How SERVPRO Restores Personal Belongings That Have Been Damaged by Severe Weather

9/2/2020 (Permalink)

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Summary: SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin explains the processes used to restore personal belongings damaged in a storm.

The team of professionals at SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin embraces the reality that a home is more than sheetrock and shingles or carpet and countertops. A family's clothing, keepsakes, heirlooms, furniture, and other belongings contribute to the transformation of a house into a home. When these belongings are damaged, the restoration team gives every item the attentive and gentle care it deserves.

Personal Belongings and Storm Damage

SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin specializes in contents restoration for belongings damaged in a storm, such as a tornado or water damage disaster. Clients save money and preserve invaluable, irreplaceable heirlooms due to SERVPRO's expertise and "restore" versus "replace" approach to damaged belongings. Damaged contents undergo a pretest screening to determine what items can be adequately restored to their pre-damage condition.

SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin employs several methods for cleaning contents, including dry cleaning, wet cleaning, spray and wipe, foam cleaning for delicate upholstery fabrics, abrasive cleaning, and immersion cleaning. The solutions used in these processes are safe for the items and the technicians.

Evacuating a Damaged Home: Move-Outs/Pack-Outs

When a home or business receives extensive damage and needs large-scale restoration or cleaning, SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin has the means to carry out an organized, efficient evacuation of the affected portion of the structure. Smaller, less equipped companies are not able to execute projects of this magnitude.

Emptying the home of most or all of its contents can accelerate the restoration and remodeling process. The construction and remodeling team has ample room to work without fear of damaging furniture or other household items. The contents are stored in a secure, dry area until the remodeling process is complete.

Upon completion, SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin works with the client to coordinate returning the contents according to the location. Insurance coverage may have a bearing on the moving services offered.

Electronic Cleanup

Electronic devices present a unique set of challenges and hazards when subjected to water damage. Electrical devices that show signs of exposure to moisture or are confirmed or suspected of having water damage should not be plugged into a receptacle or turned on for operation if they are battery operated. The experts at SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin can coordinate the restoration of electronics, including TVs, computers, and other electronics.

A successful restoration of an electronic device requires immediate action to prevent further water or moisture damage. The first step in the restoration process for electronics is to clean the outside of the device, which halts further damage such as corrosion.  Clients can be confident their damaged electronics are well taken care of. Only a qualified electronics technician cleans and inspects damaged electronics. Smaller property damage restoration companies or cleaning companies that perform fire, water, and storm damage restoration as a secondary offering cannot provide large scale move-in/move-out service or the more technical electronics repair and restoration.

Document/Photograph Drying

Water-damaged documents such as photographs and old documents require extreme caution. Regrettably, some documents cannot be restored. SERVPRO of Lake Travis/ NW Austin can save many documents and help minimize additional damage using air-drying, dehumidification, freezer drying, vacuum freeze drying, and vacuum thermal drying.

Contents Claim Inventory Service

SERVPRO's Contents Claim Inventory Service (CCIS) provides a detailed, room-by-room, accurate inventory of a client's belongings, including digital images and, where called for, barcoding. The Contents Claim Inventory Service is comprehensive and includes a preloss list and valuation of contents, as well as a detailed and accurate report. The service provides better information that allows for a quicker settlement of claims. The highly-trained SERVPRO professionals assist the client with the burden of proof for claims. The client enjoys peace of mind when they need it most.

A significant storm damage incident that impacts every facet of home life, including the most precious keepsakes, heirlooms, and photographs, can be emotionally distressing. Trusting storm damage restoration to the professionals at SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin is the right decision. The skilled, experienced, and certified technicians give tender care to keepsakes, heirlooms, and antiques that are more valuable than gold.

To learn more about how furniture, clothing, photos, important legal documents, artwork, and other personal belongings can be restored after fire, water, and storm damage, visit the SERVPRO of Lake Travis/NW Austin website at https://www.SERVPROlaketravisnwaustin.com. Contact the office by phone at (512) 318-2202.