When Storms or Floods hit, SERVPRO is ready!

8/22/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Clinton specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today. 563-212-2874

Tis the Season for Severe Weather Patterns

7/6/2022 (Permalink)

This is the time of year when severe weather seems to pop up across the Midwest. We here at SERVPRO Clinton are prepared to weather any emergency that will arise. As severe storms move thru our area there are so many incidents that may arise. From the smallest rainstorm to the devastating Derecho, SERVPRO Clinton is Faster to any Disaster. 

Rainstorms, big or small, seem to always find the way into the basement leading to flooding. Every homeowner knows that removing, cleaning and restoring the home to its original state is always difficult to deal with. SERVPRO Clinton steps in and handles everything from start to finish. After removal of contents and water, we begin the drying process and assess and restore any damage that incurred from the water.    

Larger storms with lightening and high winds are capable of creating more damage than flooding. Lightning strikes and high winds are capable of wreaking havoc on a home. Fires and damaged trees spawn roofs and window dilemmas. We at SERVPRO Clinton will arrive to board up broken windows and tarp a damaged roof allowing the home owner time to assess the damage.

SERVPRO Clinton lends a hand to our customers because we know storm damage leads to dealing with insurance concerns. Our representatives are able to help the customer to navigate and understand the process of filing a claim. Being able to help our customer makes an effortless process, from the beginning to the end.

When Your Home is Damaged by a Storm We Are Only One Call Away

6/30/2022 (Permalink)

Forces of nature can take a violent turn. Events such as floods, wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes and blizzards can have a devastating effect on your home. SERVPRO of Clinton  is equipped with the training and experience to handle whatever damage any storm may unexpectedly bring your way.

SERVPRO of Clinton wants to get you back into your home as quick as possible. Regardless if the storm damage is major or minor, SERVPRO Clinton has the experience and equipment to cleanup and restore your home getting your life back to normal as soon as possible.

SERVPRO Clinton provides 24/7 Emergency Service and our teams are available should disaster strike. We will provide you with assistance navigating the insurance claims process and will coordinate the necessary paperwork making your experience easier and quicker.

Key tips to staying Safe During Thunderstorms

3/25/2022 (Permalink)

With spring right around the corner and summer rolling in, its true what they say, "April showers bring May flowers", but do you know how to stay safe during pop up thunderstorm season? 

In the Midwest when the sirens go off, everyone rushes outside to see where the storm is coming from, or which direction the tornado is forming. In reality what should happen is that at the first sound of thunder, the safest thing to do is move indoors. Being completely covered is important to avoid lightning strikes.

Once inside stay up to date with a weather radio and avoid using excessive electronics connected to electrical outlets to avoid any shock. 

It is also best practice to avoid running any water in case of an electrical surge. This would include washing dishes and taking a shower. 

A fun fact that most people aren't aware of is that 6 inches of fast-moving water can swipe you off your feet and cause serious harm. It is best to avoid walking through fast moving water and driving through flooded roadways. Water will not think twice about taking you away with the current, which is why you have to think twice for it.

Please remember to make sure that your emergency preparedness kit is always stocked and easily accessible in case of any emergency. 

Recovery After the Storm

3/25/2022 (Permalink)

Has a server storm ever gone through your hometown leaving you clueless what do next to repair the damages? We have the helpful guide to get you on the road to recovery.

The first thing is to ensure that you and your family are all healthy and free of any injury. If you were evacuated from your home, it can be very over-whelming to return to your property, but do not return until the safety officials have given the green light.

Once you have returned home and able to assess all damages, you are going to want to call your insurance and file a claim. Take note of all the damages and take pictures for your own personal documentation. Save all your receipts for any clean up you do to turn into insurance as well.

Beware of all safety concerns such as open gas lines, fallen powerlines, excessive standing water with the potential to hold an electrical current, and unstable foundations.

Notify officials of any unsafe factors such as chemical spills, a strong gas smell, and large amounts of standing water. 

How To Stay Safe During A Tornado

3/15/2022 (Permalink)

Tornadoes are violent: they can completely destroy well-made structures, uproot trees and hurl objects through the air like deadly missiles. Although severe tornadoes are most common in the Plains States, they can happen anywhere. Learn what to do to keep your loved ones safe.

A tornado WATCH means a tornado is possible.

• Identify a safe place in your home where household members and pets will gather during a tornado: a basement, storm cellar or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

• In a high-rise building, pick a hallway in the center of the building. You may not have enough time to go to the lowest floor. 

• In a mobile home, choose a safe place in a nearby sturdy building. If your mobile home park has a designated shelter, make it your safe place. No mobile home, however it is configured, is safe in a tornado.

If You Are Outdoors:

• Seek shelter in a basement, shelter or sturdy building.

• If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter, immediately get into a vehicle and try to drive to the closest sturdy shelter. Remember to buckle your seat belt.

• Stay away from bridge/highway overpasses.

• If strong winds and flying debris occurs while driving, pull over and park, keeping your seat belt on and engine running. Put your head down below the windows, covering your head with your hands and a blanket.

Summer Storm Basics

8/18/2021 (Permalink)

Summer is fully upon us, and it has brought the things we love about the warm part of the year. Many of us got to take that vacation we’ve been waiting for, warmer weather begs us to spend time outdoors, and days are prolonged and sunny—well, most of them.

It might sometimes seem as if summer months are more likely to bring thunderstorms, and that’s actually true. Warm air and moisture combine to create storms such as last August’s destructive derecho.

Be Storm-Alert

Storms may be a typical part of summer, but they should never be taken lightly. Always listen to storm alerts, and consider whether outdoor activities may need to be postponed. Get yourself an NOAA Weather radio that will continue to alert you even if you lose power.

It’s hard to predict flooding, but if it’s forecast to be likely, you should plan to keep off the roads and stay at home. Heavy storm winds can overturn backyard items and snap weak tree branches. Keep the arbor trimmed and move patio items or trampolines to safe areas if possible.

Dozens of people die every year because of storms, so you should never take your safety for granted.

Be Storm-Safe

When a thunderstorm hits, the presence of lightning means you should stay inside. Don’t head outdoors until there’s been no thunder for at least 30 minutes—this indicates that the storm has moved far enough away that lightning won’t strike your area.

And your mother was right (as usual)—you should avoid windows and stay out of the tub or shower during a storm.

In cases of tornadoes or extreme thunderstorms, make sure you’ve prepared an emergency kit, and that you know local evacuation routes.

If flooding occurs, head to high ground and stay out of flood water if at all possible. If you encounter flooded roads while driving, turn around. Rushing water can carry your car away into danger and cover up roads that have been washed away altogether.

There are any number of dangers that can come into play in a thunderstorm, and it’s always best to be cautious and put things on hold until storms safely pass. If storms cause damage to your home or business, SERVPRO is on the line, ready to make things right again.

The Rising Cost of Severe Storms

7/8/2021 (Permalink)

As if 2020 didn’t bring enough drama to the table, it also became a record-setting year for weather and climate disasters. Of all the years in history for which we have data, 2020 was the most financially destructive.

2020 saw 22 official weather disasters (which are defined as events that cause at least a billion dollars in damages), plus a host of other damaging storms not counted in that statistic. There were so many hurricanes and tropical storms that the NWS had to dip into the Greek alphabet for only the second time in history just to be able to name them all.

Not Only Hurricanes

Although it’s easy to understand why hurricanes would bring immense destruction and cause large amounts of monetary damage, they’re not doing it all. In fact the most expensive disasters of 2020 in the contiguous United States were thunderstorms and tornadoes. 

Fourteen of the official weather disasters of the year were severe thunderstorms, some of which unleashed ravaging tornadoes as well. Thunderstorms happen everywhere, in every season, and there’s no avoiding them. They happen inland and on the coast, Seattle to South Beach, and everywhere in between.

One example of what a single storm system can become: In August 2020, a seemingly typical line of thunderstorms in eastern Nebraska exploded into a derecho (think of something like a tornado, but with straight-line winds instead of swirling ones, combined with a heavy thunderstorm) which impacted more than 10 million acres of corn fields, almost half the state’s corn crop—that’s over 11% of the entire country’s corn fields. This same storm tore through eastern Iowa, including right here in Clinton County, producing winds up to 140 miles per hour.

Not Only 2020

Unfortunately, when it comes to weather, 2020 seems to be more like a new normal than an outlier. It was the 10th consecutive year with at least eight billion-dollar disasters. 2018 and 2019 saw a combined $136 billion in damages, and 2017 saw a damage total of over $300 billion, the highest total on record.

The bottom line is that storms are inevitable, and their frequency and intensity show no signs of  diminishing. As a home or business owner, you should take whatever precautions are possible to minimize any damage to your property and keep yourself and any family living with you safe. 

And should those precautions give way to property damage, you’ve got a friend in the restoration industry whose goal it is to recover your valued items and restore your property “Like it never even happened.”

When storms do damage, we go to work to make things right. Contact SERVPRO today to see how we can help.

Damages That Often Occur Due to Thunderstorms.

5/6/2021 (Permalink)

The frequency with which thunderstorms occur is quite high during the warmer months throughout the year, but every thunderstorm still brings a potential for danger. Each storm brings rain, thunder and lightning with it, and can also give rise to high winds and hail.

All of these things can combine to cause serious issues, even though thunderstorms are considered a routine occurrence.

Whenever a thunderstorm is present, there is always both thunder and lightning, even if you can’t see or hear one or the other. Thunderstorms that are upgraded to severe thunderstorms will also feature hail larger than an inch in diameter and winds that reach 58 miles per hour or more. Both types of thunderstorms can present serious hazards to anyone in their path.

The Serious Hazards That Thunderstorms Present

Damage and injury from lightning strikes. If there is thunder present, the storm will always also contain lightning strikes, whether they are striking between the clouds or towards the ground. Lightning is a powerful thing that is documented as causing a minimum of 300 injuries every year. In addition to causing physical harm, lightning can also cause significant property damage due to fires and felled trees.

Property damage due to hail. While hail is something that will not be present during every thunderstorm, it quite frequently is and can cause serious damages. While large hail is a major threat, even small hail can cause injury and property damage. Anyone who is in the pathway of hail should be properly sheltered, and after the storm, check for damage to your car and your home’s roof and siding that hail is notorious for causing.

Harm from flash flooding. While flooding is typically contained to areas near bodies of water, flash flooding can happen anywhere that heavy rain is occurring. It is often associated with underperforming storm drains or runoff areas, but as rain continues to fall, it can quickly become a major concern. Flash floods are highly dangerous even if they are just a few inches high and can happen suddenly.

Thunderstorms are dangerous and can cause significant damage to homes or commercial spaces. If you have damage due to a thunderstorm, you can count on us to help. Contact us ²⁴⁄₇ for more information about our storm restoration practices.

Are You Ready In The Event of Severe Weather?

5/4/2021 (Permalink)

Severe weather can happen anytime, in any part of the country. Severe weather can include hazardous conditions produced by thunderstorms, including damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, flooding and flash flooding, and winter storms associated with freezing rain, sleet, snow and strong winds.

Understanding the type of hazardous weather that can affect you and your family based on where you live, is a great first step in order to properly prepare for any storm events.

Make a Plan:

Make a plan today. Your family may not be together if a disaster strikes, so it is important to know which types of disasters could affect your area. Know how you’ll contact one another and reconnect if separated. Establish a family meeting place that’s familiar and easy to find.

Here are some basic questions to ask yourself when you are preparing for storms.

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
2. What is my shelter plan?
3. What is my evacuation route?
4. What is my family/household communication plan?
5. Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Consider Specific Needs In Your Household:

As you prepare, tailor your plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. Discuss your needs and responsibilities and how people in the network can assist each other with communication, care of children, business, pets or specific needs like operating medical equipment. Create your own personal network for specific areas where you need assistance. Keep in mind some of these factors when developing your plan:

• Different ages of members within your household
• Responsibilities for assisting others
• Locations frequented
• Dietary needs
• Medical needs including prescriptions and equipment
• Disabilities or access and functional needs including devices and equipment
• Languages spoken
• Cultural and religious considerations
• Pets or service animals
• Households with school-aged children

Should your home or business sustain any damage due to storms, give SERVPRO of Clinton a call and we'll be happy to assist!

563-212-2874

The Restoration Experts You Need

4/20/2021 (Permalink)

There’s never a good time to deal with home damage. But if it happens to you, you can count on your local team of SERVPRO experts to make the process as painless as possible.

One of the first decisions you make after your home is damaged is also the most important. That’s calling the right home restoration company.

Choosing the right one is key to ensuring the damage is handled professionally and that your home can be restored just the way you remember it.

Millions of Homes Are Damaged Each Year

The statistics don’t support the belief that home damage is rare. It’s actually quite the opposite. Millions of homeowners are faced with situations that damage their homes every year.

The Insurance Information Institute estimates that fire damage impacts one every 350 homes every year. If you consider every possible cause of home damage (like storms and flooding), the numbers become closer to one out of every 20 homes each year.

Instead of being frightened by these statistics, use them as a motivation to have a plan in place. Knowing how to choose your restoration partner is key.

We want to be our area’s preferred restoration partner. That is exactly why we prioritize our technicians’ training when they join our team.

Training and Education Are a Priority

When you work with our team, you can be certain you will receive timely service from exceptional professionals. Our technicians go through our extensive training program and also has the ability to train through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

The IICRC sets the industry standards for restoration and offers extensive certifications for all of our technicians.

We invest in training because we want to be sure you have a trustworthy resource that can provide you with high-quality restoration services. That means you can trust us when you need it the most.

If your home is damaged due to a fire or any other cause, you can always count on us for restoration assistance. We have teams who are available ²⁴⁄₇ in the event of an emergency. Contact us at any time more about our restoration services and how we can help your family.

When Storms or Floods hit, SERVPRO is ready!

3/10/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Clinton specializes in storm and flood damage restoration.  Our crews are highly trained and we use specialized equipment to restore your property to its pre-storm condition.

Faster Response

Since we are locally owned and operated, we are able to respond quicker with the right resources, which is extremely important. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces the restoration cost.

Resources to Handle Floods and Storms

When storms hit, we can scale our resources to handle a large storm or flooding disaster. We can access equipment and personnel from a network of 1,650 Franchises across the country and elite Disaster Recovery Teams that are strategically located throughout the United States.

Have Storm or Flood Damage? Call Us Today. 563-212-2874

Making Your Home Spring-Safe

3/3/2021 (Permalink)

Are you ready to put another cold and snowy Midwestern winter behind you and start celebrating a warmer, happier spring?

We know we’re ready to go outside and enjoy more sunny spring days.

Many Clinton residents, including our team members, are ready for the warm weather and sunshine as the calendar turns to March, and we can start thinking about spring. Are you ready for the reprieve warm weather brings?

Maybe you’re ready to start planting a spring garden, taking hikes through the countryside or just planning to bring your grill back out and cook hamburgers and hotdogs for your family.

However, like with every season, spring brings a new set of possible problems for homeowners to consider. During the spring season, that can include strong thunderstorms.

Strong thunderstorms with wind, hail and rain are just part of the new season. And there’s nothing we can really do to control the weather patterns that move across our region.

But there are things we can do to put our homes in the best position to weather the coming storms.

Your Spring-Safe Home

Here are some things you can add to your to-do list:

Ensure overhanging limbs are removed from your home. Limbs and branches overhanging your family can come down when the winds get high and heavy. Cut down any stems hanging over your roof or garage.

Check your gutters for debris. Clean gutters are vital to keeping water around your home flowing the right way, instead of causing water damage.

Take a good look at your home’s roof. Inspect your roof for issues like missing shingles and signs of leaks. Repair them to keep your home safer.

Take a minute to check your home’s sump pump. Not every family has one of these (or needs it), but it’s important to be sure it’s working correctly before your house goes through a rainy spring.

Secure the items around your home. Don’t let unsecured furniture or other similar items become tools for wind damage. Trim back trees that need it and secure everything you can.

If a fire, flood or any other cause damage to your home, you can always count on us for restoration assistance. We are available ²⁴⁄₇ in the event of an emergency. Contact us at any time to learn more about our restoration services and how we can help you.