Tuesday Tip! ~ 2/26/2013

Our Tuesday Tip for you today???

GET OUTSIDE! 

You only have a few more hours to play in the rain!

The rest of the week looks like the Sun is coming out to stay for a bit!

 

From your friends at servpronortherncharleston.com! 

1-4-8 = Rapid Response. Every Time.

Rapid Response on EVERY call is what sets SERVPRO apart from our competitors.  While all SERVPRO franchises are independently owned and operated, we are all held to the same response time guidelines.  We are actually scored on our ability to maintain consistent response times with the 1-4-8 standard set by our corporate leadership.

At SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston we take the 1-4-8 guideline as a challenge.  When we are notified of a loss by your insurance company or property manager, we make sure someone stops IMMEDIATELY to contact the appropriate person to make arrangements to be on site for emergency service in as little time as possible.  Highly trained and professional technicians are usually on site in less than 2 hours unless otherwise requested by the client. 

We also make it a practice, to contact your insurance adjuster if at all possible during the initial visit to your property in order to expedite necessary approvals for the work required to mitigate the fire or water damage and restore your home or business as quickly as possible. 

SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston is proud to be part of a nationwide company that challenges us to provide expedient, quality service to our local home owners and small businesses.  We are also provided a regional and national network of franchises afford us the ability to respond with the same level of efficiency and professionalism when a large commercial loss, or storm related losses occur.

 

 

SERVPRO of Greater Northern Charleston

FASTER TO ANY DISASTER.

843-747-8750

info@servproofgnc.com  ~  servpronortherncharleston.com

Where Should I Place My Kitchen Fire Extinguisher?

With over 18 years as a Fire Marshall in Georgetown, Texas, Dan Jansen is an expert in the world of fire safety. During his tenure as a Fire Marshall, Jansen has dealt primarily with fire education, safety and prevention. Jansen said that properly placing fire extinguisher throughout your house could be the difference in controlling a fire before it gets out of hand.

"Fire extinguishers are very important," Jansen said. "Unfortunately, most people buy them, and then they forget about them. They place them underneath a kitchen sink or somewhere out of the way, and they just forget about them"

"As far as the placement, homes are all constructed different," he added. "I wouldn't have it by the kitchen stove. That's the most common place you are going to have a fire in your house. A lot of people place them in the cabinet next to the stove, or they place them above the stove. Well, if your stove is on fire, you are not going to be able to reach the fire extinguisher."

"If you have some passageway that goes into your washroom or your garage, placing a fire extinguisher right outside that door would be a great place," he said. "You could place a fire extinguisher underneath the kitchen sink or in your pantry. You want to make sure your fire extinguisher is always going to be accessible and visible. You need to be able to see it often, and remind yourself of where it is."

Just as placement of the fire extinguisher is important, Jansen said that the number of fire extinguisher you have in your home could help as well. Most times, consumers will put just one fire extinguisher in the kitchen thinking that there is where the fire will start. But having them throughout the house can be beneficial if a blaze starts in a bedroom due to a cigarette.
"The number of fire extinguishers in your home is varied," Jansen said. "Once again, that is going to depend on the size of the home. On the common two-bedroom home, two-bed and one-bath, you would probably need only one fire extinguisher."

"Usually a fire extinguisher of the two pound size, which would be a 1A10BC extinguisher, would be sufficient. You may have a four bedroom home with two levels. For this, you are going to need probably three extinguishers: one for upstairs, one for downstairs, and one for the garage."

"So it kind of varies on the size of your home," he added. "Basically, you would want to make sure you have a relatively small travel distance. I would suggest a traveling distance not exceeding 75 ft to the fire extinguisher. For a multiple level house, you would not want to change levels in looking for a fire extinguisher."

Source: http://www.essortment.com/should-look-put-fire-extinguisher-home-47144.html

Kitchen Fires - What to Do and When to Call for Help

Kitchen fires can spring up quickly; do you know what to do first? Learn when to use a fire extinguisher, when to smother a fire, and when to call the fire department.

According to the most recent government statistics available, there are more than 150,000 kitchen fires in the United States yearly, with hundreds of people killed and thousands more injured. Cooking mishaps cause up to 90 percent of kitchen fires, and most of those are grease fires. Those frightening statistics lead up to one big question: Do you know what to do when a kitchen fire flares? Should you first reach for the fire extinguisher or for the phone to call the fire department?

Grease Fires in the Kitchen

Grease fires belong in a class by themselves and should not be handled like any other kitchen fire. Rule No. 1: Never pour water on a grease fire. The best way to handle a grease fire is to smother it, if possible, and let it die out. Follow these specifics:

• Whenever you're cooking, have an oven mitt, a potholder, and a lid that fits your pan all on hand and ready to grab in case fire sparks.
• If grease catches on fire in your cooking pan, quickly put on the oven mitt, then place the lid over the pan to smother the fire. Try to slide the lid over the flames as opposed to dropping the lid down from above.
• Turn off the burner and leave the pan exactly where it is so that it can cool.
• Never move the pan, never carry it outside or put it in the sink, and don't lift the lid until the pan has turned cool.

Oven, Microwave, and Electrical Fires

Fires can happen anywhere in the kitchen — near an electrical outlet, in the microwave, or in the stove. Here are some tips to help you know what to do in case of any of these kitchen fires:

• Oven fires. Immediately close the oven door and turn it off. If the fire doesn’t go out right away, call the fire department. Have the oven inspected and repaired before you use it again.
• Microwave fires. Close the microwave door and keep it closed. Turn the microwave off and unplug it if you can do so safely. Leave it closed and don't use it again until you can have the appliance checked out by a technician.
• Electrical fires. Prevent electrical fires by not overloading your electrical outlets with appliances. If a fire starts, use a fire extinguisher; never douse it with water. Always call the fire department for an electrical fire, even if you have already put it out with the fire extinguisher.

Using a Fire Extinguisher on Kitchen Fire

Every kitchen should be equipped with a fire extinguisher. Get one that's labeled as safe to use on any kind of fire, and keep it within easy reach.

If a fire starts, you won't have time to stop and read the directions. Become familiar with these tips to understand how to use a fire extinguisher on a small kitchen fire:

• First, remove the pin from the fire extinguisher — it won't work if you don't.
• Point the extinguisher toward the base of the fire, not the top of the flames.
• Holding it by the handle, press down on the lever on the fire extinguisher; just let go when you want to stop.
• Spray horizontally back and forth across the fire until it's extinguished, remembering to aim low.

Baking soda is also an important ingredient in any kitchen, and not just for baking cookies. If a fire breaks out on an electric stovetop or if you don’t have anything available to smother a grease fire, grab a box of baking soda and pour it generously on the flames. Baking soda will help to extinguish a small fire, but you may need several boxes of it. Never use flour to put out a fire, as it can make the flames worse.

When to Call the Fire Department for a Kitchen Fire

So when should you call 911, and when should you try to fight a fire yourself? Never hesitate to call the fire department. But if it's a small, contained fire, you should follow the above tips to try to extinguish it while waiting for help to arrive.

You should also be sure to get your family out of the house, and if the flames rise and spread, you should get out, too. Kitchen fires that start small and can be quickly contained or extinguished are one thing, but roaring fires aren't something you should attempt to tackle. Remember safety first: Keep yourself and your family protected, and call for help.

Source: http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-home/general-safety/tips/how-and-when-to-fight-cooking-fires.aspx

Call the Cleanup Team

Temperatures across the country are continuing to take their annual plunge. As the use of fireplaces, space heaters and other heating alternatives increases, the threat of home and business fires inevitably increases, too. In fact, did you know heating fires are the leading cause of home fires in the United States during the months of December, January and February? These fires are often started by tenants or homeowners seeking more environmentally friendly, less expensive ways to warm their homes.

If a disaster does strike your home or the home of a customer, you can trust your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional to help restore order quickly. Backed by an award-winning national training program and 40 years of leadership in the cleanup and restoration industry, the SERVPRO System is designed to reduce downtime, lower recovery costs and minimize stress for you and your clients.

So when fire or water damage strikes your business, call the cleanup team that’s faster to any sized disaster.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

Here's a steamy reminder from our friends at State Farm
to be careful with those candles tonight!

On average, about 40 candle related fires are reported every day...
On V-Day? That TRIPLES! 

So all you lovebirds be careful! 

Use glass jars, keep flammable objects away from the flame and

be sure candles are on a solid, steady surface. 

 

Just a few minutes of extra care could keep your super hot date night
from going up in flames! 

 

Remember we are here 24/7 ~~ (843) 747-8750

servpronortherncharleston.com

Tuesday Tip ~ 2/12/2013

Over half... 53%... of deaths related to home heating equipment is due to the heat source simply being too close to something flammable.  Take a few minutes to check your furnace, fire place, outdoor heaters, space heaters, etc. and make sure there is at least 3 feet of open space.  Just a few minutes can greatly improve the safety of your home and family during the winter months.

For more information on Home Heating Safety from the City of Charleston:  http://goo.gl/eDO5l

24/7 SERVPRO is here to help:  http://www.servprogreaternortherncharleston.com/

Tuesday Tip! ~ 2/5/2013

Did you know smoke detectors have a shelf life?! They should be changed every 10 years!  According to nfpa.org, winter residential heating equipment accounted for almost 500 deaths and 1.1 BILLION dollars worth of damage in 2010.

 

Early smoke detection is the first line of defense in getting out of your house before anyone gets hurt!

 

 

 For tips on what to do until help arrives if you are affected by a fire, visit: http://www.servprogreaternortherncharleston.com/fire-damage-tips

For proper care of smoke detectors: http://goo.gl/x1ZuH
More on winter fire safety: http://goo.gl/tp0Xg