Hurricane Florence: Class Four to Class Three

9/12/2018 (Permalink)

In recent news, hurricane Florence has led a path of destruction. However, the once, category four hurricane has weakened to a category three hurricane. However, this does not mean that hurricane Florence will not wreak havoc on the Carolina's later this week. With winds up to 125 miles per hour maximum, Florence is forecasted to hit South Carolina by Thursday or Friday where the coast is anticipated to take the most substantial damage. But what is the difference between a category three hurricane and a category four hurricane?
Luckily, but unluckily for South Carolina, a category three hurricane has winds that reach up to 111 to 130 miles per hour. This can cause significant damage to people, property, and animals. With a category three hurricane, damage to poorly framed homes is common, and even damage to buildings framed with wood or steal is not unlikely. During the time after the hurricane lands, electricity and water will not be available for a few days.
Category four hurricanes, formerly hurricane Florence, winds range from 131 to 155 miles per hour. This kind of wind force causes catastrophic damage to all properties, peoples, and animals. If you think you are safe by having enough water and food for four days after a category four hurricane, you are wrong. Power outages and water shortages can last up to a month when a town becomes a victim of a category four hurricane.
Understanding the severity of hurricanes is the first step in preparing you, your family, and your home for any oncoming hurricane damage.
IF YOUR FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY ISSUES AN EVACUATION WARNING, PLEASE EVACUATE YOUR HOME AND FIND A SAFE PLACE.
For any other hurricane damage related issues, please call SERVPRO of Hicksville/Plainview so we can help stop the mitigation of the damage.

Holiday Cooking Safety

12/22/2017 (Permalink)

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where families gather to cook favorite recipes, share warm meals, and reconnect with each other, especially during the holidays.  Unfortunately, it’s also where two of every five reported home fires start.

• Take steps to protect your home and family from cooking hazards:
• Never leave cooking equipment unattended.  Turn off burners if you have to leave the room.
• Supervise children closely in the kitchen.
• Prevent fires by making sure your stovetop and oven are clean and free of grease and dust.  Clean the exhaust hood and duct over the stove regularly.
• Keep the cooking area around the stove/oven clear of combustibles, such as towels, napkins, and pot holders.
• Wear short or close-fitting sleeves. Loose clothing can catch fire.
• To protect from spills and burns, use the back burners and turn the pot handles in, away from reaching hands.
• Locate all appliances away from the sink.
• Plug countertop appliances into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)-protected outlets.
• Keep appliance cords away from hot surfaces like the range or toaster.
• Unplug the toaster and other countertop appliances when not in use.
• Be sure to turn off all appliances when cooking is completed.

Fast Facts: 

• Cooking equipment is the leading cause of reported home fires and injuries.  It is also the leading cause of unreported home fires.
• During 2004-2008, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 154,700 home cooking fires each year.
• Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires.

Cold Weather Safety Tips for pets

11/20/2017 (Permalink)

Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren’t the only discomforts pets can suffer. Winter walks can become downright dangerous if chemicals from ice-melting agents are licked off of bare paws. To help prevent cold weather dangers from affecting your pet’s health, please heed the following advice from our experts:

• Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home can cause itchy, flaking skin. Keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as he comes inside, paying special attention to his feet and in-between the toes. Remove any snow balls from between his foot pads.
• Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. If your dog is long-haired, simply trim him to minimize the clinging ice balls, salt crystals and de-icing chemicals that can dry his skin, and don’t neglect the hair between his toes. If your dog is short-haired, consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
• Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt and chemicals—and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.
• Bathe your pets as little as possible during cold spells. Washing too often can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If your pooch must be bathed, ask your vet to recommend a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse.
• Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.
• Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
• Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in wintertime. Feeding your pet a little bit more during the cold weather months can provide much-needed calories, and making sure she has plenty of water to drink will help keep her well-hydrated and her skin less dry.
• Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
• Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. In addition, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.

Cold Weather Tips

11/13/2017 (Permalink)

When the temperature takes a nose dive, water in your pipes can freeze, causing them to burst. Water floods your home and ruins your furnishings, and you have to pay to have it all repaired and replaced. It’s costly and inconvenient. But it doesn’t have to happen if you follow these simple precautions.

Wrap Up for Winter
Wrap exposed pipes with insulating material.  Pipes under kitchen sinks, in crawl spaces, near windows or in unheated basements are areas susceptible to freezing. #WrapIt

Find Your Shut-off Valve 
Locate your inside water shut-off valve now!  The shut-off valve controls all of the water into your home.  If a pipe bursts, knowing the location of your shut-off valve and how to turn it off, can save valuable time and prevent water damage. Our video can help you find the water shuf-off valve.

The shut-off valve may be located in the basement, under the kitchen sink, in a utility closet, near the hot water heater, or even under the house in a crawl space.  If you cannot locate or do not have a shut-off valve, call your plumber. #TagIt

Try turning off your shut-off valve. Then turn on each of the faucets in your house, if no water comes out you found the main shut-off valve.  Once you locate the main shut-off valve tag it so everyone in your family can find it should an emergency occur.

Make Sure You Have it Covered

If your house has a crawl space, cover the outside vents to prevent winter winds from entering and freezing pipes.  Keep the garage door closed if you have a slab foundation.  Some water pipes are located under concrete floors in the garage .#CoverIt

Run a Small, Steady Stream of Cold Water
Keep the water running, especially if you’ve had problems with frozen pipes in the past. Try running a small steady stream of water from a cold water faucet in extremely cold weather. The cost of the water is small compared to dealing with the cost and inconvenience of frozen or burst pipes. Make sure you run the water from a faucet children don’t use, because they may inadvertently shut off the faucet after using it. #DripIt

Tips for Fall Home Maintenance

11/9/2017 (Permalink)

From cluttered gutters to fire hazards, protect your home this fall by making sure your it’s ready to combat the changing weather and potential dangers.

Check All Safety Devices

In order to ensure safety inside your home, take a moment and check all of your safety devices, making sure the batteries are charged and that they work properly. For example, test all your smoke alarms inside your home. Make sure the batteries are working properly and are fully charged. In addition, make sure to replace used and expired fire extinguishers.

Fire Up the Furnace

Turn your heater on before the temperatures really plummet so you can ensure it works. Contact a technician to inspect that it’s operating properly if you suspect it needs servicing. Keep all flammable materials away from your furnace. This includes clothing, paint products, toxic materials, cardboard and more.

Inspect the Insulation

When your home allows in cold drafts, it forces your furnace to work harder in order to heat your house, resulting in higher energy bills. Keep the cold air out by improving the insulation in your attic and walls.

Give the Heater Some Space

Make sure you read the instructions to see if your space heater requires venting, and if it does, make sure it’s vented to the outdoors. A good rule of thumb is to keep your space heater away from clothing, bedding, drapery and furniture. Remember to shut them off if you leave the house and don’t leave them unattended if you have children or pets. More importantly, don’t use your space heater as a dryer for hats, gloves and other articles of clothing, as they can catch fire.

Fire Safety

Before you relight your fireplace, check your chimney to confirm it’s free of debris and has proper ventilation. Make sure the bricks, mortar and liner are in good condition. Lastly, use a fireplace screen to keep the sparks from flying all over the place.

Doing laundry? Prevent dryer fires by cleaning filters after each load of wash and removing lint that collects in dryer vents. Like burning candles, never leave a load of laundry in the dryer unattended.

De-clutter the Gutters

Clean your gutters by removing all debris and leaves. Before burning leaves, check your city’s regulations, as it may be illegal where you live.  If you burn them, do so away from the house and use proper containers.

Trim the Trees

As plants begin to die in the cold weather, make sure you call a landscaping service to remove any dead branches or decaying limbs on the trees of your property. When weighed down by ice and snow, or blowing in the wind, they can become hazardous and fall on your house or vehicle.

source

Storm Ready

9/2/2016 (Permalink)

Storm Basics

A thunderstorm is a rain shower during which you hear thunder. Since thunder comes from lightning all thunderstorms have lightning. A thunderstorm is classified as "severe" when it contains one or more of the following:

• Hail
• Winds in excess of 58 mph
• Structural wind damage
• Tornado

Tornado Facts

Tornadoes are arguably nature's most violent storms. Generated from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes generally appear as rotating, funnel-shaped clouds extending from the cloud base to the ground. With winds that can reach up to 300 miles per hour, tornadoes can cause massive destruction within seconds. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and fifty miles long. 

• The average tornado moves southwest to northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.. 
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 miles per hour, but may vary from stationary to 70 miles per hour
• Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3pm and 9pm 

Hurricane Facts

A hurricane is an intense tropical storm with powerful winds and heavy rain 

• Other names for a hurricane include cyclone, typhoon and tropical storm. While they are essentially the same thing, the different names usually indicate where the storm took place. Tropical storms that form in the Atlantic or Northeast Pacific (near the United States) are called hurricanes, those that form near in the Northwest Pacific (near Japan) are called typhoons and those that form in the South Pacific or Indian oceans are called cyclones.

• Hurricanes usually form in tropical areas of the world.

• Hurricanes develop over warm water and use it as an energy source.

•  Hurricanes lose strength as they move over land.

• Coastal regions are most at danger from hurricanes.

• As well as violent winds and heavy rain, hurricanes can also create tornadoes, high waves and widespread flooding.

• Hurricanes are regions of low atmospheric pressure (also known as a depression).

• The wind flow of hurricanes in the southern hemisphere is clockwise while the wind flow of hurricanes in the northern hemisphere is counterclockwise.

• Flood rank as one of the most common and widespread natural disasters in the United States. Whether you live near a coastline, along city streets, in the mountains, near a river or even in the desert, there is a potential for suffering flood damage. 

 Before the storm 

• To begin preparing, you should build an emergency supply kit and make a family communication plan.
• Remove dead or rotting trees and branches that could fall and cause injury or damage during a severe thunderstorm.
• Postpone outdoor activities
• Remember the 30/30 Lightning Safety Rule: Go indoors if, after seeing lightning, you cannot count to 30 before hearing thunder. Stay indoors for 30 minutes after hearing the last clap of thunder.
• Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage
• Get inside a home, building, or hard top automobile. Although you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
• Remember, rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning. However, the steel frame of hard-topped vehicle provides increased protection if you are not touching metal.
• Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds , shades or curtains.
• Unplug any electronic equipment well before the storm arrives 

During the Storm 

• Use your battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials 
• Avoid contact with corded phones. Use a corded telephone only for emergencies 
• Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. Unplug appliances and other electrical items such as computers and turn off air conditioners. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage
• Avoid contact with plumbing. Do no wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
• Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
• Do no lie on concrete floors and do not lean against concrete walls
• Avoid natural lightning rods such as a tall, isolated tree in an open area.
• Avoid hilltops, open fields, the bench or a boat on the water.
• Take shelter in a sturdy building. Avoid isolated sheds or other small structures in open areas.
• Avoid contact with anything metal-tractors, farm equipment, motorcycles, golf carts, golf clubs, and bicycles.
• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle. 

After The Storm

• Never drive through a flooded roadway.
• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk from the effects of severe thunderstorms
• Continue to listen to a NOAA Weather Radio or local radio and television stations for updated information or instructions, as access to roads or come parts of the community may be blocked. 
• Help people who may require special assistance, such as infants, children and the elderly or those with access or functional needs.
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.
• Watch your animal closely. Keep them under your direct control. 

Unexpected emergencies like severe weather call for immediate action. If you have storm damage to your home or business, call our SERVPRO Professionals for immediate action to your disaster. (516) 207-0203 !

24/7 Emergency Services

Stay safe from summer storms

6/24/2016 (Permalink)

While the spring season is known for the potential to experience severe weather, the threat exists throughout the summer months as well,. In fact, the potential for severe weather even increases in some areas. Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1^st and runs through November 30^th. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15^th also ending November 30^th.

While it may be difficult to prepare for the unpredictable, there are steps you can take now to ensure you are ready when disaster strikes. One way to prepare your business for any type of disaster, is to establish an Emergency READY Profile (ERP). Contact your local SERVPRO Franchise Professionals to learn more about the ERP and how it can help you. Consider the following tips when preparing for an approaching storm. 

Before the Storm

• Build an emergency supply kit and develop a communication plan.
• Unplug any electronic equipment before the storm arrives.
• Secure outdoor objects that could blow away or cause damage.               
• If you are outdoors, get inside a building, home or hard top vehicle (not a convertible).
• Shutter windows and secure outside doors. If shutters are not available, close window blinds, shades or curtains.

During the Storm

• Use your battery-operated NOAA Weather Radio for updates from local officials.
• Avoid contact with corded phones. Cordless and cellular phones are safe to use.
•  Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords.
• Unplug appliances and other electrical items, such as computers. Power surges from lightning can cause serious damage.
• Avoid contact with plumbing. Plumbing and bathroom fixtures can conduct electricity.
• Stay away from windows and doors.

After the Storm

• Never drive through a flooded roadway.
• Stay away from storm-damaged areas to keep from putting yourself at risk.
• Stay away from downed power lines and report them immediately.

Below is a recommended items for basic emergency supply list

Emergency Supply Kit

• Water (one gallon per person per day)
•  Food (non-perishable 3-day supply)
•  Manual can opener
• Battery operated radio, preferably a NOAA Weather Radio
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Clothing
• Dust Masks or bandanas
• Plastic sheeting, garbage bags and duct tape
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Hygiene items
• Important documents; copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account information
• Cash
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container

June 1st -Hurricane Season Starts

5/5/2016 (Permalink)

SERVPRO OF PORT JEFFERSON/STONY BROOK & HICKSVILLE/PLAINVIEW

Hurricane Season is amongst us starting June 1, 2016 – November 2016. It’s never too late to take simple steps to make your house and personal finances more wind-and water resistant. While hurricanes give us the advantage of knowing days in advance if they will hit, NOW is the time to get prepared so you can be ready in advance of such a storm, know what to do when a hurricane strikes and how to recover after the storm has left.

The American Red Cross provides tips and lists of materials you should have before a hurricane "Hurricane Checklist."