Why the SERVPRO Way Cleans Up and Restores Water, Fire, and Mold Damaged Properties in Dover

6/20/2019 (Permalink)

Dover Homeowners Trust the Work of SERVPRO Technicians for Cleanup and Restoration Services

Dover Homeowners Benefit from Professional Restoration Services

New Jersey experiences extreme weather changes all year round, including intense storms and the seldom hurricanes that cause flooding and wind damage to homes. Non-weather related events that can lead to the need for restoration services in a Dover property include water damage from plumbing and appliance failures, fire damage, and mold remediation needs.

Homes in Dover with water damage need extraction and drying as soon as possible after the initial event. The more prolonged exposure to water to the structure and contents lessens the chance for successful restoration. SERVPRO employees go through intensive training using the methods and procedures as advocated by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration to learn the best practices for every type of home or commercial disaster.  

The type of water our technicians need to mitigate makes a difference in the kind of procedures used.  

Clean water poses little threat from contaminants and tends to have one of the best outcomes in terms of loss when extracted quickly.  

 Gray water is also known as "sullage" and can come from sources such as washing machines or toilet tank overflows, and is more serious when it occurs.  

Black water comes in the forms of groundwater from flash foods or sewage backups and should always have professional cleanup due to the need for protective safety gear and the potential for toxins, sewage, and debris.  

If clean or gray water stands without mitigation for over 48 hours, we handle it as a black water cleanup. Using training garnered from becoming Water Removal Technicians (WRT) we at SERVPRO know the appropriate equipment to choose for small water cleanup jobs to full-scale property floods requiring truck mounted pumps.  Our water extraction methods work to pull as much moisture out the property to lessen drying times.  

Fire damage in Dover properties brings many challenges to SERVPRO technicians. There may be charred building materials and contents that require removal, smoke damage to clean, and water damage from fire extinguishing efforts. Containment is a standard method applied during fire cleanup and restoration services to inhibit the spread of soot to unaffected areas of the property.  

We test smoke residue to determine the best cleaning methods and use manual techniques such as HEPA filtered portable vacuums, dry cleaning sponges to pick up soot before using wet cleaners. In cases where a fire has gutted a residential or commercial property, our technicians have training in controlled demolition to remove building materials too charred for restoration through our proprietary cleaning methods. This removal of non-salvageable materials enables property owners to rebuild without any residual reminders of the fire, such as smoke odors.  

Odor elimination is a large part of most fire cleanup efforts. Because even a small fire with little done in the way of property destruction can leave behind huge odors. Our technicians have several types of equipment that effectively neutralize odor-causing molecules.   


The first sign a Dover home needs mold remediation may come in the form of a musty odor, and then the discovery of visible mold colonies. There is no way to completely remove mold as spores occur naturally both indoors and outdoors. However, the key to inhibiting the growth of mold lays in removing the essential elements it requires to exist. Namely: moisture, temperature, and a food source.  


When SERVPRO technicians address mold damage in a residential or commercial property, we contain the areas where colonies are to stop the spread of spores to other areas during remediation efforts. We also scope the rooms to determine areas of excessive moisture and the cause, to fix the root of the issue. 

We have the equipment to dry the areas, and once the colonies dry, they are carefully removed using hand vacuums with HEPA filtration to capture spores and when necessary, lightly abrasive techniques such as soda blasting for mold abatement.  

Our technicians pay special attention to the HVAC ductwork in properties after both odor control and mold remediation efforts and often perform thorough cleanings to halt any further spread of spores or soot particles when the HVAC is turned on.  

After storm damage to a Dover residence or commercial property, it is vital for professional water cleanup. Water follows the path of least resistance and can wind up far from the entry point. Our technicians use different kinds of moisture detection equipment from probes to thermal imaging to ensure we locate all excessive moisture. The reason professional restoration services are vital is if moisture is left behind after flood damage or other water intrusion event in a property, it leaves the structure in danger of developing mold or the weakening of building materials and loss of contents.

In cases where water wicked into sheetrock, the removal of the entire wall may not be necessary. Our technicians have the training to properly perform flood cuts that only require cutting away about six inches above the water line in the sheetrock and letting a more substantial amount of airflow within the wall cavity for thorough drying.

The goal of SERVPRO technicians is to save the property owner from the cost of replacing items when restoration through cleaning is an option. For example, water damaged books and important documents are not automatically a loss; we have access to and use the same restorative techniques as the Library of Congress for preserving valuable books and papers.  

WHY SERVPRO? Performing restoration services on Dover properties should not be a DIY task. The danger comes in property owners creating unhealthy living conditions through inadequate water cleanup or leaving soot behind after a fire. Our technicians hold several certifications in the restoration sciences and know how to apply them for the best outcome for every job. 

Once our technicians complete the mitigation efforts on a property, we give the homeowner and adjuster a list of all activities done along with photographs to expedite the filing of insurance claims. We also identify the repairs that need to occur to prevent the growth of mold or other damaging issues.  

SERVPRO of Dover / Stillwater stands ready to help property owners 24/7 with restoration service needs after damage from fire, water, mold, or storm. Using our high tech equipment and technicians, we can make the loss to your property, "Like it never even happened."

Learn more about Dover. http://www.dover.nj.us