example of the certifications our team members have;

  • Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT)

Technicians learn techniques and procedures to deal with water losses, sewer backflows, and contamination such as mold.

  • Applied Structural Drying Technician (ASD)

Technicians learn to dry water-damaged structures efficiently and effectively. 

  • Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT)
  • Applied Microbial Remediation Technician (AMRT)

Technicians with AMRT certification learn safety practices and mold/ sewage remediation techniques. 

Let our trained and qualified employees take the stress and worry away from storm damages by keeping you up to date with the process, with our fast and efficient work to get your home or business back in order, and with our courteous and polite employees.

SERVPRO of Salem West is "Faster to Any Size Disaster". Call (503) 393-9999 for an inspection.    

For more training and certification requirements check out our website.

What makes SERVPRO different?

10/18/2023 (Permalink)

ServePro Professionals The Character and Dedication of your local SERVPRO Team makes them stand out above the rest!

Whether it’s drying out a water loss, cleaning and reconstructing post a fire, or remediating mold in an attic. In our industry, dedication and character are everything. Once you begin a difficult job, it’s easy to hit a wall, get overwhelmed, feel stressed, and make the choice to throw your hands up and quit.
What is it that is going to get someone in a crawlspace full of sewage?
What is it that is going to get us to leave our warm snuggly beds at 2am, and drive across town to provide water extraction and stabilization at a loss?
What is it that drives us to voluntarily spend all day in the woods, cleaning up bio-hazardous abandoned homeless encampments?
What is it that motivates a person to put a customer, a team, and a job first?
Dedication and Character.
Dedication can be trained, learned, and achieved. It can even be faked.
Character can’t.
Character is what is going to take a person out of there bed at 2am to help someone.
Character is going to give someone the mental strength to set aside the “ew” factor, and clean up that sewage riddled crawlspace.
Character is going to take you into the woods, to piles of abandoned garbage that accumulate to tons, and it is going to give you the visualization of what those trees, moss, earth, and landscape will look like once you have finished clearing the job…and you roll up your sleeves.
Character is going to make you ask yourself questions like these:
How is my customer feeling? How can I serve this customer to the best of my ability?
How is my team working together? Am I doing my best to contribute to the success of my team?
How can I get the best possible outcome at this job for my customer? How am I going to get there?
Character: The trait that means everything.
I think it’s this trait in SERVPRO® technicians that makes them passionate and proud about the job and services they provide.
It's this trait that takes a newly hired technician from viewing restoration work as “A Day Job” or a “A Temporary Job” and gets them thinking about it as something they can be proud of for being a part of, and something they want to continue to be a part of.
The SERVPRO® values that our team is given as a standard. It sets them on a path to being a success in the industry. Character is the most valuable tool a SERVPRO® team member can have.
If you suffer a loss and your life is turned upside down, it takes a certain kind of person to navigate that loss and provide the knowledge, guidance, and dedication to serve the customer.
SERVPRO® prides itself on seeking out employees that can exemplify the values SERVPRO® is about, and add character and dedication to our team. When the need arises, call us today at 541-745-2097, and we will make it "Like it never even happened.®"

Why SERVPRO® for your Commercial Needs?

10/6/2023 (Permalink)

Commercial Needs SERVPRO® has professionally trained Technicians to handle all your Commercial Loss needs!

Why choose SERVPRO?

A commercial loss is much different than a residential loss. When it comes to SERVPRO® responding and mitigating a commercial loss, we have to take into account that there are many more parties of interest involved, and documentation of the job and proper communication about job progress and emergency response efforts may have to be distributed to multiple owners, managers, and insurance companies throughout the process.

SERVPRO® has worked within commercial buildings for over 20 years. We are used to navigating the delicate balance between communications with multiple owners, while also working with multiple vendors, to bring the structure back to preloss condition.

Experience really is key to when it comes to responding to a commercial loss. We prioritize what is most important to our customers and we get to work stabilizing the building as soon as possible. Each day a commercial property isn’t operating it is costing our customer money. As a longtime restoration vendor, we know that getting the facility/structure operational as soon as possible is key for customer satisfaction.

A large part of handling a commercial loss is efficient and frequent communication with the right parties at the right time. Our team at SERVPRO® keeps communication and customer satisfaction at the forefront of our job responsibilities at all times.

So when your business or facility has a loss, you can feel confident calling SERVPRO®. We will be able to respond to the disaster and get the situation under control faster than any other restoration company in the Willamette Valley.

We have the experience, the knowledge, the connections, and the communication and dedication to see commercial restorations come to a smooth and timely completion.  Give us a call today at 541-745-2097.

The Importance of ERPs

8/9/2023 (Permalink)

ERP Graphic An ERP is an extremely useful 'just in case' tool your local SERVPRO® Representative can prepare, to help you be better prepare for the unexpected

Being a business owner can have many responsibilities, and you may have to take on multiple roles.

In most cases, disaster is the last thing you are thinking about. But every business owner, regardless of how new or old your business is, should have a plan and guide for what to do in the event of a disaster.

SERVPRO® offers a free community service called the "Emergency Ready Plan", or an ERP.

ERPs are handy little guides that we make at SERVPRO® that contain basic information regarding your property, who owns the property, and where your emergency shut off locations are.

We document and photograph where your electrical, water, and gas shut offs are, as well as your sprinkler system and security system. We also have the contacts for those utilities companies in the event that you must make contact.

Key contacts are also listed in the ERP, such as the owner, the insurance agent for the property, your SERVPRO representative, and the managers of the building.

The emergency contacts and services page has the fire department and police department's emergency and non-emergency numbers as well, that way, if contact is needed, you know where to find all those phone numbers and contact points.

It's very beneficial to have an ERP because although the business owner might know where everything is and who to contact, your employees might not know. Having a guide like this can help so much if the business owner is not present.

ERPs are very convenient as well, we are able to provide a paper copy, and we can provide a digital version on the Ready Plan app! Which makes ERPs very easy to access in times of need.

When you run a business, it's good to prepare for not just the next day's shift, but for the things that happen unexpectedly.

You can always count on SERVPRO® being here to help!

Faster to Any Size Disaster

8/9/2023 (Permalink)

Flooding in home Water damage in your home can get worse the longer you delay calling for help

Faster To Any Size Disaster

Flooding and water damage is very invasive. Water quickly spreads throughout your home and gets absorbed into floors, walls, furniture, and more.  SERVPRO® arrives quickly and starts the water extraction process almost immediately. This immediate response helps to minimize the damage and the cleaning and restoration costs.

Need Emergency Service? Call Us 24/7 –541-745-2097

Water Damage Timeline

Within Minutes

  • Water quickly spreads throughout your property, saturating everything in its path.
  • Water is absorbed into walls, floors, upholstery, and belongings.
  • Furniture finishes may bleed, causing permanent staining on carpets.
  • Photographs, books, and other paper goods start to swell and warp.

Hours 1 - 24:

  • Drywall begins to swell and break down.
  • Metal surfaces begin to tarnish.
  • Furniture begins to swell and crack.
  • Dyes and inks from cloth and paper goods spread and stain.
  • A musty odor appears.

48 Hours to 1 Week:

  • Mold and mildew may grow and spread.
  • Doors, windows, and studs swell and warp.
  • Metal begins to rust and corrode.
  • Furniture warps and shows signs of mold.
  • Paint begins to blister.
  • Wood flooring swells and warps.
  • Serious biohazard contamination is possible.

More Than 1 Week:

  • Restoration time and cost increase dramatically; replacing contaminated materials and structural rebuilding may be extensive.
  • Structural safety, mold growth, and biohazard contaminants pose serious risks to occupants.

About SERVPRO®

SERVPRO® specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at our SERVPRO® Corporate Training Facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

After the Fire

8/4/2023 (Permalink)

kitchen fire Fires cause tremendous damage throughout your home. Contact SERVPRO® for all your Fire Restoration needs.

When returning to a home after a fire, there’s a lot to consider. Many homeowners will begin by assessing the damage caused by heat and soot. However, water damage comes hand in hand with fire damage. Before determining if it’s safe to return to your home, make sure you know how the water used to put out the fire may have affected your house. SERVPRO® of Benton County can help you determine the extent of the damage and repair fire and water damage. Here are some things to watch out for when you return to your home for the first time after a fire.

Structural damage

If water has collected in your ceilings or walls, it could create a dangerous situation. Many homes have plywood subflooring, which will separate when exposed to extreme moisture. This could result in unsightly floor buckling or a dangerous weakening of your floor’s structural integrity.

Mold

As your house dries out from the water used to put out the fire, mold can begin growing. In fact, it happens fairly quickly: Mold spores can start developing in as little as 24 to 48 hours after the fire occurs. You can remove saturated carpets and furniture, but mold will grow in any areas of excess moisture – including places you can’t see, such as inside walls, ceilings or air ducts.

Poor roof drainage

If firefighters needed to direct water to the roof of your house, make sure it drained off properly. If that water poured into the yard too close to the house it could cause shifting, cracks and eventual leaks in the foundation. Inadequate roof drainage can also send water spilling into the ceilings and crawl spaces of the home.


Before returning to your home, call the experts at SERVPRO® for an inspection. We can deal with all the different kinds of damage that is associated with fire and water. We look forward to working with you to restore your home and make sure it is safe for your whole family.