Mold in Your Rental Home

12/20/2022 (Permalink)

If you are experiencing mold issues in your Claremore home, give SERVPRO of Rogers County a call!

Mold in Your Rental Home

Mold is a major problem in many homes. It can cause serious damage to your house, but it's not always easy for tenants to make sure that their landlords deal with mold issues. This article will explain what you should do if you have a mold problem in your apartment or house and how long your landlord may take to fix the issue.

Where does mold come from?

Mold can come from a variety of sources. It is a water-based fungus, so it thrives in damp places. Mold grows best in warm and moist environments: bathrooms and kitchens are common breeding grounds for mold because they experience repeated wetting from people showering or cooking. Mold also loves to grow outdoors, especially near trees and shrubs where there is plenty of natural moisture to keep it going strong!

Habitable Conditions

Common sense tells us that a landlord should keep the premises in a habitable condition—that is, fit to be lived in. But what does that mean? And how long does it take for a landlord to fix an issue like mold?

The lease agreement you signed with your landlord may require them to provide certain services and maintain your rental property at "habitable" levels (which, it bears noting, are not always synonymous with cleanliness). The legal definition of "habitable" varies by state and borough (or county), but generally speaking, if the property itself is safe enough for humans and animals to live there without undue risk of harm, then it's probably habitable under most laws. When it comes down to mold issues specifically, however, the law requires landlords to make repairs within 30 days after their tenants notify them about any problems they notice during the first two weeks after they move into their new homes. Landlords who fail in this duty may be required by law to pay damages equal up until when repairs begin or up until when they're actually completed depending on which comes first.

In most places, tenants are legally entitled to safe and habitable living conditions under state and/or local law. If there are problems with your rental unit that make it unsafe or otherwise uninhabitable, you can report them to your landlord so that he or she can fix them. You may also be able to withhold rent until the problem gets resolved (if you have been paying rent on time).

Document Everything

In the event that you do have to go to court, it is important to have documentation of habitability issues. This includes photos of mold, dates, and times when you contacted your landlord and/or health department or insurance company.

Going to Court

If your landlord does not resolve the mold problem, or if you have any other habitability issues with your rental unit, such as a lack of heat or hot water, you can take them to court. You will be able to sue for damages in civil court. You may be entitled to recover lost rent as well as attorneys' fees and costs if you win the case.

Contact Your Landlord Immediately

If you have a mold problem, you should contact your landlord immediately and start documenting the situation. This is important because it's the first step in taking action against them. If you don't document it, then there's no proof that anything is wrong or that they're responsible for it. Without proof of your claim, you will have difficulty getting compensation or forcing them to take care of things properly.

If you are experiencing a mold problem, the most important thing to do is contact your landlord immediately. The second most important thing is to document every interaction with them, starting with the date and time, who was there, and what was said and done. This can help you in court if necessary because it shows that they were aware of the problem but didn't take proper care of it (or took too long). Pictures or videos taken from different angles showing how bad things look will help bolster your case!

If you are experiencing mold issues in your Claremore home, give SERVPRO of Rogers County a call! 

Help! My Washing Machine is Leaking

11/4/2022 (Permalink)

If you have a leaky washing machine, regardless of the reason, SERVPRO of Rogers County can help you clean up the mess

Help! My Washing Machine is Leaking

If your washing machine is leaking, you'll want to fix it as quickly as possible. That's because not only will you see water pooling up on the floor and stains from previous leaks in your laundry room, but also because this problem can lead to mold growth and other long-term issues. So, what causes a washing machine to leak? And how do we stop that leak from happening?

Reasons Your Washing Machine is Leaking

If your washing machine is leaking, you should be able to fix it yourself. The average washing machine holds about 15 gallons of water. This is a lot of water! If your washing machine is leaking, there are many reasons why it could be happening. Most of the time, a leaky washer can be fixed by either tightening a screw or replacing something that has worn out or broken.

No matter what type of washing machine you have, there are a number of reasons why it might be leaking.

• A clogged drain can cause water to leak out of your washing machine through the front door or from underneath the unit.
• A broken hose or hose fitting will also cause water to leak from your machine. Sometimes this is caused by using the wrong type of detergent or fabric softener; other times, the fittings themselves are faulty. If you've had a long history of leaks with your washing machine, it may be time for an upgrade!
• Finally—and most importantly—a broken pump can lead to serious amounts of leakage and damage to your Catoosa, OK home's flooring and walls (in addition to ruining clothes!).

If you feel like the repairs are beyond your abilities, reach out to a professional plumber in your area who can help diagnose and repair any issues with no problem at all!

Finding the Leak

To find out whether the source of the leak is your washing machine or some other problem, you should turn off your water supply at the main shutoff valve and then turn on all of your sinks and faucets throughout the house.

If you see water coming out of any faucet or sink, then it’s not a leak in your washing machine. The leak is somewhere else in your plumbing system and needs to be repaired quickly before major damage occurs.

If no water comes from any faucet or sink when turned on, then there may be something wrong with your washing machine.

If there is no leak after turning on all the faucets, then it's likely that your washing machine has a problem. The next step would be to turn off the water supply and drain out as much water as possible into buckets or other containers before calling a professional plumber.

If you have a leaky washing machine, regardless of the reason, SERVPRO of Rogers County can help you clean up the mess. Give us a call to get your Claremore home back up and running as fast as possible after a water, fire, or storm damage event!

Commercial Property Insurance: All You Need to Know

10/13/2022 (Permalink)

Business interruption insurance is another part of commercial property insurance coverage that can be valuable to your business.

Commercial Property Insurance: All You Need to Know

A commercial property insurance policy is designed to help protect your business from the risk of damage and destruction. There are many factors to consider when it comes to protecting your investment, but there is one aspect that can be especially tricky: determining how much coverage you need. The best way to determine what type of coverage is right for you is by learning more about what each type covers. 

Let's take a look at the basics of commercial property insurance policies so that you can make an informed decision about what's best for your company's needs.

Property Coverage

The property coverage section of your policy will cover the cost of rebuilding or repairing your property if it is damaged in a covered loss. In addition to covering the physical damage, it also covers some types of losses that occur from theft and vandalism. For example, if someone breaks into your home and steals your jewelry collection, this coverage would reimburse you for those items' value.

Business Interruption Insurance

Business interruption insurance is another part of commercial property insurance coverage that can be valuable to your business. If, for instance, a covered loss causes you to lose income due to the inability to operate, business interruption insurance will pay you that lost income. This type of coverage is usually limited in length, however; it's often provided in weekly installments with a maximum duration of 30 days or less.

The amount paid per week varies depending on how much you have insured and what kind of policy limits are chosen (the higher these limits are set, the more expensive your premiums will be). Some policies also include the option to extend this period up until one year after the date when normal operations were resumed (or when repairs are complete if they took longer than expected).

Liability Insurance

Liability insurance covers you if you are sued for something that happened on your property. This can include slips and falls, property damage, or injuries. Liability insurance will also cover the cost of any legal fees incurred in defending you.

Workers' Compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is designed to protect you from any employee injury or death. It also covers medical expenses and lost wages if an employee becomes disabled, as well as death benefits for the family of a deceased worker.

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance

Directors and officers (D&O) insurance covers legal expenses and damages that you may be held liable for as a director or officer of your company. D&O insurance applies to directors, officers, officeholders, and managers who are responsible for the management of an organization. It also covers their spouses if they’re directly involved in running the business. If you’re a director or manager of a company, no matter how large or small it is, then D&O insurance may be beneficial to you. It can protect against any losses arising from disputes over breaches of duty by directors/officers through mismanagement or negligence (for example, breach of fiduciary duties).

When you have a disaster in your business, SERVPRO of Rogers County is here to help get you covered in any way we can. We work closely with your insurance to make sure your Claremore, OK business is back to normal quickly. 

What does the water cleanup process look like?

10/11/2022 (Permalink)

You're probably familiar with the idea of cleaning up after a spill, but did you know that water cleanup can be a complex process?

Water cleanup is one of the most common types of restoration services in the country. We see it every day, and we understand what goes into it. But for you, as a homeowner, water damage can be quite confusing. Where does the water come from? What does it look like? What does it do to your home?

We're here to help! In this blog post, we'll go over some of the basics of how a water cleanup company works: identifying where the source of the leak is coming from, assessing the damage caused by said water source, drying out your home properly so mold doesn't grow...you get it! By reading this article you'll be able to better understand what goes on during a typical water cleanup process so that if/when disaster strikes again, you'll know exactly what steps need to be taken immediately so that things don't get worse in the long run.

Step 1: Determine the source of the water

After you've noticed a water leak in your home or business, the first step is to determine exactly where the water is coming from. You can do this by checking for leaks or plumbing issues, roof or ceiling damage, and water damage on the ground and walls. Shutting off the water supply is important to prevent any more water from leaking out onto your property.

Step 2: Damage assessment

In step 2, you'll want to determine if the damage is from a burst pipe, flooding, or a leak. This will help you assess what kind of repairs need to be made and how much time and money it will take for your home to be restored.

It's also important to check for structural damage: Are there cracks in walls or ceilings? Is there water damage on the ceiling? If so, this could indicate that structural repairs are needed.

You should also inspect all electrical systems in your house for signs of damage as well as appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers. These can experience significant financial loss due to water infiltration over time if not properly maintained during regular service intervals. You may also want to consider hiring an electrician if any wiring has been exposed due to the flooding event since they'll know exactly how much rewiring needs to be done before allowing yourself back into your home.

Step 3: Water extraction and dry out

The process of water extraction and dry out is the third step before you can start reconstructing your home, and it's essential to your safety. After you've removed as much standing water as possible, a professional will come in to remove any wet insulation, replace it with new insulation, and use fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the area as much as possible.

Step 4: Remove affected materials

Once you've removed as much of the water as possible, it's time to focus on removing any affected materials.

Here are some things you'll want to consider:

• Remove damaged materials. This includes damaged carpeting, insulation, drywall, and furniture. For example, if the water is only in the kitchen and not the rest of your home then you may want to keep those rooms intact but rip out all of your sopping wet cabinets and countertops from that room. It can be overwhelming at first glance but this is a good time for an extra set of hands or two!

• Remove moldy materials. As soon as possible after removing wet materials from your home or apartment (or office), throw away anything that was touched directly by water—including bookshelves full of books (yes).

Step 5: Drying and dehumidification

Drying out your property after a water loss is a crucial part of the cleanup process. This step includes using fans to circulate air, heaters to warm up the air, dehumidifiers and air purifiers to remove mold and mildew, and dehumidifiers and air purifiers to remove bacteria.

You're probably familiar with the idea of cleaning up after a spill, but did you know that water cleanup can be a complex process? You need to understand what processes are involved in order to make the most informed decision about your situation. Water cleanup isn't easy. You need to have the right equipment and knowledge, as well as make sure that you're not putting yourself or others in danger while doing it. We hope that this article has helped you understand what water cleanup looks like so that you can prepare for when your next flood or leak happens.

Why You Should Call SERVPRO of Rogers County

9/28/2022 (Permalink)

When you have an emergency, we will respond faster to any size disaster.

The last thing you want to do after a disaster has damaged your home or business is spend hours on the phone with insurance companies, adjusters, and contractors. The professionals at SERVPRO of Rogers County are ready to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We understand how stressful these situations can be and we pride ourselves on being able to respond quickly and efficiently. Our team comes prepared with all the necessary equipment needed for any size loss so that your cleanup will go as smoothly as possible.

Cleaning up after a fire or water damage can be overwhelming. Our team will work with you every step of the way from start to finish.

We answer our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can count on our team to be available around the clock. It doesn’t matter if you need help after office hours or on the weekend, we are here for you 24/7. We understand how stressful it can be when your home or business in Claremore, OK, has been damaged by a natural disaster or fire. That’s why we want to make sure that we are available for you whenever you need us most.

We do not use subcontractors.

We have a large team of technicians and a large fleet of trucks. We have extensive equipment and knowledge, which allow us to complete complex cleanups from water damage, fire damage, mold damage, and more in the Claremore area. This allows us to guarantee that your home will be restored back to normal as quickly as possible so that you can move back into your home without worry or stress on your part.

One of the most important things to know about SERVPRO is that we are faster to any size disaster, no matter what time of day or night. Our 24/7 response team ensures this by making sure trucks and equipment are always ready to go.

SERVPRO of Rogers County is locally owned and operated.

If you're looking to hire a local restoration company, SERVPRO of Rogers County is here to help. We are locally owned and operated, so we know the area well. Our staff will make sure your home or business is restored in a timely manner. We are a large loss specialist, meaning that we have the resources to handle larger disasters for you. If you need any assistance with restoring your property after a fire or flood, call us today!

Our techs are trained and certified by the IICRC.

SERVPRO of Rogers County is a full-service restoration company that specializes in water damage, mold remediation, and fire restoration. Our team of certified technicians can handle all types of disasters, including:

• Water Damage

• Fire Damage

• Mold Remediation

• Odor Removal

We work with all major insurance carriers.

When you call us, we will ensure that your property is restored in a timely manner. Even if you have a small loss, we will treat it with the same care as a large loss. We know how to deal with insurance companies and claims adjusters because of our experience recovering from many different types of disasters.

We work with all major insurance carriers and can help with your claim process so that you don't have to worry about anything but getting back to normal after the disaster hits.

You can trust SERVPRO of Rogers County with all of your disaster cleanup needs

When you have an emergency, we will respond faster to any size disaster. We are fully prepared to handle water and fire cleanup, mold remediation services, odor removal/removal, and more—no matter when or where it occurs. We serve all of Rogers County with our guaranteed response times and always-open customer service lines (24 hours a day, seven days a week).

As an IICRC-certified firm, we bring the latest techniques to every job site so that you can be sure that your home or business is restored as quickly as possible. Our technicians are trained in all aspects of water mitigation, fire mitigation, mold mitigation, and odor removal/removal so that they can handle even the toughest situations with expertise and professionalism.

If you need help with any aspect of your disaster cleanup needs please call us at (918) 888-3858 today!