SERVPRO® of Chattanooga

Newsline

Like it never even happened. ®

April 2013

April Showersbring...

TORNADOES?!How you, your family, and your customers can be prepared when the worst happens. page 4

Change is the only constant. We have all heard this at one time or another, but how true it is! Think about our industries

today compared to ten years ago, or even one year ago! Sometimes I ask myself, “How did people do business before smartphones and GPS?”. From FaceBook to iPads, the way we do business is always changing!

Amongst all this change, there is one thing that we can’t forget - customer service. Our indus-tries have differences, but this is one thing we do have in common. Without customer ser-vice, we are just another company and lose our competitive advantage.

At SERVPRO of Chattanooga, we strive to be the best that we can be. We appreciate the op-portunity to work with you and know that each time you recommend us, you put your name on the line. Thank you for your confidence.

Sincerely,

Message from the Owner

Jeff CuthbertsonOwner, SERVPRO® of Chattanooga

There’s no such thing as a small disaster, especially when the water you don’t see contains bacteria–or causes mold, rot and other unseen damage. Water damage can affect the value of your property. So before you get out

the mop bucket and box fan to try and clean it up yourself, consider how this

will affect your home or business.

SERVPRO® of Chattanooga knowshow disruptive unseen water damage

can be for your business. For thisreason, SERVPRO® of Chattanoogaoffers 24-hour emergency response.

We are trained and understand how to manage the drying process. By utiliz-

ing the proper equipment and moisture measuring devices, we quickly and

thoroughly dry your building to IICRC standards, which helps prevent sec-ondary water damages. With a quick response time and a full line of wa-

ter cleanup and restoration services, SERVPRO® of Chattanooga can help

you regain control quickly, ensuring your facility and its contents are prop-erly dried, deodorized and protected.

Before you risk further damaging thevalue of your facility by attempting toclean up the mess yourself, call us!

Save the DateJune 13, 2013FREE C.E. CourseRestorative Drying for Water Damage

at SERVPRO of ChattanoogaCall 423-326-1406 to RSVPComplimentary breakfast and lunch

provided.

Why We’re the Service Professionals

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Save the Date

DUCTSGet your

in a row!Take a look at the picture above. This is what your ductwork could look like inside. Just beyond that opening could be a room where your chil-dren or grandchildren play, where your spouse reads the paper, where you take your afternoon nap. And every time your air conditioning or heat system turns on, the air blows across all of that filth, carrying it into that room to be breathed by you and your loved ones.

On average, Americans spend 93 percent of their time indoors–this could be problematic if you live or work in an environment with poor air quality. According to studies by the Environmen-tal Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution levels are often higher than outdoor levels. Ven-tilation systems are often the biggest culprit in poor indoor air quality. When was the last time you inspected the ductwork in your home orbusiness? If you cannot remember, it may be time for some much needed attention.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning(HVAC) units combined with dirty ducts can cir-

culate odors, contaminants such as mold and irritating dust throughout your building or home. SERVPRO® can inspect your ductwork and rec-ommend the best way to address any indoor air quality concerns.

Keeping your HVAC system and ductwork clean not only provides cleaner, fresher air, but can also extend the life span of the equipment by allowing it to operate at peak condition.

SERVPRO® of Chattanooga uses a portable ventilation and air duct cleaning system to ex-amine ductwork and make a clean sweep, re-moving years of dust and grime.

Breathe easier this spring. An inspection of your HVAC system and ductwork can save you mon-ey, provide peace of mind and prolong the life of your equipment. Contact SERVPRO® of Chat-tanooga to schedule an appointment today.

Mold

Dust Mites

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April Showersbring...

TORNADOES?!Devestation in southeast after 2011 tornadoes.

Most of us remember when tornadoes seemed to only wreak havoc in the dust bowl out west - out of our sights, and except for our prayers, really out of most of our minds. None of us expected weather patterns to shift, causing the Tornado Valley to move to our own valley.

For the past two years, our area has been dev-astated by these vicious storms. Some families have still not been able to piece their homes and lives back together completely. And, as April approaches and memories of the carnage left by the tornadoes of 2011 and 2012 start seeping into our minds, we grit our teeth and try to keep our heartbeats steady against the fear that it will happen again, much too soon.

However, sweating with worry is not the an-swer in these situations. There are many things you and your families can do in case a tornado nears your dwelling. According to Ready.gov,

awareness and preparation are the keys to sur-viving in that situation.

To begin preparing, you should build an emer-gency kit and make a family communications plan. Your emergency kit should consist of the following:• Food (non-perishable, 3 day supply)

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• Water (one gallon per person, per day for 3 days)• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both• Flashlight and extra batteries• First aid kit• Whistle to signal for help• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities• Manual can opener for food• Local maps• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Your family communications plan should con-sist of an agreed upon neighborhood meet-ing place, and out-of-town meeting place, and an out-of-neighborhood meeting place, and the phone numbers to each of those places. It should list the name, birthdate, social secu-rity number, and medical complications of ev-ery member of your household (and/or family plan). It should consist of the names, phone numbers, and addresses of all workplaces, schools, and frequently visited places of all family members. It should have a list of the names of family members and their insurance policy numbers in case a claim needs to be filed, including home AND health policies, as well as a designated out-of-town contact per-son and his or her phone number.

Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or to commer-cial radio or television newscasts for the latest information. In any emergency, always listen to the instructions given by local emergency man-agement officials. Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms and the following danger signs: dark, often green-ish sky, large hail, large, low-lying clouds (par-ticularly if rotating), and a loud roar similar to a freight train. Be prepared to take shelter IM-MEDIATELY if you see any of these warning signs.

In the event that you and your family must take shelter, try to get to a basement or underground cellar. If this is unavailable, go to the innermost room of your home or building with the least windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, hallway, under a stairwell). Once in a safe spot, crouch down facing a wall with your head in between your knees and your arms shielding your head. If possible, stay in this position with a heavy table, work bench, or mattress cover-ing you as well.

If you happen to be driving and see a torna-do, IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER. Do not try to outrun or chase the tornado, as they can change paths at any given second. Once you are pulled over, get out of your vehicle and lay down in a ditch or low-lying area with your arms over your head. If there is no ditch or lower point of ground in your surrounding area, stay in your car with your seat belt on and duck down below the windows, sheltering your head with your hands and a coat, blanket, or cushion if possible.

After the tornado passes, keep your family to-gether and wait for emergency personnel to ar-rive. If anyone is injured, carefully give aid. Do not near power lines or puddles with wires in them, and be wary of broken glass, nails, and other hazardous objects. Do not re-enter your house if it was damaged by the tornado. Do not use matches or lighters as flammable gas-es could be leaked in the air.

If your house has been hit by a tornado or other-wise damaged in the storm, first breathe, then call SERVPRO® of Chattanooga immediately. We will be there any time, day or night, 365 days a year to assist you with water damage that may have incurred, as well as the contents cleaning and pick up, storage, and move-backs you will need. A live person will always be on the other line to assist you, no matter when you make that call at 423-326-1406. We will make it like it never even happened.

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Upcoming Events

We would love to have you participate at any one of our upcoming events! For more information or how to join us,

please call Meghan at 423-326-1406, or E-mail

meghan.w@servprochat.com.

April 6, 2013Clean and Green

Downtown Clean-Up

May 18, 2013Bowl for Kids’ Sake

Big Brother, Big SisterCharitable Event

June 13, 2013FREE C.E. Course in

Restorative Drying for Water Damage

Check back every issue for added or updated events!

Like us on Facebook!www.facebook.com/servprochattanooga

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga’s largest fundraiser of the year and will be held on

Saturday, May 18th, 2013 at Holiday Bowl Brainerd.

This event has been held locally since 1987 and had 320 bowlers in

2012 representing numerous companies throughout Chattanooga. All the money raised stays here in our

community to help provide more children with caring mentors.

We have some companies who like to challenge their competitors, their other company locations, or internally for the highest score, best outfits, most teams, etc. This event is a great way to build

company relationships and overall morale. To sign up, visit

ChattanoogaBFKS.kintera.org or call 698-8016.