Recent Posts

How to Effectively Use a Fire Extinguisher

9/10/2023 (Permalink)

Fire extinguishers with SERVPRO of Indianapolis West logo Using Fire Extinguishers Effectively

Having easy access to a fire extinguisher in your home or workplace is a vital safety measure. However, it's equally important to know how to use one and understand which types of fires they are effective against.

A fire extinguisher can play a crucial role in preventing the spread of fire and smoke damage within your City and Indianapolis West residence or office. In the unfortunate event of a fire, remember that SERVPRO of Indianapolis West is here with compassionate experts to assist you in the cleanup process.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers valuable training tips (see below). If you ever have doubts or concerns, always prioritize your safety by leaving the premises and dialing 911 once you are safely outside.

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West wants to ensure you are aware that you can attempt to combat a small fire only under the following conditions:

  • You have the right class of fire extinguisher.
  • You know how to use the fire extinguisher.
  • You can access the fire extinguisher quickly. Remember, fire spreads rapidly, and fire damage and smoke damage are far less concerning than injuries to yourself or others.

Types of Portable Fire Extinguishers:

  • Class A Fire Extinguishers: Suitable for fires involving cardboard, paper, wood, and dried vegetation.
  • Class B Fire Extinguishers: Effective against fires fueled by flammable and combustible liquids such as gasoline, diesel, oil, oil-based paints, and various solvents.
  • Class C Fire Extinguishers: Designed for fires involving appliances, tools, or equipment that is electrically energized, as well as fires in close proximity to electrically-energized equipment.
  • Class D Fire Extinguishers: Intended for extinguishing fires caused by combustible metals like magnesium or sodium (not ordinary carbon steel).
  • Class K Fire Extinguishers: Specifically designed for kitchen fires involving cooking oils and greases, including vegetable and animal-based oils and fats.

Remember, fire safety is a shared responsibility, and knowing how to use a fire extinguisher properly is an essential skill for everyone's safety.

SERVPRO's Disaster Recovery Team

9/10/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West: Your Trusted Partner in Large Loss Disaster Recovery

At SERVPRO of Indianapolis West, we take pride in being part of SERVPRO's extensive large loss disaster team. Our dedicated teams stand ready to assist in the restoration of cities across the nation in the wake of various disasters, whether natural or otherwise. We understand the importance of swift and efficient response, and our commercial operations managers oversee every large loss project, ensuring effective communication and timely mitigation/restoration.

Our involvement with the Commercial Large Loss program benefits a diverse range of clients, including:

The Hospitality Industry

Property Managers

Universities

Municipalities

The SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team is your go-to resource when facing the aftermath of a tornado, hurricane, blizzard, flood, or any other disaster. With a network of strategically positioned storm teams, we're prepared to leap into action whenever and wherever disaster strikes. Our commitment to being there for you 24/7, 365 days a year means that we're always ready for the unpredictable.

Give us a call at 317-243-3149.


Learn more about our disaster recovery services at https://www.SERVPROindianapoliswest.com/disaster-recovery

How to Respond When a Storm Leads to Flood Damage

8/22/2023 (Permalink)

Naperville Town view in Illinois State Flooding SERVPRO of Indianapolis West is always here to help. Call our office 24/7 at 317-243-3149

Indianapolis West residents are no strangers to heavy rainstorms that can wreak havoc on older buildings. Picture an aging roof giving way under pooled water's weight, leading to leaks into your home. Imagine water seeping down from the ceiling into your bedroom.

Our flood damage remediation services in Indianapolis and its vicinity are of top-tier expertise. With well-trained SERVPRO-certified technicians and cutting-edge technology, we guarantee the finest service possible. If you require flood damage remediation, reach out to us.

How Can I Better Prepare for a Flood?

When you're anticipating a severe rainstorm, a few steps can help you brace for potential home damage:

  • Keep a list of emergency contact numbers.
  • Have spare water and non-perishable food on hand in case of extended power outages.
  • Consider seeking assistance and being prepared for flooding risks.

Though not all rainstorms lead to severe consequences or power loss, preparedness is always wise. Having bottled water and non-perishables ready ensures you won't be caught in a rush to the store along with everyone else. SERVPRO recommends scheduling an appointment to discuss our ERP Plan. The Emergency READY Profile Plan can help prevent or mitigate damage from intruding water, fires, and even mold.

What Can SERVPRO Technicians Do Upon Arrival?

Upon reaching your residence, our highly trained technicians can immediately take action. We can initiate the process by:

  • Covering roof holes with tarps to impede water intrusion.
  • Employing wet/dry vacuums to extract water from walls, ceilings, and floors.
  • Utilizing air blasting tubes, including injecti-dry advanced devices, to introduce dry air into hard-to-reach areas.

At SERVPRO, we're committed to minimizing excess moisture in your home and preventing mold damage. If you face a distressing flood event, grant your home the assistance it deserves!

Reach out to SERVPRO of Indianapolis West at 317-243-3149. We're here to support you!

Back to School SERVPRO Defensive Cleaning

8/7/2023 (Permalink)

Books and apple on wooden table against school blackboard Choose Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned to help keep your customers, employees, students, and teachers safe.

The start of a new school year is here! SERVPRO works with schools and daycare centers in the Indianapolis West area to help our clients, employees, students, and teachers stay safe all year. Our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned program is a defensive cleaning program that gives your properties a way forward by providing your employees and customers with ongoing safety. Our proactive viral pathogen cleaning program will help your commercial building meet a higher standard of cleanliness.

We want to show our support this upcoming school year by providing cleaning services, including disinfecting, sanitizing, and proactively cleaning. Our cleanup procedures are in accordance with the CDC recommendations and local authorities. Surfaces to consider for cleaning and disinfecting include but are not limited to classrooms, offices, bathrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and teacher lounges.

SERVPRO® of Indianapolis West is called on by businesses to perform the necessary services to clean, sanitize, and disinfect commercial properties. Call us today! Our dispatchers can provide more information about our services and schedule an inspection for services. Our cleaning services can be scheduled recurring and also one-time.

To schedule a consultation for our Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned program, call us at 317-222-5068. We are here to help!

Bring In The SERVPRO Experts

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

A person in full PPE at a Biohazard scene cleanup Leave any size cleanup for the professionals. Our certified technicians can help make it "Like it never even happened."®

For hazmat, trauma, or crime scene cleanup, SERVPRO can help you

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West is a full-service mitigation, restoration, and cleanup company. Did you know that SERVPRO also specializes in crime scene cleanup? Our certified technicians are trained to safely clean and remove biohazardous substances and dispose of them properly. When the fingerprint dust used by law enforcement gets too messy, call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West for help. Our technicians follow OSHA and EPA guidelines and protocol calls to make it, “Like it never even happened.”® Read more to learn about our unique protocol for bio-hazard situations.

  • Ensure, inspect, and evaluate the health and safety of our team and the occupants of the property.
  • Isolate and contain affected areas; establish a decontamination chamber if needed.
  • Remove the uncontaminated chamber, if applicable.
  • Contain and dispose of un-restorable contents.
  • Contain and remove restorable contents.
  • Clean, decontaminate, and possibly seal restorable structural materials
  • Test, evaluate, and confirm cleanliness.
  • Remove all contaminants.

Call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West For Help!

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West can provide cleanup and restoration services for many biohazardous situations, including crime scene dust, suicide/death accidents, chemical spills, animal waste/remains, and hoarding. Biohazard emergencies don’t always happen during the regular work week. 

Faster to Any Size Disaster

At SERVPRO, we are Here to help® 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can expect a quick response time. We are locally owned and operated. We can respond quickly with the appropriate resources, which is critical. A fast response reduces the restoration costs and prevents additional damage.

For crime scene & biohazard cleanup visit:

https://www.SERVPROindianapoliswest.com/biohazard-cleaning 

Kitchen Fire Damage Prevention

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

A picture showing the aftermath of a fire Fire and smoke can have damaging effects on your property. Take these precautions to help prevent kitchen fires.

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West understands the importance of keeping families and loved ones safe. According to the NFPA, “House fire claims over the five years have caused $6.9 billion  in property damage.” SERVPRO of Indianapolis West is dedicated to being a resource in Indianapolis. We want to make sure that our community is taking all the precautions necessary to prevent house fires. The following are tips to avoid fire damage in the kitchen.

Kitchen Fire Damage Safety

  • When cooking food, stay at home and keep an eye on it.
  • Keep children away from the kitchen when you are cooking
  • Avoid food and grease buildup on cooking surfaces
  • Solvents and flammable cleaners should be kept away from hot surfaces.
  • Never store fuel in your home or business.
  • Check that no electric cords from your appliances are hanging from the counters.

Smoke Detectors

  • Replace smoke detectors every six months.
  • Check the status of your smoke alarms.
  • Plan a fire escape strategy for family members including pets.


In the event of fire or smoke damage, please contact SERVPRO of Indianapolis West to help restore your home or property. Our certified technicians focus on helping you restore your home to the pre-fire condition you know and love. If you have any questions about what we do after fire damage or need help recovering from a fire damage incident in Indianapolis, call us at (317) 243-3149.

Where Mold May Grow In Your Home

7/28/2022 (Permalink)

This picture shows heavy mold growth inside a closet. Mold can quickly get out control and spread.

Top Hidden Places Where Mold May Grow In Your Indiana Home

While there are common places where most people find mold, like around showers and tubs, there are many places in a home or business where mold be hidden. These hidden areas can lead to further damage from mold, which is why it’s essential to check them regularly for any signs of moisture or condensation. In no particular order, here are the top places mold can grow in a home.

Crawl Spaces

Most homeowners never look into their crawl spaces, but they might want to. Crawl spaces can easily collect moisture from water seeping through the foundation to moisture rising from the ground. A crawl space should have a vapor barrier on the ground to keep moisture from rising. A crawl space also needs adequate ventilation to allow any water that may collect to flow out. Failure to keep the moisture out from your crawl space can result in mold growth on the exposed framing of your home. The mold can eventually lead to excessive damage to all wood surfaces and make its way into the house.

 Basements

Basements are similar to crawl spaces, but they are open and exposed to the rest of the house and can spread mold quickly throughout your home via the air ducts and open doors. If your basement smells musty, then you either have mold growth already happening or a high possibility of it occurring. Since many basements are furnished and carpeted, more areas in a basement are perceptible to mold growth compared to a crawl space.

Bathrooms

A good ventilation fan is vital in a bathroom for odor and moisture issues. This is especially true with bathrooms where there are showers in them. While everybody loves a hot shower, a hot shower also creates a large amount of moisture that can lead to mold growth. Another area where mold may grow is behind toilets and under sinks with cabinets. Moisture can condensate on the toilet tank and wall, causing mold to form on the wall.

Under the Refrigerator

Some refrigerators have drip pans where water can collect. If dust or debris gets into the drip pan, mold can start to grow. Water can also leak from the water line or drip from the cooling coils. It’s a good idea to check every few months and keep it clean by sweeping and vacuuming regularly.

Around the Washing Machine

The washing machine and the dryer are both susceptible to mold growth. If the dryer vent hose does not properly vent out the steam from the drying clothes, it can accumulate in the hose or around the back of the dryer, causing mold to grow. Washing machines can also leak and drip down under the machine where dust can gather, creating the perfect home for mold growth. Just like the refrigerator, cleaning the areas and checking underneath them often is essential.

Top Ways to Reduce Mold Growth In Your Home

So now that you know where mold growth can happen, how can you reduce the likelihood of mold growing in your home? First, as stated above, cleaning your house of dust is essential by regularly sweeping and vacuuming. While dust doesn’t necessarily cause mold to grow, dust and moisture can.

The most important thing to reduce mold growth from happening in your home is to control and eliminate any moisture problems in your home. Check for leaks and condensation around sinks, appliances, and air conditioning units. If you have a musty basement, ensure that your sump pump operates correctly. You may also want to consider a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture in the air. If you have water seeping in from the basement walls or crawl space foundation, you’ll want to look at the drainage around your home.

Mold Remediation in Indianapolis, Indiana

If you should experience mold growth and damage to your Indianapolis-area home or business, call the mold remediation professionals at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West at 317-243-3149. The professionals at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West have the specialized equipment, professional training, and certifications to treat and remediate mold in your home or business quickly.

SERVPRO -Water Damage Professionals in Indianapolis

7/28/2022 (Permalink)

This picture shows two SERVPRO technichans ready to work stepping out of the service vehicle. SERVPRO is always ready to help. 24/7/365

Water Damage Restoration Professionals

If you are looking for professionals with the knowledge and expertise to restore your home or business after a water damage, then call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West.

The water damage restoration professionals of SERVPRO of Indianapolis West service businesses and homes that have suffered water damage around the Indianapolis area, including Plainfield, Greenfield, Avon, Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, and beyond.

If you've had a pipe burst, leaky roof, toilet, or tub overflowing, call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West to clean up the mess and restore your home as if nothing ever happened.

When to Call Water Damage Restoration Professionals

Water damage to an Indianapolis-area business or home can be caused in many ways. Heavy storms can reveal roof leaks and foundation cracks that let the water inside. During winter, pipes exposed to cold temperatures can freeze and burst.

Toilets, sinks, dishwashers, and clothes washers can slowly leak behind walls, under floors, and inside cabinets. Sewers can back up into basements and through the drains on lower levels of homes.

As you can see, water can get into your home and damage it in many ways. So, while one may think drinking water or rainwater isn't as damaging as sewer water or black water, that's not the case.

Will Clean Water Damage My Home?

While sewer water or blackwater, as defined, can quickly lead to mold growth in a home, clean water can also lead to dangerous mold growth. Blackwater contains lots of dirty bacteria that can quickly promote mold growth by itself.

Clean water can cause mold spores that are naturally present in the air, and dust can also lead to mold growth. The dangers in clean water leading to mold growth are that clean water can quickly go unseen in a home due to the lack of odor compared to black water.

Rainwater can leak into a home's attic, walls, or crawl spaces and linger without being spotted. This water can lead to mold spores activating and growing in these unseen areas. It's not until the mold spreads to visible parts of the home or causes a musty odor that it is finally found. Unfortunately, by that time, the damage caused by the mold can be pretty extensive.

Look for the Signs of Water Damage and Call the Experts Right Away

Whenever it rains, it's always a good idea to check around your home for any leaks. Check the external walls, ceilings, and windows. If you have a basement or crawlspace, check it for any water entering your home. Always check around sinks, tubs, showers, and washers for sitting water or even the smallest of leaks. It doesn't take much water to cause damage to a home.

The quicker you spot a leak or water in your home, the faster you can call the water damage restoration experts at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West to stop the damage and restore your home.  

SERVPRO of Indianapolis West has the experience, expertise, and tools to properly and effectively remove the water and mold damage and restore your home "Like it never even happened." Call SERVPRO of Indianapolis West today at 317-243-3149.

How to prepare for a storm or flood type event close to your home.

1/28/2022 (Permalink)

Water Damage SERVPRO of Indianapolis West
  • Prepare a few emergency kits
  • Prepare a household flood plan
  • Keep a list of emergency telephone numbers
  • Check your insurance policy to see if you are covered for flood damage

If flooding is predicted, make your safety a priority and if you have time try to prepare your property:

  • Secure hazardous items
  • Roll up rugs, move furniture, electrical items and valuables to a higher level
  • Place important personal documents, valuables and vital medical supplies into a waterproof case in an accessible location
  • If you are relocating, take your pets with you if it is safe to do so. If not provide adequate food and water and move them to a safer place

If rising waters threaten your home and you decide to move to a safer location, tell the police, your nearest State Emergency Service (SES) unit or your neighbors of your plans to move.

Relocating to safer ground:

  • Monitor your local radio for warnings and advice
  • Pack warm clothing, essential medication, valuables and personal papers in waterproof bags along with your emergency kits.
  • Raise furniture, clothing and valuables onto beds, tables and into roof space place
  • Empty freezers and refrigerators, leaving doors open to avoid damage or loss if they float.
  • Turn off power, water and gas and take your mobile phone
  • Whether you leave or stay, put sandbags in the toilet bowl and over all laundry/bathroom drain holes to prevent sewage backflow
  • Lock your home and take recommended relocation routes for your area
  • Do not drive into water of unknown depth and current

Too late to leave?

  • Monitor your local radio for warnings
  • Get to higher ground
  • Switch off electricity and gas supplies to your home
  • Prepare to move vehicles, outdoor equipment, garbage, chemical and poisons to higher locations
  • Prepare for the wellbeing of pets
  • Raise furniture above likely flood levels
  • Check your emergency kits
  • Do not allow children to play in or near floodwaters
  • Avoid entering floodwaters,. if you must do so, wear solid shoes and check depth and current with a stick
  • Stay away from drains, culverts and water over knee deep.
  • Do not use gas or electrical appliances that have been in floodwater until checked for safety
  • Do not eat food that has been in floodwaters

If you need help putting any of this together or still have questions about how to prepare for a storm or flood, call us at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West for additional help.

How to Prepare for Emergencies with a Plan

1/28/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Trucks Winter SERVPRO of Indianapolis West

Most commercial buildings are required to provide an emergency exit strategy for their people incase an unfortunate accident were to occur. Some buildings are also required to have a contingency plan to protect the building itself, but not all properties will have this in place.

Our team here at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West will provide this service to business owners in need of a water and fire preparedness plan. As restoration professionals, we have the experience and trained crew members required to show you necessary steps to limit potential damage that can occur from a water, fire, or storm like scenario.

Being a step ahead and knowing how to shut off a utility, fix a sprinkler issue, or set containment, can make the difference between shutting your doors and being able to open your business again. Every moment counts as disasters rarely happen during business hours.

During this process, a team member will document all necessary details as we walk your building with you. Important items to address will be the preferred initial point of contact, pinpointing your main utility shutoffs, locating any and all hazardous materials, documenting preferred parking and access for our team once we arrive, and priority or essential equipment that needs to be protected.

Our goal here is to provide you with a simple and easy to access plan for your team so they can react appropriately in these situations with little effort and a nominal amount of time. Knowing what to do and who to call can save you a considerable amount of money, prevent secondary damage and limit the amount of business time lost due to repairing and replacing damaged items within your facility.

Whether you have a team in place, or we are the ones to arrive onsite first, our technicians will be fully aware of the shut-off locations and can address this ourselves. Preparing this plan ahead of time will always provide quicker and more efficient results.

Feel free to reach out to our office for further information, do not feel this is something you need to explore on your own, our team is always here to help.