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Mold: What to do?

4/18/2025 (Permalink)

call a professional Call a professional for all your remediation needs, SERVPRO® of Waipahu 808-676-9545

To deal with mold, the first step is to identify the source of moisture and fix any leaks or water damage. Then, clean mold from surfaces using detergent and water, or diluted bleach or commercial cleaners. Dispose of porous materials like carpet and ceiling tiles if heavily mold affected. Seek a professional: SERVPRO® of Waipahu 808-676-9545 for proper remediation, small or large, or difficult-to-reach mold infestations.  Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Address the Source of Moisture:

  • Identify and fix leaks: Plumbing leaks, roof damage, or other water problems are common culprits for mold growth. 
  • Control humidity: High humidity can contribute to mold, so consider using dehumidifiers or improving ventilation. 
 2. Clean Mold:
  • For hard surfaces: Scrub with detergent and water, ensuring thorough drying.
  • Diluted bleach: For tougher mold, a solution of one cup of bleach per gallon of water can be used.
  • Commercial cleaners: Consider using commercial mold-killing products, which are often more effective and safer. 
  • Porous materials: if mold is present on porous materials like carpet, ceiling tiles, or fabric, it's often best to discard them as the mold may be difficult to remove completely. 
  3. Prevention:
  • Regular cleaning: Cleaning regularly, especially in areas prone to moisture, can help prevent mold growth. 
  • Improve ventilation: Good ventilation can help reduce moisture and prevent mold growth.
  • Control humidity: Using dehumidifiers or controlling humidity in high-humidity areas can help prevent mold growth.  
  4. When to Seek Professional Help:
  • Large infestations: If the mold is extensive or difficult to reach, consider professional help. 
  • Severe water damage: If you've experienced significant water damage, professional remediation is recommended. 
  • Health concerns: If you or someone in your household has allergies, asthma, or other health conditions that make mold exposure risky, seek professional help. 
 5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
  • Wear appropriate PPE: When cleaning mold, especially if it's extensive or you are at risk, wear an N95 mask (or higher, like a P100), disposable coveralls, gloves, and eye protection. 
  • Seal off the area: Seal off the area being remediated to prevent the spread of spores. 
 

Here to Help® Put Your Lives Back Together

4/18/2025 (Permalink)

call a professional Contact us for all your water damage restoration needs. No matter if it’s a holiday or not, we are here to help 24/7, 365.

#1 Choice in Cleanup and Restoration

Fun fact: Did you know SERVPRO® earned a spot in the Top 10 of Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, as well as earned the position as the #1 franchise in the cleaning and restoration industry for the 19th consecutive year, as of 2022? SERVPRO® was evaluated on categories such as growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. We are the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration for a reason. Furthermore, in 2008, the Wall Street Journal rated SERVPRO® the top 25 highest-performing franchise system.

Our customer-centric professionals focus on you and your needs. If you ever experience water damage in your work-from-home office, child’s bedroom, or another area of your home, SERVPRO professionals are Here to Help put your lives back together. From your first encounter with us to the very end of the job, a SERVPRO® professional is with you every step of the way. When you make that call, you are treated like family.

Water damage can strike at any time, and that’s why we’re available to you 24/7, year-round. When it comes to disrupt your lifestyle, we understand the stress that comes along with it and the extensive damage it could potentially cause. That’s why we are faster to any size disaster. Our SERVPRO® professionals help you navigate that emotional time and are empathetic to your needs and situation at hand.

Our SERVPRO® professionals will educate you on the water damage restoration process. Throughout the entire process, a SERVPRO® professional will communicate with you from start to finish, so you’re well-informed and know next steps. No job is too big or too small. No matter if the cause of the water damage is a result from a leaking appliance or a natural disaster, we have the capacity to handle it. Rest assured, our professionals work diligently and thoroughly to return your residential or commercial property back to preloss condition. This assurance helps to give you the opportunity to get back to life confidently and happily. Creating happy customers is our goal and priority.

Remember, any time you have water damage at your residential or commercial property, SERVPRO® of Waipahu is just a phone call or click away. No matter if it’s a holiday or not, we are here to help 24/7, 365. SERVPRO® of Waipahu is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, so we can deploy our professionals when you need us. We handle everything from water and fire damage restoration to cleaning out damaged vehicles, along with carpet cleaning, biohazard and mold remediation, and more. Contact us for all your water damage restoration needs.

Fire Escape Plans

4/11/2025 (Permalink)

Fire is a risk in every building — whether you sleep, study, or work there — you should always have an escape plan. You may need to escape within a few minutes of a fire’s start, so your safe exit depends on immediate warning from smoke alarms and advance planning of escape routes.

Escape Plan Basics
  • Include two ways out of every room in all escape plans
  • Designate a location to meet outside the building
  • Verify that smoke alarms are installed to provide early detection and warning, so you’ll have enough time to execute your escape plan
  • Make sure doors located in your path of travel can be opened from the inside under all lighting conditions
  • Verify that doors located in your path of travel Do not require a key to open from the inside
  • Take note of whether any disabled or elderly residents will require evacuation assistance
  • Conduct a roll call to verify everyone has escaped the building
  • Remain outside until notified by the fire department that it is safe to re-enter the building
  • Practice, practice, practice your plan!
If your secondary escape route is a window…
  • Make sure the window can be opened from the inside
  • Assure the window is large enough for you to pass through the opening
  • Verify the windowsill is low enough to allow you to crawl through the opening
  • Make sure any security bars can be opened from the inside without the use of a key, and that you can open them under all lighting conditions
  • Determine how you will escape if the window is above the first floor: will you purchase a rope ladder or other emergency escape device, or will you wait for the fire department to arrive and evacuate you?
  • Make sure sloping terrain, the location of the window, or other factors will not prevent the window from being used as a secondary escape route

More information about fire safety here