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Disaster Restoration Specialists Respond to Call to Aid Colorado Recovery

By: ServiceMaster |  17 Shares     136 Reads

In wake of record wildfires, ServiceMaster Experts offer tips for fire and smoke damage remediation.

Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) June 17, 2013 - As the wildfires continue to burn in Colorado Springs and nearly forty thousand people have been evacuated from their homes, local ServiceMaster Restore crews from the city are on the scene and stand ready to immediately assist in restoration efforts.

In addition, through a network of franchisees across the country, the disaster restoration teams are equipped to mobilize additional disaster restoration experts and quality certified crews from neighboring states to help as residents are allowed to return and assess the full scope of damage to their homes. Firefighters blame dry timber, record heat and stiff winds for the rapidly spreading wildfires which have already killed two people and destroyed nearly 500 homes across 25 square miles since June 11.

As experts in fire and smoke restoration, the professionals from ServiceMaster Restore can help homeowners and businesses get back to normal while instilling peace of mind for customers during a difficult time.

“We know that a lot of hard-working people have been deeply affected by the wildfires in Colorado and nothing can adequately make up for the tragedy of the past week,” said Tim Egeler, President of ServiceMaster of Colorado Springs. “But our disaster restoration specialists are experts in helping get homeowners back into their homes and businesses back up and running as quickly and safely as possible.”

Leaving the restoration work to highly trained specialists is critical, especially when dealing with damaging smoke, ash or soot.” says Pete Duncanson, director of training and technical support for ServiceMaster Restore. “It is especially important to protect your home or business from poor workmanship and scam artists who often try to take advantage of people during a time of stress. Working with trained professionals from a company like ServiceMaster Restore also can help speed the insurance payment process with your adjustor.”

Duncanson also had these suggestions:

What to do: 

• Corrosive by-products can cause irreversible etching in as few as 72 hours. Call professional help;
• If the temperature is above 60 degrees, air out the house to reduce smoke odor;
• Clean formica, chrome, porcelain and aluminum fixtures to prevent permanent tarnishing or etching;
• Change the air filter on your furnace if it uses forced hot air;
• Tape damp cheesecloth over returns and supply registers to capture loose soot in the air;
• Discard any open food packages;
• If the electricity is off, clean out the refrigerator and leave doors propped open;
• Send clothing with heavy smoke damage to a qualified restoration dry cleaner.

What not to do:

• Do not touch anything. Oil from your hands can permeate upholstery, walls and woodwork, causing additional damage;
• Do not wash walls; Incorrect cleaning could compound the soot residue;
• Do not attempt to clean carpets or upholstered furniture;
• Do not use electrical appliances until having them checked;
• Do not use ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet.

“In addition to protecting residences, we know that for your business, lost time means lost revenue -- and potentially lost customers,” said Egeler. “When disaster strikes, ServiceMaster Restore can minimize business interruptions by quickly analyzing the problem, providing a professional assessment of the damage, determining the services needed for a complete restoration, reviewing scope of services with the adjuster, finishing the job on time, and following up to insure total satisfaction.”

If fire or smoke damage has occurred, the following phone numbers provide a nationwide single-source solution for commercial disaster restoration, large-loss claims and reconstruction services.

• 1-800-RESPOND

(Residential calls for support)

• 1-866-RECOVER

(Commercial property managers or business owners call for support)

• 1-800-776-6710

(Large Loss Commercial disaster support- ServiceMaster Recovery Management)

About ServiceMaster Restore

With nearly 3,200 franchise locations around the world, ServiceMaster Clean, ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Recovery Management serves customers through a global network of franchises that provide cleaning and restoration resulting from damage caused by water or fire, janitorial services, commercial carpetcleaning, hard surface floor care and residential carpet and upholsterycleaning. For more information about ServiceMaster Restore, visit http://www.800respond.com or http://www.srmcat.com.

About ServiceMaster

With a global network of more than 7,300 company-owned, franchise and licensed locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world’s largest residential and commercial service networks. The company’s high-profile brands are Terminix, TruGreen, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 20,000 corporate associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands provided services and products to approximately 8 million customers during the last 12 months. The company’s market-leading brands provide a range of residential and commercial services including termite and pest control; lawn, tree and shrub care; home warranties and preventative maintenance contracts; furniture repair; home inspections; home cleaning; janitorial services; and disaster restoration. Go to http://www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at http://www.twitter.com/ServiceMaster or http://www.facebook.com/TheServiceMasterCo.

Contact:

Gina Kamler
ServiceMaster Restore
http://www.servicemasterrestore.com
901-597-1380

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