Recent Posts

Water Heater Safety

6/17/2019 (Permalink)

Hot water can scald you in just a few seconds. The safest hot water heater temperatures are 120 degrees or lower. Clutter creates a fire risk. Move items at least 18 inches away from your water heater. Test the safety valve and run hot water through the drain valve once a year. Check your owner's manual for complete maintenance instructions and how to guides. If you can't find your manual? Try http://www.manualsonline.com/ There you can search for a manual or upload yours. 

Whether it's your water heater or your smoke alarm it's always good to keep those items up to date and check on them occasionally. You never know when something unexpected will happen to your home or business. We want to make sure they your safety is first! 

Mold Due To Flooding

6/14/2019 (Permalink)

If your home has water damage due to:

• flooding

• sewage back-up from flooding in the area

• plumbing or roof leaks

• damp basement or crawl space

• overflows from sinks or bathtub

• high humidity: steam cooking, dryer vents, humidifiers

mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem.

In the case of a storm or event in our area it's best to go ahead and call us ahead of time to get in a list so we have you and your information in our system. With events and an influx of jobs we have other franchises that help make sure all of our customers are taken care of. 

Stay Safe Outdoors After A Hurricane

6/14/2019 (Permalink)

Keep away from floodwater

  • Always follow warnings about flooded roads.
  • Don’t drive through floodwater– it may be deeper than you think.
  • If you have to be in or near floodwater, wear a life jacket — especially if the water is rising.
  • Keep in mind that floodwater often carries germs. If you touch it, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. If you don’t have soap or water, use alcohol-based wipes or sanitizer.

Stay away from power lines and dangerous materials

  • Stay clear of fallen power lines. Call the electric company to report them.
  • Watch out for power lines overhead.

Protect yourself from animals and pests

  • Floods can bring mosquitoes that carry disease. Use insect repellent (bug spray) with DEET or Picaridin. Wear long sleeves, pants, and socks when you’re outside. 
  • Stay away from wild or stray animals after a storm. Call 911 or your public health department to report them.
  • If you see a dead animal, report it to local officials.

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/be-safe-after.html

When Flooding Occurs In Your Area!

6/13/2019 (Permalink)

Here are some other tips to stay high and dry:

  • Know your proximity to rivers, streams and dams
  • During heavy rain, avoid underpasses, underground parking garages and basements
  • Avoid hiking or camping if thunderstorms are predicted
  • Develop an evacuation plan for your family
  • Don't walk in water above your ankles; you can be swept off your feet in as little as 6 inches of rushing water
  • Turn off the electricity and other utilities

Flooding can happen in the blink of an eye and we want to make sure you are prepared in case of this type of emergency! If anything happens to your home or business, we want to be the first person you call. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! 

Hurricane Preparedness

6/13/2019 (Permalink)

  • Board up windows and secure loose items like patio furniture
  • Know where to go in the event of an evacuation and how to get there; establish an assembly point for family members to meet if separated, and choose one person everyone can contact with their whereabouts and status
  • Take shelter in a sturdy building; avoid isolated sheds or other small structures, open areas, hilltops, the beach or boats
  • If you are driving in heavy rain, try to safely exit the road, stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers
  • Never drive into flooded areas; if flood waters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground
  • Contact your local emergency management agency for information
  • Avoid contact with electrical equipment, cords, metal and water
  • Listen for warning sirens, stay away from windows and exterior doors, and seek shelter in a bathroom or basement
  • Stay indoors until authorities tell you it's safe to go outside

https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/emergency-preparedness/hurricane

Why SERVPRO?

6/5/2019 (Permalink)

There are plenty of water & fire damage restoration companies out there. So why should you call SERVPRO?

Certified With High Standards:

SERVPRO is known for having high standards in the industry and that is why all SERVPRO franchises are IICRC certified. The IICRC is the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Setting the standard for restoration and cleaning business the IICRC is a private organization recognized by the state and federal government for its standards and certifications in the inspection, cleaning, restoration, and installation industries. Much in the same way that every home must meet the building codes set by the state the IICRC is the organization that establishes the code amongst competitive restoration and cleaning businesses. Although it's not required for a restoration business to operate, SERVPRO has chosen this to be the standard to make sure that you are getting the highest quality service.

Veterans in the Industry:

SERVPRO not only has high standards, but we also have decades of experience in our field. Founded in 1967 by Ted and Doris Isaacson, they started franchising the cleaning and restoration company only two years later. Moving their headquarters to Tennessee in 1988 it wasn’t but three years before they won the Small Business of the Year award from the Nashville Business Journal in 1991. A few years later, in 2000 SERVPRO celebrated their 1,000th franchise, and had established the high standard that defines the companies philosophy through today. A continually growing business SERVPRO has led the industry in the cleaning and restoration business and continues to do so.

People Oriented:

Beyond having experience, and being well vetted we are people oriented and put our customers first. We provide 24-hour emergency response so that regardless of the time or location we can minimize the water or fire damage in your home as fast as possible and make sure you get back on your feet quickly. Having seen the worst, we know how stressful water or fire damage situations can get and we are there to minimize that stress as much as possible. We’ve seen it before and we know how to make sure you feel.

Being well certified, trendsetters in the industry, and people focused, we believe there’s no one better for the job, and if you discover water, fire, or mold damage in your home we would love to be the ones to help.

Storm Proof Your Home!

6/4/2019 (Permalink)

Anyone who lives in a hurricane-prone area would do well to protect their property in advance of a flood. Because hurricanes often cause their damage when trees fall on property, homeowners can reduce the risk of damage by trimming trees or removing damaged trees and limbs.

Another easy step is to make sure rain gutters are fixed in place and free of debris. Reinforcing the roof, doors and windows, including a garage door, is also important.

Power generators can also be an important tool if the power is cut off for long periods of time. A power generator needs to be kept outside, as they produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

People who are very serious about prevention may even consider building a "safe room" — a fortified room designed to withstand the punishing winds of a tornado or hurricane.

If you happen to have any water damage from flooding this hurricane season, give us a call. We are happy to help you in your time of need! 

We're Moving!

6/3/2019 (Permalink)

With new ownership comes lots of new changes and adjustments, one of those being a new location for our home office. While the old location inside the storage facility met our needs just fine, Mr. Teeters was looking to upgrade the facilities and looked around a bit. It wasn’t long before he discovered the new business park near downtown Alexander City.

The Lake Martin Innovation Center

Alexander City had just opened up its very own business park called the Lake Martin Innovation Center off Highway 280, and we were given the wonderful opportunity to move into one of their open lots. We currently share the space with several other local businesses in town, as well as with Alexander City’s own Chamber of Commerce. Jacob Meecham, Vice President of business development of the chamber, gave us a warm welcome into our new space and has been a wonderful host since we have arrived.

Our New Workspace

The innovation center itself has several amenities that specifically meet our needs. The lot we are renting offers a front office, a small warehouse, and back-dock with a ramp. This lot provides us the space we will need to store and load up our equipment with ease, and efficiency, as well as the ability to store contents from our customers in a controlled environment.

As far as our needs go right now this office has all the amenities we’re looking for and boasts a community of fellow business owners to go with it. It’s likely that this place will be our new home for the foreseeable future and until we grow out of it, it doesn’t look like we will be moving anytime soon.

SERVPRO of CCTC is Coming Under New Ownership!

6/1/2019 (Permalink)

The SERVPRO of Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa & Chambers is coming into new ownership! After three years of service, Mr. Rusty Baker has decided to sell the franchise, and Chris and Dawn Teeters will be the new owners as of April 2018.

Southern Roots

Chris and Dawn are long-time residents of Birmingham Alabama and currently live in Chelsea. Although they have moved around from time to time, both Chris and Dawn have family roots in Birmingham. Chris Teeters, having worked for SERVPRO of Birmingham for a little over seven years and decided to try his hand at running his own franchise. Familiar with the ins-and-outs of the business when Baker decided he was going to sell, Teeters couldn’t pass up the opportunity and threw his hat into the ring. After getting approved Teeters went through the rigorous SERVPRO Ownership Training process, and will take over as operator April 28th, 2018.

Strong Character

Chris and Dawn have two sons named Jacob and Caleb both twenty-one, and twenty-three. One working out west at a ranch in Colorado and the other working at a local coffee shop in Birmingham. Chris and Dawn both have a heart for taking care of people, and are looking forward to having the opportunity to serve the Alexander City Community through their new business.

If you want to meet them in person feel free to swing on by the office and say hello. Their new location will be in the Alexander City Lake Martin Innovation Center off highway 280 and Cherokee Road.

Worried About a Flooded Basement?

5/31/2019 (Permalink)

Although flooding most often occurs during heavy rainfall, a basement can flood at any time. Basements are inherently prone to flooding because they are the lowest level of a building and are normally built partly or entirely below ground level. There are a number of reasons why your basement could flood, the most common include:

  • A blocked or failed sewer lateral pipe
  • Heavy rain causing surface water to pool around your home
  • Storm sewer backup
  • Foundation drainage failure
  • Water supply-line break or hot-water tank failure

A flooded basement can jeopardize your health, safety, and your home’s integrity. It’s worth making a call to SERVPRO of Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa & Chambers Counties and let our trained, professional crews handle the situation correctly and safely. We have earned the trust of hundreds of homeowners, business owners, and property professionals.

We are the Flooded Basement Specialists:

  • We are Available 24 hours/7 days per week
  • We Bill The Insurance Directly – One Less Thing For You To Worry About
  • Our Technicians are Highly-Trained in Water Restoration Techniques
  • We use s500 IICRC Restoration Standards
  • Advanced Inspection and Extraction Equipment

Flooded Basement? Call Us Today – We’re Ready To Help