Your Guide to Making a Storm Kit for Your Family's Safety

4/12/2023 (Permalink)

Make sure it's big enough to hold all your supplies.

When a storm hits, it's important to be prepared for the worst. One way to ensure you're ready is by creating a storm kit. Here's how to make one:

Start with a sturdy, waterproof container. This could be a plastic bin or a backpack. Make sure it's big enough to hold all your supplies.

Next, gather your essential supplies. This includes non-perishable food, bottled water, a first aid kit, extra medications, a flashlight, a radio, and extra batteries.

Consider adding additional supplies for your family's specific needs, such as baby supplies, pet food, or special medications.

Store your storm kit in a location that's easily accessible, and make sure everyone in your household knows where it is.

In the event of a storm, use your kit to help you stay safe and comfortable. And if your property is damaged during a storm, call SERVPRO of Chula Vista at (619) 482-1131. We offer 24/7 storm damage restoration services, and our experts have the experience and innovative technology to restore your property quickly and effectively.

We create interactive 3D models of the emergency damage we work on

8/1/2022 (Permalink)

We use Matterport to capture the emergency damage.

At SERVPRO of Chula Vista we are constantly looking for ways to optimize innovation that can benefit us and our customers.

One of the technological tools that we use when we have an emergency damage is Matterport which is the standard for 3D space capture. It’s an all-in-one platform that transforms real-life spaces into immersive digital twin models. It allows us to capture and connect rooms to create interactive 3D models of spaces. 

This system allows us to share the space with insurance adjusters and property managers, allowing them to get work done virtually as if they were there in person. Also, it serves as a measurement tool which helps us during a loss to provide accurate information such as providing the most accurate sketch and estimate.

Every time you experience an emergency damage in your Chula Vista home or commercial business, SERVPRO of Chula Vista will be ready to respond using our innovative technology and experience. Call us at (619) 482-1131.

What is a category 3 water damage?

7/11/2022 (Permalink)

Category 3 water damage.

When your Chula Vista home experiences water damage as a result of a flood or other natural disaster, it is important to act quickly because there is a chance that the water on your property will be classified as category 3 water damage.

According to the IICRC S500 defines category 3 water damage as water that is "grossly contaminated and it can contain toxins and pathogens”. The most common sources of Category 3 water include:

• Broken sewer lines
• Backed-up sewer mains
• Extended rain events
• Flash floods
• Hurricane flooding

In case your property presents category 3 water loss in SERVPRO of Chula Vista will remove all affected cosmetic materials such as insulation, hardwood flooring, drywall, carpet padding, carpet, and cushions and uses an anti-microbial spray and HEPA vacuuming to disinfect affected items after the incidents.

Mold in my Chula Vista house

5/9/2022 (Permalink)

Mold can be found almost anywhere as long as there is moisture.

Mold can be found almost anywhere as long as there is moisture. Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if you detect mold on your property, it’s recommended to clean it and also to eliminate up to 60% of the sources of moisture so that it does not come out again, such as:

• Vent bathrooms, dryers, and other sources of moisture to the outside
• Using air conditioners and dehumidifiers
• Use exhaust fans every time you cook, wash dishes, and clean

If you want to combat mold on your property, SERVPRO of Chula Vista is Here to Help and restore "Like it never even happened." Call us anytime at (619) 482-1131.

¿Cómo saber si mi casa de Chula Vista tuvo daños por la lluvia?

4/14/2022 (Permalink)

Identifica si tu casa tiene algún daño derivado de la lluvia.

Después de una fuerte lluvia en San Diego, es normal sospechar que tu casa haya sufrido daños causados por el agua. Existe una manera fácil de identificar si tu casa tiene algún daño derivado de la lluvia:

• Los techos tiene aspecto “mojado”
• Las tejas están dañadas o hay faltantes
• Cayo alguna rama grande en el techo
• Ha crecido moho en las paredes o el techo
• Hay espacios que huelen a humedad
• La pintura interior esta descarada
• Hubo alguna fuga alrededor de la casa

Si encuentras uno o más daños previamente mencionados, te recomendamos prevenir problemas a futuro que puedan afectar la salud y la seguridad de tu familia. Llámanos al (619) 482-1131 y en SERVPRO de Chula Vista estaremos listos para responderte utilizando nuestra tecnología innovadora y nuestra experiencia.

What are the signs of storm damage in my Chula Vista home?

4/11/2022 (Permalink)

Damage derived from the storm.

After a storm has occurred in San Diego County, you may be concerned if you suspect that your property has sustained water damage. Below are some easy to visualize signs to determine if your property has any damage derived from the storm:

• Ceilings with a “wet” appearance
• Damaged or missing shingles on your roof
• Mold growth on your walls or ceiling, which can be identified by a damp smell
• Peeling interior paint
• Any large branches that have fallen on the roof
• Leaks around the home

If you find one or more of the above signs, you can prevent future problems that may affect the health and safety of your family. Call SERVPRO of Chula Vista at (619) 482-1131 and we'll be ready to respond using our innovative technology and experience.

Learn about one of the innovative tools we have at SERVPRO of Chula Vista

3/14/2022 (Permalink)

We used advanced equipment and techniques to remove the water quickly

Storm damage can happen at any time in San Diego County. When your home or commercial business needs storm  damage restoration services, SERVPRO® of Chula Vista responded immediately and used advanced equipment and techniques to remove the water quickly.

One of the advanced pieces of equipment we use in storm restoration services is a HEPA Air Scrubber which is a portable filtration system that traps particles in the air and improves air quality by removing 99.97% of particles such as mold, bacteria, asbestos, lead, dust and many other contaminants in the air. Air scrubbers will continually clean the air and provide a clean, healthy and productive environment.

If you experience a circumstance like this in your home or business, we'll be ready to respond using our innovative technology. Call us at (619) 482-1131 and we are Here to Help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Make your own storm kit

2/23/2022 (Permalink)

We'll restore your storm damage, “Like it never even happened.”

It’s never too late to prepare your family and your home for hurricanes, severe weather or natural disasters. SERVPRO of Chula Vista provides the following tips to get your family through 48 hours without electricity and basic services and help you deal with storm-related emergencies.

Include all of these items in the 48 hours basic kit:

• Plastic container with a tight-fitting lid or a waterproof duffel bag. This will hold your kit.
• Water (one gallon per person per day)
• Food (non-perishable food)
• Battery-powered and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• Wrench or pliers
• Manual can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery

Storm damage can happen at any time in San Diego County. When your Chula Vista home or commercial business needs storm damage restoration services, SERVPRO® of Chula Vista is Here to Help.®  We’ll restore your storm damage, “Like it never even happened.” Call us at (619) 482-1131.

For more information: https://www.sandiego.gov/storm-preparedness 

Storms and Floods, What's Covered?

6/16/2021 (Permalink)

With our recent efforts to help out with the polar vortex that happened in February, we noticed one huge difference between this storm and others.

In many instances where there is a large storm or hurricane in the US, water often rises from the ground up. Water rising can come from overflowing lakes from major rain or a tsunami. While insurance companies and circumstances can differ, in most cases where there is water damage as a result of water rising from the ground, home insurance will not cover the claim. Homeowner's insurance will typically cover water damage resulting from a leaky pipe, which is what happened during the polar vortex. The storm froze the water in the pipes and made them to burst, which caused it to rain inside many people's homes. All of the clients that we worked with in Texas had covered claims, but during other catastrophe's this may have not been the case. If the city you live in is prone to major storms, we recommend getting flood insurance, as that will give you peace of mind during any major catastrophe.

How Long Will it Take to fix my Home After A Storm

6/15/2021 (Permalink)

Back in February, our team went to Texas to help out with the Polar Vortex that happened in the Midwest. Our crew decided to go to the storm approximately two weeks after it had finished, since we were wrapping up a large San Diego project. As soon as we got settled into our hotel, we called the homeowners that had been assigned to our team and had quickly found out that most of them had not received any plumbing service at all.

Now to clarify, SERVPRO doesn't do plumbing. Typically, when there's a water damage, one of the first steps is to turn off the water in your home so that no more leaks out, from there we start our restoration work. Somewhere in between, a plumber usually goes out to fix the leak and turn on the water again.

When the storm hit, hundreds of plumbers, roofers, restoration companies, carpet cleaners, etc. came to town to assist everyone that needed help. Even so with all of the help, these homeowners would call for service and be put on a list, waiting for when they get a call back. Our team would do an inspection and start working within the next two days, and in between our crews would be working overtime so they could help everybody. I'm sure all of these companies that were in town were doing their best to help everybody, and the reality is that no one knows when these storms are going to happen.

If there's ever a storm and you need help, call SERVPRO, since our storm teams are trained to be faster to any disaster.

What Happened After the Large Snow Storm in Texas

4/27/2021 (Permalink)

Some of our team members after our breakfast meeting.

I remember in February reading the news about the big freeze that happened in Texas; I was shocked at how much water damage there was from the freezing pipes. Working as a SERVPRO franchise, you really get to see their system shine when there's a natural disaster. SERVPRO has storm teams that receives a large influx of claims from our partners at AAA, State Farm, Farmers, etc. When this happens. they activate the alarm for all of the franchises to mobilize. The storm team advised us that help was needed in Houston so after some quick planning, we decided to start our trek.

Our estimator Reynaldo and myself flew out first while our trucks hit the road for a 2 day trip. When I arrived, the snow had just cleared but the city still had a large amount of water damage. I handle logistics for the company, so it was my role to secure a place for our team to stay, make sure that we have a storage for our equipment, and extra vehicles for inspections, estimates, monitoring, and late night Whataburger cravings.

Once Rey and I got settled the following day, we decided to call through some of the people that were assigned to us. If there's one thing to note, it's how great the SERVPRO system is; we didn't have make cold calls or knock on doors. Since the Storm team already received the files, they would just assign them for us to call. We would get between 40 and 80 homeowners at a time to call through and see if they had received service.

As Rey and I started to call these people, we really got to see something that we don't experience in San Diego; real catastrophe. Here at home, when there's a water loss, the home owner is in immediate need and can usually call someone to get assistance within a couple of hours. In Texas, it had been two weeks since the snow had affected the area and many people were still on lists to get help. Many of these homeowners have a similar set up where there's a water heater in the attic that burst after freezing, affecting 1-2 floors of the their house, and were waiting for a plumber to fix the pipes. The people that we inspected still had debris from the sheetrock on the floor, mold, soaked carpets and cabinets, and in many instances no water.

After some inspections, our crew arrived on a Saturday night and got to work. The rest proceeded as it normally would at home: we inspect the damage and mark the affected areas, we communicate with the insurance, and once we have the green light we start the work. Our team would prepare the area, do demolition on all affected walls, dispose of all the debris, clean everything else, and leave equipment for drying. 8 weeks later and dozens of houses fixed, our crews are scheduled to come home in a couple of days.

We're truly grateful for our team; they worked long shifts, adapted to a new city, spent time away from their families, and really dedicated themselves to serving people when there was no one else to turn to. After this experience, we are planning on traveling more in the future. There is a tangible impact that our crews left with the clients and we're happy that we have an opportunity to keep making an impact with our company.

How to deal with falling trees. Who is responsible? Do I need to involve my insurance?

1/25/2021 (Permalink)

A family sees a tree in their front yard after a storm in San Diego

With lots of heavy winds and rain coming lately, I was researching what typically happens when there is a tree that falls in a property. I remember back in early 2016 when there was an awful storm, there were trees on the roads everywhere and our business received a lot of phone calls with homeowners that had actual trees fall into their house and damage their property. 

The source for this information is from an article in Consumer Reports that I linked at the end, as well as some of our personal experiences working in these environments.  The article is dated for July 2019, but the information is still relevant. 

Key points: 

1. Will my insurance cover me? 

The article sites that the short answer is “Tap your own coverage. Make a claim through your insurer for tree damages to your property, even if the tree was rooted in your neighbor’s yard. “ In our experience, insurance companies may cover these damages due to high wind incidents, but it’s important to check with your carrier first. 

2. What if the neighbor’s tree falls on my house? 

When this happens, you can still open up an insurance claim to get help right away. It’s possible that your insurance will seek to recover their expenses through what’s called “Subrogation”. This would be the same process but reversed if your tree fell on the neighbors house. 

3. What if the tree falls in my yard and not on the house? 

The article states two different points. It seems like if there is no damage your house, your may have to pay for the clean up yourself. But in other instances, the article cites that the homeowners policy may reimburse your for damaged landscaping. 

4. How costly is a tree claim?

The average reported amount was $4110 for tree claims, although this can vary depending on how much damage was involved to your house and what was affected as a result. 

Often times these incidents can cause water damage from pipes breaking or structural challenges that need to be repaired. Our team would be able to assess the damage and make a plan to restore your house to its original condition. 

If there is an instance where something like this happens, feel free to give us a call at (619) 482-1131 and we would be glad to answer your questions! 

Link to original post: https://www.consumerreports.org/homeowners-insurance/when-a-tree-falls-who-pays-for-the-damage/