SERVPRO of Southeast Nashville responded to a historic church after a fire damaged a large portion of its sanctuary. A heater caused the curtains to catch fire, which spread to the walls, damaging drywall, plaster, the stage, roofing tiles and deposited smoke and soot onto the pews, throughout the structure.

What is structural drying? Simply put, it is the removal of excessive, trapped moisture from building materials (both structural and non-structural) in an efficient amount of time. “Drying down” a structure can be an art, and there is a balance to find in every building and structure.

J. Darrel Hicks, author of Infection Prevention for Dummies, defines “cleaning” versus “disinfecting” versus “sanitary.” He also shares two basic principles of cleaning and shares four criteria for selecting disinfectants from the EPA’s List N, including six products on the list that he found meet those criteria.

In mid-February 2021, Prism Specialties of Greater Wisconsin and Western U.P. received a water pipe break claim at a high-end waterfront home that sits just 40 feet off Lake Superior on Madeline Island, Wis. The first decision to be made: Ice road or ferry?

Drying a structure is not a one-step process. In fact it is a multiple-step process that requires an understanding of how to manage the environment within the building, the moisture in the structural materials and contents. The intent of the article is to provide an understanding of what structural drying is, and provide an educated and informed conclusion related to the restorability of environment, materials and contents.

In a time when production schedules are full, lead times are long, and resources thin, what exactly are contractors to do to appease their customers? The answer can be found in improving project communication. While this might seem to be a daunting task for some, a simple tool that can be used to guide the efforts is a project communication plan. 

Advice on what equipment to own, rent and pre-rent for property restoration projects, plus tips on what to look for in an equipment supplier.

Since Hurricane Sandy pummeled New York City in 2012, new and more stringent emergency management programs and compliance requirements have been implemented for healthcare systems. With the new mandates, plus the advent of COVID-19, cross contamination prevention and disinfection is more critical than it has ever been in the medical arena.

Purchasing and implementing technology, and adding more services in-house is not just an investment in your future; it just might secure your future. Complacency and delay will separate companies in our industry into two categories we can sum up in six words: Be a Netflix, not a Blockbuster. Let’s embrace technology and bring more contents in-house to become the contents restoration experts carriers and policyholders want to work with.

The technology and tools we now have at our disposal for contents cleaning and inventory are great and so nice to have, as long as we remember to use them to enhance our ability to create the right kind of experience for our clients and not use it to replace human interaction and relationships.

Media blasting expert Wayne Lawrence covers common media blasting applications in property restoration, the range of tools available, notable case studies, product advancements, the importance of equipment training, buying versus renting, equipment cost, and more. 

Mold-sensitized individuals need to have a living/working environment that is better than the normal understanding of clean. Standard mold remediation techniques for source removal have to be completed with an acute attention to detail; the job is not done when the source material has been removed.

Not having textiles tested after a cleaning could expose people to a wide range of chemicals and health risks. This could, in turn, expose restoration contractors and insurance companies to considerable liability.

R&R is officially accepting nominations for the 2022 Women in Restoration Award through January 10. We are also excited to introduce an all-new award to the restoration industry, honoring restoration technicians!