Recent Why SERVPRO Posts

How does SERVPRO Estimate?

3/24/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Chambersburg uses the industry estimating software for the insurance industry known as Xactimate. The price list is updated monthly to ensure the most current and fair pricing is provided. The items are entered in an itemized list per room for the required work to complete the services. Most items are billed in square feet or linear feet for items like removing wet drywall. The software is the same software that the majority of the insurance companies use to ensure no overages in billing.

When an insurance company is paying for the services SERVPRO follows that insurance company’s billing requirement. The customer and the insurance receive a copy of the itemized billed services along with the supporting documents and photos. Most insurance companies issue the payment of services to the customer address where the customer then can endorse the payment to pay for the completed work invoices.

How do the reconstruction/restoration repairs estimates compare? Most customers are under an assumption to go get 3 estimates to send the insurance for getting a payout of the repairs. However, this is not the best practice. Customers will consume a lot of time and have difficulty in verifying the different contractors/vendors are offering all the same services. Therefor by using the Xactimate software will use the fair pricing of wages for the skill listed. For example, to install sand and finish drywall is a different labor rate than a roofer. Xactimate takes into consideration what each skill level is required per task. If a customer were to hire a custom home builder for $100/hour to hang insulation that may be hiring an overqualified person to do that job and labor rates would not be fair.

SERVPRO of Chambersburg is able to help keep your project on track from start to finish by trusting them to provide a fair and good services estimate/cost.

Renter's Insurance? Do you Need it.

6/21/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know you need renters insurance to covered your personal property in the event of a home disaster. Regardless of how the damage occurred your landlord's policy will only cover the structure such as the walls, floor, cabinets not the items you moved in with. Contact a local insurance company to get a quote for your policy. We often recommended at least $50,000 in personal property for the average renter.

Learn More

How can SERVPRO Help if I'm Drying my own Water Damage?

12/5/2021 (Permalink)

Sometimes customers avoid opening an insurance claim and perform their own drying services. However, they are often under qualified and have a lack of professional equipment to dry it properly. When a customer wants to do most of the work themselves, we understand that and can help them to their goal. The options could include having a moisture assessment performed by the SERVPRO team using the high-tech moisture meters to determine what has been affected, what materials the customer should remove and possible provide equipment for the remaining of the drying.

These moisture checks may have a service call fee for the consultation, but this would be discussed prior to the appointment being booked. If you choose to have SERVPRO provide equipment they would set it up for optimal performance and ensure its properly distributed for power needs.

Failure to have the correct amount of equipment to dry the area with air movers and dehumidifiers could cause risk for potential issue such as mold. Preventing mold to develop steps include removing unsalvageable wet material asap, setting up air mover and dehumidifier to stabilize humidity and temperature.  At the end of the drying process from either your own DIY drying or professional its best to have a second moisture assessment to validated everything has dried fully. When customers hire SERVPRO for the full process, it would include daily moisture checks and equipment monitoring.

Each customer’s home is different with different needs for an individual service experience.  At SERVPRO of Chambersburg we are here to help from filling in the gaps of their drying needs or fully performing all the drying services. From a big job to a small job, we are happy to help meet your needs. If you experience water damage call SERVPRO of Chambersburg today to discuss what your needs are for a service appointment to be established with our highly trained staff. Our office team is highly trained to help answer your questions and provide solutions to your problems.

How can SERVPRO work with my Insurance?

12/5/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Chambersburg is established and trusted with 50+ insurance companies and being a preferred vendor for many. When a customer has a claim there is policies and standards to meet as a service provider. Many of the insurance companies set the expectations in writing with our headquarters and electronic audits to ensure accuracy for performing the billing and job site procedures. The industry standard for preforming services is outlined by the IICRC. From that the insurance can put additional expectation of if for example, if the cabinet of a sink is damaged by water it would require documentation of all sides with immediate notification for adjuster prior to removing. If a provider preforms these services without understanding the expectation of that insurance company, they could risk being compensated for work completed without proper documentation.

When you hire “Joes handmade Service” for your water damage they may be able to get it dry but they removed $2,000 worth of building material that could have been save by a professional remediation company or have proper justification of damage for removal the homeowner may not be compensated for that loss.

A quality restoration company should be in contact with your insurance company threw out the process, direct billing the insurance with programs such as Xactimate, have an understanding of their rules, and be IICRC trained technicians.

Spring Cleaning!

4/6/2021 (Permalink)

Amazing results from carpet cleaning Our technicians did a wonderful job on this carpet cleaning!

Spring Cleaning! 

Spring has finally arrived after a harsh winter of snow storm after snow storm. Now is the time majority of homeowners begin their spring cleaning. Did you know that SERVPRO of Chambersburg offers cleaning services as well as carpet cleaning? Check out the photo above to see the difference our technicians made in a customers carpet. 

Tough Spots Homeowners May Miss

  • Behind the refrigerator 
  • Behind the stove 
  • Behind washer and dryers 
  • Baseboards
  • Carpets
  • Upholstery Items 

Items To Replace 

  • Check your HVAC filters to see if they need changed. 
  • Ensure your smoke detectors are working properly and swap out batteries if need be

SERVPRO of Chambersburg not only offers cleaning services, as well as carpet cleaning, but we also offer upholstery cleaning. Allow us to deep clean your upholstery furniture to leave your home feeling refreshed. Call us at 717-261-0310 for prices. 

Smoking in your home

4/1/2021 (Permalink)

Damage from smoking in a home After a few years of smoking in this home you can see how the smoke damaged the walls.

Why it is important to smoke outside.

As you can see in the photo this homes walls were severely damaged from years of smoking cigarettes inside. The home was not only physically damaged from the constant smoking but it also developed an odor over the years. 

How to clean it up?

  • Clean the structure. 
    • A lot of times cleaning alone will not bring back the preloss look of the home that is affected from cigarette smoke. Cleaning is the first step in getting the structure back to preloss condition. 
  • Odor treatment. 
    • After the home is thoroughly cleaned we highly recommend that the home goes through an odor treatment to help with any lingering odors. SERVPRO Of Chambersburg offers an Ozone treatment that has been very successful in the past. 
  • Paint 
    • After the home is cleaned and ozoned, the house still may not look like preloss condition. The home may need an extra step and painting may need to be completed. Remember if the walls are not cleaned first the paint will not stick and you will be back to square one. 

SERVPRO OF CHAMBERSBURG is capable of handling each one of these steps for anyone whose home was damaged from cigarettes. Our highly trained team is capable of the intense cleaning that is needed as well as performing the odor treatment. As for the painting we work along side reputable subcontractors that get the job done well and fast. This allows the homeowner to not stress over hiring multiple companies and scheduling services we handle everything from start to finish if that is what you wish. We also offer even just one of the three steps that we recommend. 

COVID Clean Up!

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Here at SERVPRO Of Chambersburg we are proud and excited to introduce our new cleaning program. The Certified Clean goes beyond just a basic cleaning and carpet cleaning, our certified clean program focuses on cleaning high touched areas to minimize the spread of COVID-19. We can create a plan that works best for your business. We offer a on time cleaning, as well as weekly, biweekly, and monthly cleans to ensure your business is properly sanitized. This not only gives your employees a piece of mind when attending work but it also rest assures your customers that your business is being sanitized throughout the pandemic.  

We also do offer a confirmed covid-19 case clean up which includes fogging the contaminated area as well as the cleaning all the high touched areas such as door knobs, desks, light switched, printers, counter tops, keyboards and other items that may be touched many times throughout the work day. We treat confirmed cases as an emergency service to ensure your business can continue to operate as quickly as possible. 

We can address your mold!

2/10/2021 (Permalink)

Mold growth on ceiling tiles Mold can damage many items throughout a home and the longer it goes untreated the worse it can get and the more it can spread.

If you suspect your home may have a mold problem your first step should be to contact a professional. The more you know about mold and how to address the problem as well as the potential to impact your health, the better. 

Why SERVPRO? Here at SERVPRO of CHAMBERSBURG we have highly experienced technicians that have completed many mold jobs over the last few years. Most of the time we are able to find the mold right away and pin point exactly what has led to the mold problem. Here are some common issues that lead to mold growth.

  • Lack of dehumidification. 
  • Water intrusion that was not cleaned up correctly.
  • Unknown slowly leaking pipes. 
  • Lack of vapor barriers in crawlspaces. 
  • Clogged gutters allow water into basements.
  • Grading issues along the home. 
  • Foundation issues allow water in.

Some common areas mold grows.

  • Drywall
  • Wood framing and joists
  • Wood paneling 
  • Soft goods such as furniture as well as carpet

If you suspect you may have mold and would like an estimate to take care of the mold call our offices at 717-261-0310. 

Notice Mold?

6/22/2020 (Permalink)

Severe Mold Severe mold damage that was left alone for to long.

Mold

If you suspect that you may have mold do not disturb it or try to clean it up. Disturbing the mold could cause the mold to release microscopic mold spores that could spread throughout your entire home. 

What to do?

  • Stay out of the affected areas of your home.
  • Call SERVPRO OF CHAMBERSBURG for mold remediation. 
  • Turn off any fans that may be running in the affected areas. 
  • Purchase a dehumidifier to run if the mold is due to a moisture issue such as a damp basement. 

What not to do?

  • Do not clean it up yourself. 
  • Do not use bleach or any other product on the mold.
  • Do not try to cut out the affected area, this could result in you spreading mold throughout your home. 
  • Do not try to dry out your home yourself. 

24/7 - 365 We'll Be There!

6/22/2020 (Permalink)

Office Affected by Water A sprinkler system flooded this office building, leaving them no choice but to call SERVPRO.

4 AM or 4PM : We On Our Way

SERVPRO OF CHAMBERSBURG provides a 24-hour emergency service and prides our self on being faster than anyone to any sized disaster. No matter how big or small SERVPRO can handle it. We can respond immediately to evaluate your loss. 

Residential Or Commercial 

Whether your loss is to your home or your business; our highly trained team can help. 

Residential

Our highly trained team will work vigorously to ensure your home is returned to preloss condition. We operate an on-call schedule so our technicians can arrive at 4 AM or 4 PM to assist you with your loss and begin the restoration. 

Commercial 

There is never a good time to experience water or fire damage, especially if you happens to your business. Every day that our team spends restoring your business is another day of lost revenue for you and we at SERVPRO understand that and is why we have our highly trained technicians and resources to get your business back to work quickly! 

Questions? Call us at 717-261-0310

Because We Help

6/19/2020 (Permalink)

equipment in a home Air equpiment set up to dry out a basement that fell victim to water damage.

Here at SERVPRO we can help you through your loss and help you navigate through the insurance process. We can help with determining if your loss is covered by communicating with the insurance company and or adjuster. We document everything the insurance companies expect and work directly with homeowners adjusters to make sure the losses are being addressed correctly. Throughout the entire loss our team is always in contact with the insurance compnay to keep them updated so that the homeowner has one less thing to worry about . From beginning to end we keep everyone informed and in the loop to ensure everything goes smoothly for all parties involved. A loss whether it is fire, mold or water is a big deal and we at SERVPRO want to make the process as easy as we can for our customers. 

"Like it never even happened."

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Living Room After Repairs After a fire loss this homeowner hired us for the rebuilding phase.

Here at SERVPRO we take pride in returing your home back to its preloss condition. Water damages, fire damages, and mold whatever the damage we are up for the task. We go the extra mile and find every detail to ensure our homeowners are happy at the end of their loss. Our before and after photos speak for themselves. A lot of our customers have even made comments that our end results look better than it did before. Whatever the damages may be we will go above and beyond to ensure the home is returned to how it was. Call us at our local office if you experience any damages so we at SERVPRO can make it " Like it never even happened."

Your One Stop Shop, SERVPRO

4/28/2020 (Permalink)

After a kitchen fire, the end result The final result of a fire damage SERVPRO did beginning until end.

Here at SERVPRO we can handle your loss from beginning until end. Whether it be water damage or fire, our team can clean your affected contents, remove the damaged materials, and coordinate repairs leaving your home "Like it never even happened." From the beginning our first steps in most losses is to remove the contents, if they are affected our team members will clean them back to preloss condition. After the contents are removed we will work on the structure, inspecting what is wet and what is not. Depending on the types of materials we will remove what is not salvageable and leave what can remain to dry. That's when our air equipment will come in and do their job to dry out the structure, if it is a fire claim we will remove the affected materials. After the structure is completely demoed and dry we will coordinate the repairs from start to finish including electric, plumbing, floors, drywall so we can make the repair process less of a headache for you. 

SERVPRO of Chambersburg is a proud member of Chambersburg Chamber

3/12/2020 (Permalink)

A group of people in a hotel lobby. The 2020 Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Group. Brittany is the front row second from the left in the white shirt.

SERVPRO of Chambersburg is highly involved in the community that we serve. One of the areas of engagement is being an active member of the Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce since the business stated in 2010. The Chamber of Commerce is an organization where business members come together to form relationship and build trust to use one another for services. SERVPRO of Chambersburg has preformed services for the Chamber of Commerce building in downtown Chambersburg along with many of the members for the water, fire, mold and cleaning services.

SERVPRO of Chambersburg has hosted Mixers where the SERVPRO storm trailer was displayed to hosting lunch and learns to educate the community in disaster prevention. Also, General Manager Brittany has been a leader in the Ambassador committed for over 7 years including other seasonal committees. The role of being in the Ambassador committee is to be a mentor for new members and connect people with other in events and increase the Chambersburg engagements.

Why SERVPRO is the only name you need to remember for disaster restoration services to residential or commercial property as a one stop shop big or sm

3/6/2020 (Permalink)

A SERVPRO van from the rear. SERVPRO is ready to help!

SERVPRO was founded by Ted and Doris Isaacson in 1967 and franchising since 1969, the number of locations has risen steadily in recent years, coming to a current total of 1,715+, of which none are company-owned and 17 are located outside the US.

 The placement of the franchises allow the teams to quickly respond to various services calls from the busted hot water heater to the hurricane that impacts several states. The franchise system also provides unlimited amounts of resources of equipment and trained professionals to truly handle any size of disaster.

 The SERVPRO Commercial Large Loss Division:

The SERVPRO Commercial Large Loss Division is composed of our best of the best in restoration. When a 1 million dollar water damage occurs througout a hospital for example the local SERVPRO office will be able to have to right qualified assistance managing a large loss from a team with proven results and experience.Our elite large-loss specialists are prequalified and strategically positioned throughout the United States to handle any size disaster.Every large loss is supervised by a commercial operations manager to help ensure seamless communication and timely mitigation.

Catastrophic Storm and Major Event Response

The SERVPRO Disaster Recovery Team can provide help whether you're dealing with a tornado, hurricane, blizzard or flood. With the ability to mobilize local command centers, along with the resources of more than 1,700 Franchises nationwide, no disaster is too big. Recent mobilizations of the Catastrophic Storm Response Teams include:

2017 California wildfires

2017 Hurricane Irma

2017 Hurricane Harvey

2016 Hurricane Matthew

2015 Carolina floods

2014 Polar Vortex

2012 Sandy

2010 Nashville floods

2008 Ike

2007 Chicago floods

2007 Ohio floods

2007 California wildfires

2005 Katrina/Wilma/Rita

No Job is too Big for SERVPRO

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

When choosing a company to provide you service it's best to choose someone who can adapt to any size of job you may have in the future. The SERVPRO system is a franchise system that has a variety of different level of operators with a variety of experts. From a residential hot water heater to a local area middle school fire SERVPRO can be the one brand you know you can call on. 

The SERVPRO Extreme Team is a traveling group who will relocate to a disaster area to perform work on a huge commercial job. This is where the large trailers come into the location with a strong management team who can oversee the work of hundreds of employees to clean every inch of a school fire in a short period of time. They specialized in commercial projects that exceed $500,000.

Why Realtors Should Choose SERVPRO

5/3/2019 (Permalink)

For sale, use SERVPRO to help close that deal.

In today's real estate market, you can have an edge with a reputation for having quality listings whether it be a commercial or residential listing. You also want the ability to move a sale through quickly to get your commission.  Presentation is everything.

SERVPRO of Chambersburg professionals can assist you in many different ways to make this sale the best!  We can assist you in inspecting a crawl space/attic area for mold, water, or biohazard damage and also replace the vapor barrier if needed.  We can assist in estate sales in the case of hoarder clean outs with optional inventory itemization and cleaning services.  

A SERVPRO of Chambersburg professional can attend your next sales meeting to discuss how to recognize the potential for mold and what to do in case of a fire or water emergency.

So before you risk the opportunity to close the sale of the property, call Chambersburg 717-261-0310.

SERVPRO of Chambersburg odor removal overview

5/1/2019 (Permalink)

One of the several machines mentioned in the article.

Don’t live a life full of unpleasant smells

Odors from smoke, pets, decomposition or mold can cause lingering odors in your home or business. A simple surface clean doesn’t necessarily get rid of these smells. With technicians certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration (IICRC), SERVPRO of Chambersburg provides specialized services that can rid your home or business of offensive odors left by smoke, mold or other sources. Our professionals do not cover up lingering odors with a fragrance; they seek out and remove the sources of the odor. Once the source is found, we use SERVPRO’s own proprietary line of cleaning products to treat and prevent the odor from returning. Any restorable item in affected areas will also be professionally cleaned and deodorized, including furniture, draperies and upholstery, electronics, art, flooring, walls, ceilings, HVAC air ducts, and more. Along with our proprietary line of cleaning products SERVPRO of Chambersburg uses various techniques and equipment to treat odors. These techniques are capable of penetrating surfaces to neutralize an unpleasant odor thoroughly.

Some of the tools we use include:

Ozone Generator: The Ozone Generator is one of the quickest ways to eliminate odors from a home or office. We use the Ozone Generator to oxidize odor and eliminate odors from mold, mildew, pets, nicotine, smoke and more without the use of chemicals. Though the room being treated cannot be occupied while in use, the generator works quickly to clean, sanitize and remove offensive odors.

 Hydroxyl Generator: The Hydroxyl Generator has several benefits that the Ozone Generator does not. The main benefit is that the room being treated can be occupied during the deodorization process; though it does work slower. The Hydroxyl Generator can be used to treat fire and smoke, as well as biohazard jobs, water damage, crime scene situations, and animal odors. 

Air Filtration Device: This piece of equipment, also known as an air scrubber, is used to remove airborne contaminants during water, fire, smoke, mold, and sewage restoration work. These work by pulling air through HEPA filtration to remove airborne particles from the air. This helps clean the air and remove odors. Whether you are a building manager who needs an apartment cleaned for the next tenant or homeowner who wants to get your home ready for sale, getting rid of offensive odors is a high priority. Fire, water, or mold damage, or just a stubborn odor that refuses to go away.

The money you spend now saves you later!

4/23/2019 (Permalink)

Education to our customer is important to us!

When a water or moisture problem exist you can occur some expense and start to fear of mold. However the most important thing to do is getting a professional on site within 24 hours of the incident occurring to start removing excess moisture and begin drying services. The cost of mold remediation is often double what the cost would have been for a water damage cleanup and the repairs. Fixing the leak quickly is just as important to help keep the cost under control. Also use caution for DIY mold removal information as often customer will tell us how they used a "mold" product at lowes to clean up mold but it keeps reappearing. That's because all your doing is cleaning the surface not eliminating the mold spores. Call SERVPRO of Chambersburg for assistance regarding your moisture, mold or water issue. 

Do I have to wait to talk or see my adjuster before calling SERVPRO?

4/23/2019 (Permalink)

One of the moisture detection devices

Reasons not to wait for your adjuster to visit the home before cleanup. 

After your home in Chambersburg had water, fire or smoke damage it common to think that the insurance needs to visit the home before work begins or calling a professional services like SERVPRO of Chambersburg. 

1. It's in your policy to for the homeowner to prevent further damage. This includes fixing the source, turning off the water, moving items out of the area before they get wet. Also failure to respond quickly can cause some materials not to be salvageable or mold to develop.

2. A trusted industry leader like SERVPRO of Chambersburg has working relationships with majority of the insurance company understanding what documentation is needed before, during and after the job to keep things moving along. If an special item needs to be addressed SERVPRO of Chambersburg will consult with customer and insurance adjuster for approvals as well. 

3. Adjusters are busy and can take a week on average to visit the property to review damages. In fact, most times SERVPRO of Chambersburg has completed the drying services before the adjuster even arrives!  

4. The adjuster relies on SERVPRO of Chambersburg expertise to inform them of what plan of action needs to take place. Most adjuster do not have moisture meters or the standard training of the IICRC guidelines. 

We are proud to serve our local communities:

  • Chambersburg
  • Greencastle
  • Waynesboro
  • Mercersburg
  • St.Thomas
  • Fayetteville
  • Marion
  • Blue Ridge Summit
  • Mont Alto
  • Rouzerville

Minimize business interruption.

3/20/2019 (Permalink)

An example of a local business office resulting in 8,000 SQ Ft water damage.

As a commercial business owner you want to choose a company who is not only going to provide your clients quality services but fast services. That's why customer call us SERVPRO of Chambersburg as their trusted provided because when they call they know that were rushing to the scene and working long days to get the job done for them. 

We have services many different commercial client in Franklin County PA from Churches, libraries, insurance offices, much more.  

We will offer direct billing to your insurance company including all the photos, moisture maps, estimate to allow you to focus on your job. 

We'd love to help you and your business in your time of need. Just give us a call at 717-261-0310

Let SERVPRO of Chambersburg not only provide service but educated you along the way.

3/20/2019 (Permalink)

An example of the professional vehicle that may arrive to your location.

Chambersburg 24 Hour Emergency Water Damage Service

SERVPRO of Chambersburg provides 24/7 Emergency services for fire and water damage restoration service in Franklin County.

When you are dealing with water damage, immediate action is crucial. A delay of just a few hours can greatly increase the severity of the water damage.

We understand that when you call us, you may be feeling confused, stressed, and vulnerable. You need an expert to guide you through this crisis. SERVPRO of Chambersburg has the specific water damage training and experience to help you through this tough time. 

What to Expect

When you call, we will ask several questions regarding your water damage emergency. These questions will help us determine what equipment and resources to bring, including how many trained SERVPRO Professionals may be needed and when services are needed.

During the process you may have question, no worries were here to answer question by phone or email and we will do our best to educate you on the things you may not have thought of to ensure your informed of the process. We want our customer to be confident in our services and process. 

When to file an Insurance claim?

3/11/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage in a basement.

When to file an Insurance claim?

Had a water leak, flood or fire damage to your Chambersburg home? You should notify your insurance company immediately and contact a professional cleanup service like SERVPRO.  There is almost always a phone number to reach the claims department at most insurance offices anytime to report a new claim.

Why to reach out to your insurance company immediately?

  • Insurance adjuster or agents can provide important policy information like limits, deductible about, preferred vendors.
  • Faster processing a claim. Most adjuster are a few days out from visiting a new claim they’re for the sooner that you get on their schedule the quicker the claim can be processed, and payments released.
  • The services provider, like SERVPRO, may need to ask the claims department question or get approval for specialized equipment, to provide updates and submit the billing in a timely fashion.
  • Coverage, some policy may have a time limit to how many days past the loss occurred date to issue coverage.

Content Removal Clean Up

12/20/2017 (Permalink)

Are you moving out or moving in? You might have discovered that you have accumulated quite a bit of junk over the years - the time has come to clean up the clutter. Whatever the reason for cleaning up, SERVPRO of Chambersburg is here to help you. We understand your time is valuable and you have better things to do. Let us do the dirty work for you so that you can finally reclaim your space. After that we can go one step further and clean all the surface of the home. 

Take the final step to truly transform your property by having SERVPRO of Chambersburg professionally cleanup your construction project. Reduce stress and maximize the beauty of your property.

Have Questions about Cleaning?
Call Us Today – 717-261-0310