Stagnant water

Stagnant water is water with little or no movement, as such, bacteria, insects and vermin can take hold. All of which make the water a very dangerous substance. 

Water can become stagnant in as little as 24 hours and bacteria can begin to grow in as little as 48 hours. So if you’ve had a leak and you know about it, you have a very small window to get it sorted. If you’re unaware of the problem, the problem can get much worse in a short space of time. Fortunately there is technology to help detect leakages and identify traces of water.

Bacteria – There are many strains of bacteria that thrive in stagnant water. They can be extremely harmful if ingested and become an environmental health risk

Insects – In the right conditions, insects can breed in the hundreds and thousands, making it harder to eliminate them.

Vermin – Mice and rats look out for watering holes and in the process, spread lots of nasty diseases.

Prevention is always better than the cure! Proper drainage and ventilation can ensure that water does not build up inside or outside your home or business property, becoming stagnant and dangerous over time. Our technicians can recommend measures you can put in place to reduce the likelihood of the same event happening again in the future.

If you’re unfortunate enough to experience a flood or leak where water, that could be stagnant is present, don’t worry – help is on hand. Our experienced technicians not only drain the water, but decontaminate the area too.

Standing water can be difficult to detect at times, but we have the expertise and equipment to find it and treat it!

Call ServiceMaster Restore on 0845 762 6828 / www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk

Facts about mould

We’ve all seen the green mould on bread, or in butter and jam, but mould around the home can be much more serious. Here are some important facts about mould that you might not be aware of!

  1. Mould needs moisture to grow. Both indoors due to damp and moist conditions and outdoors in the soil or decaying material
  2. There are four common types of indoor mould: alternaria, aspergillus, cladosporium and penicillium
  3. Mould, a fungi, spreads by spores, which act as seeds to form new mold colonies
  4. Condensation on windows, walls and other hard surfaces is a sign of high humidity in the home, which increases the risk for mould development
  5. Reactions to mould may include, but are not limited to, headache, fever, cough, wheezing and flu-like symptoms. It can trigger asthma attacks as well

Identifying the root cause of mould can help to prevent it happening again in the future.

We hope that these facts about mould have been helpful and have helped you to become more aware of the dangers and symptoms mould can produce.

If you have any concerns about mould in your home or business, we can help. Here at ServiceMaster Restore our technicians are trained in what to look for and how to treat cases of mould. Helping to protect you and your home, or you, your employees, customers and business.

For these reasons, it’s important to treat the cause of mould (moisture) and that is something that we can help with, as well as the treatment of mould too. Contact our team on 0845 762 6828 / www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk 

Space heating fire prevention

With the weather dropping below freezing this week, it’s tempting to pull out the space heater for a little extra warmth, That’s all well and good providing you adopt best practise when using them. Read on for further information on our space heating fire prevention tips!

Here’s some tips to keep you safe in the comfort of your home or business when using space heaters:

  • Never leave space heaters unattended
  • Keep space heaters away from flammable materials (curtains, furnishings, paper etc)
  • Don’t use in enclosed areas i.e. under a desk
  • Plug space heaters directly in to a power outlet (do not overload extension cables)
  • Buy space heaters with safety shut offs
  • Always check the space heaters condition before using it
  • Don’t leave trailing wires
  • Remember to turn them off at the end of the day/use (whichever is soonest)

Space heaters pose as a huge fire risk if they are not used correctly. Follow our space heating fire prevention tips to keep you safe through this cooler months. 

If the worst should happen and your property is subjected to fire and smoke damage, contact us for our professional, emergency help. We can be with you in an emergency within 2 to 4 hours to help in your time of need. We can assess your property and provide a plan to implement to get your property back to its original condition with minimal disruption.

If an accident does happen, ServiceMaster Restore can help to restore the damage – contact us in an emergency on 0845 762 6828 / www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk

Protect your business against the elements

Whilst 2020 was one of the hottest years on record across the world, February, in the UK is looking extremely cold and wet, so here’s some information to help protect your business against the elements.

There are things that you can do to protect your business and your employees against the elements:

Keep the elements OUT 

  • Draught excluders
  • Flood protection
  • Clear drains
  • Keep up to date with repairs
  • Insulation

Health & Safety Precautions

  • Do weather related risk assessments
  • Optimum lighting
  • Grit/sand accessible
  • Slip resistance
  • Appropriate outdoor PPE

By not carrying out the above, you risk the elements making their way inside of your property, or causing damage from the outside in. All of which are costly and could present a risk to your employees and your customers.

Whilst prevention is better than the cure, it’s a good idea to ensure you have a disaster restoration expert in mind for those disasters that you cannot prevent. ServiceMaster Restore have over 60 years experience in disaster restoration in the UK and are well equipped to help you in your time of need.

If  your business premises are affected by the cold and wet weather through flooding or an escape of water, you can contact our emergency restoration team on 0845 762 6828 / www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk