Keep Your Landscape Lush

12/5/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

Keeping your landscape maintained and lush can save your home from a fire. When your landscape has dried out and is deprived of water it is an easy target for it to catch on fire. A dried-out landscape can cause indescribable damage from just a small spark. Not only would your house look nicer with a lush landscape, but it can save you a lot in damage. The water in the grass makes it much harder for healthy grass to catch on fire. If you are looking for a new hobby or project that can increase the worth of your home consider fixing up your landscape. Working with nature can be relaxing and fun for you and your family to work on together. Although it will take time and money to maintain a beautiful lush landscape, the benefits you will get from it are priceless. 

Fire Clean Up

9/15/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

The potent smell of fire is almost impossible to remove with typical cleaning products. This is not an easy DIY.  Here at SERVPRO of Mar Vista, we have cleaning products and equipment that will take the smell out of almost all affected materials. 

Cleaning up a fire job is not impossible if you have the right team. SERVPRO of Mar Vista practices these 3 steps in all fire clean-up jobs to ensure the job is done perfectly. 

Step 1: Do a heavy wipe-down of the structure that will remove the soot and a majority of the odor. We will perform a heavy carpet cleaning to ensure that the carpet does not hold any odor. 

Step 2: Clean all salvageable contents with our special products. Not all contents can be salvageable after a fire. However, a heavy wipe-down can save most of the non-pores materials. 

Step 3: The last step would be to remove any odor that may still be present. Here at SERVPRO of Mar Vista, we have equipment that will decrease the odor significantly and make it "Like it never even happened." 

How to Prevent Dryer Fires

9/15/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

Did you know that according to the U.S Fire Administration 2,900 home dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss? The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is a failure to clean them which causes lint to accumulate and cause a fire. Home fires happen more often during the fall and winter seasons. Here are some ways to avoid fires within your home:

• Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes.
• Clean the dryer vent at least once a month to avoid lint accumulation.
• Use metal dryer ducts to help prevent dryer fires.
• No matter the kind of duct is installed in your dryer, make sure to regularly clean it.
• Occasionally wipe the sensor with a rag or cotton ball.

Exhaust Fan Tips!

9/15/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

It is known that mold found in a bathroom, can at times be caused by poor ventilation. Taking consistent hot showers can cause damped walls. To avoid the growth of mold in the bathroom you want to be sure to properly let it air out after a shower. In this case, some bathrooms do not always have windows. This is where an exhaust fan comes in handy. It helps prevent steamed-up mirrors and of course damped walls. The exhaust fan does its part to prevent mold, although, it can also present a potential fire hazard if not cleaned and maintained on a regular basis. In some cases, an exhaust fan is thermally protected, allowing it to shut off when it begins to overheat. With precautious measures, you should still clean your exhaust fan twice a year. With the buildup of lint, the motor of the fan can overheat and ignite the lint itself, the plastic blades, or any wooden structure surrounding the fan. Below are a few tips to help with the prevention of an overheating exhaust fan.

• Clean all bathroom exhaust fans twice a year.
• Clean the exhaust fan by removing the fan cover and removing the lint from around the motor and all airflow areas.
• Wash the cover in warm soaped water to remove lint. If there is any visible mold, you can add some bleach to the cleaning mixture. The cover must be completely dry before putting it back up.
• If not easily accessible, or happen to have evidence of heat damage, the exhaust fan should be replaced with thermally protected units.
• At times, people forget they are running and leave them on. Exhaust fans should only be used for brief periods of time. The best time to have it on would be during a shower. Turn off all fans once the shower has been completed.

SERVPRO of Mar Vista has recently helped with an unfortunate fire and water loss caused by the exhaust fan. The exhaust fan had gotten stuck and lit a fuse in the wiring causing a slight fire, which then triggered the water sprinkler system. The customer was very worried and concerned about her home and getting someone out there as soon as possible. We made sure to take great care of our customers. We insured them that we were here to help and take the matter into our own hands. With any emergency situation, SERVPRO of Mar Vista will be ready 24/7, 365. Our friendly team will be here, ready to assist you when needed. Give us a call at (310) 822-7800.

What to Do During a Fire

8/30/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

Fires happen daily throughout the country and unfortunately, not a lot of people have plans or proper escape plans. Here is a proper safety plan during a fire.

• Crawl low under any smoke to your exit. Heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along with the ceiling.
• When the smoke alarm sounds, start moving to the nearest exit.
• If the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke, you will need a second way out. A second route might be a window onto a roof or a ladder for escape from upper-story windows.
• If there is smoke blocking your door or the first way out, use your second way out.
• Before opening a door feel the doorknob and door.
• If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll, stop immediately, drop to the ground, and cover your face with your hands. Roll over or back and forth until the fire is out. If you or someone else cannot stop, drop, and roll, use a blanket or towel and try to lower the flames. Use cool water to treat the burn for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and get medical help right away by calling 911 or the fire department.

Fire Facts

2/18/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Mar Vista fire clean up. Call today at (310) 822-7800

The National Fire Association has collected the data from the years 2011-2015 in order to make the following conclusions.

- Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing 47% of home fires that resulted in 20% of the home fire deaths and 45% of the injuries.

- Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.

- Clothing is the item first ignited in less than 1% of these fires, but clothing ignitions lead to 18% of the home cooking equipment fire deaths.

- Ranges or cooktops account for the majority (62%) of home cooking fire incidents.

- Unattended equipment is a factor in one-third (33%) of reported home cooking fires and a half (43%) of the associated deaths.

- Frying dominates the cooking fire problem.

- Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.