Blog about Home Restoration in Chicago, Lincolnwood, Niles, Park Ridge, Deerfield, IL, and Surrounding Areas

Water Damage Cleanup in Lincolnwood and Niles, IL

Posted on: January 4th, 2015

Water damage clean-up and restoration by a professional recovery team

Water damage is usually severe and when water accumulates it will continue to cause damage. It can destroy valued possession and compromise the structure of your buildings and property. Water damage clean-up and restoration in Lincolnwood is not something you want to delay. To avoid additional losses and potential health risks you should contact a disaster recover expert as soon as possible. A Emergency provides water damage restoration services in Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie and Lincolnwood. They are available 24/7 and will do full water damage assessment and decide on the best plans and actions to clean and restore your property in Lincolnwood and the surrounding Chicago areas.

Water damage can arise from various sources. If the water comes from a contaminated source you could also face serious health risks. Water that is allowed to accumulate and stand will soon be become contaminated and also provide an environment for mold to set in. Mold can damage walls, surface, furniture, carpets and many other structures and items in our home. Mold also affects the air quality which can result in health related problems.
A professional water damage clean-up team in Lincolnwood and Skokie will quickly remove items from water and salvage what can be salvaged. They will also disconnect the power supply and remove electrical items first. They will dry and clean effected items and also sanitize fabrics, carpets and upholstery. A disaster recovery team uses specialized equipment for effective water extraction, drying, cleaning and sanitizing. Should mold be present they have special equipment for mold detection and removal.

Specialized equipment used in water damage clean up in Lincolnwood and Chicago includes powerful pumps, blowers, humidifiers, air-movers as well as industrial type chemicals and disinfectants. Once the water has been removed and surfaces and structures cleaned, dried and disinfected, thee actual water damage restoration work can commence. Depending on the extent of the damage such restoration work can be light or major. Either way a professional team such as A Emergency in Lincolnwood and Morton Grove will restore your property to its pre-disaster state.

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Fire Damage Cleanup in Lincolnwood and Niles, IL

Posted on: December 28th, 2014

Fire clean-up and smoke damage cleanup requires an expert recovery team

In most instances a fire will result in substantial damage and leave behind a terrible mess that will need to be cleaned up as soon as possible. In such an event fire damage clean-up is no small task and will require professional disaster recovery services such as provided by A Emergency. They offer various disaster recovery services in Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie and Lincolnwood. These include fire damage cleanup and smoke damage restoration.

Calamities happen and a disaster can strike when its least expected. It is a good idea to have a disaster recovery plan and this includes knowing who to call when you need fire damage clean up or smoke removal and restoration. When your property suffers fire damage your buildings and structures will usually be compromised and pose a security risk. Broken windows, exposed roof, and damaged doors leave your property vulnerable to the elements as well as intruders. Part of fire damage cleanup involves securing your property with board ups, roof tarps and similar make shift structures.

Most fires are extinguished with water which needs to be removed in order to avoid additional damage and health risks. Water extraction, smoke extraction, odor removal, drying, cleaning, salvaging and sanitising are all important tasks when it comes to fire and smoke damage restoration. These tasks require specialised equipment air movers, scrubbers, dehumidifiers, extraction pumps, ultrasonic washers, drying chambers and more. In addition a disaster recovery team will use industrial type chemicals such as soot and smoke cleaners as well as vital supplies such as containment products and materials.

Disaster recovery experts also wear protective clothing and gear such as breathing apparatus, safety goggles, fall gear, coveralls and gloves. Fire and smoke damage restoration is specialised work that requires people who know what they are doing and who have the equipment and resources to get the job done as quickly and effectively as possible.

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A Water Removal Company in Lincolnwood or Morton Grove

Posted on: November 27th, 2014

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Hiring A Water Removal Company

When your home is affected by water damage or flooding, you need quick action measures to be taken in order to save it from further damage. The bottom line is, your property is now in a vulnerable state and it needs immediate water removal.

But before you rush to hire a water removal company, there are a few questions to ask yourself in order to make sure that you are going to get the best services, best results, at affordable prices.

Is the water damage clean up company an accredited business?

Working with a water removal accredited business means that you, as a client, will be offered water removal services that meet accreditation standards. If you want to hire such a company in Chicago, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie then make sure they’re accredited. It is the best guarantee that your property will go through a proper clean-up process.

Can you use your home insurance to benefit from the services of a water removal company?

You will have to discuss this matter with your insurance agency. Only your insurance agent can tell you if you can benefit from water removal services that are covered by your home or property insurance.

The water removal company can help you determine which objects are salvageable and which are not, thus giving you and the insurance company an idea of the cost of the losses. For example, many water removal projects begin with getting rid of sofas, mattresses, or cloth households; they need a lot of time to dry and usually grow mold and a bad smell, so you can consider them lost.

Does the water removal company have specialized equipment?

Water removal equipment is vital in this industry; working with modern tools in order to eliminate water from a property ensures a quick damage recovery process. Timely home restoration after water damage is crucial: if you act fast you can save more household items, get better cleaning results, and eliminate unpleasant odors.

Tags: Water Removal
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Reliable Water Damage Clean Up in Lincolnwood or Morton Grove

Posted on: November 20th, 2014

Get Help Finding Reliable Water Damage Clean Up Services In Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie and more.

When your home or property has been affected by water or flooding, you need quick access to a reliable water damage clean up company from your area in Chicago, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie. But sometimes finding the best services can prove a time-consuming job, and time is the last thing you want to have on your hands.

In order to avoid any further water damage (such as mold, stains, unpleasant odor), you need to contact a professional water damage clean up company immediately in Morton Grove, Skokie and the surrounding areas of Chicago. Fortunately for you, nowadays it is easy to do a quick search on the internet and find a company in your area.

But how do you know if the water damage clean up company you found in Morton Grove is a reliable one? Here are some guidelines to help you find the best services in town:

Search for testimonials or case studies

Photos and videos are the best proof of the quality of the clean-up services a company offers. So if you’re visiting the company’s website, search for client testimonials and project case studies from other water damage clean up projects.

Company experience

In order for the company to gain your trust, you need to know they have lots of experience in the field. After all, you don’t want to pay them your hard earned money only to find out later that they did a poor-quality job. De-humidification and drying are the core foundation of water damage clean up services in Skokie,Lincolnwood,Morton Grove and the surrounding areas of Chicago, but stain removal, water extraction, and mold removal are equally important.

Company’s tools and water damage clean up system

Try to have a look at the products they’re using during the clean-up process: what kind of technology are they using? Is the job done in a timely manner? You need reliable services, but you also need the clean up team to finish the job quickly. You are going through a difficult time recovering from the water damage disaster, and the last think you need is to hire someone who is inefficient. And the efficiency of a water damage clean up team from Chicago, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie relies heavily on the products and tools they use.

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Roof Tarp Protection for your home in Lincolnwood or Morton Grove

Posted on: November 10th, 2014

If your roof is damaged and in need of repairs then a roof tarp offers a temporary solution until proper repairs can be carried out. Working on a roof can be dangerous and is best left to people who know what they are doing.

For professional roof tarping in Chicago, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles and Skokie you can contact the restoration team at A Emergency. . They have roof tarps suited for all kinds of roofs, including in, tiles, shingles and asbestos. After a storm your roof can be compromised and exposed. A damaged roof cannot provide adequate protection against the elements and alos poses a security risk. Permanent repairs might not be possible immediately and in such cases a roof tarp can ave your home from further damage.

Professional roofers know how to install and attach roof tarps, whether intended for a few days or a few weeks. They know where on an up-slope the tarp should be attached so water can’t get under it and how to secure it so that the wind does not blow it off. Simply pacing weights on a tarp to try and hold it in place is foolish and dangerous. A Emergency has expert roofers who will attach and fasten a roof tarp that will protect you and your home until proper repairs can be carried out.

Roof tarps come in different shapes and sizes such as hurricane tarps, light weight polyethylene tarps and heavy duty polyethylene tarps. A good roof tarp should be cost effective, waterproof, mildew resistant, strong and durable, tear resistant and easy to secure.

Some types of roof tarp don’t require ropes and can still cover large areas. Modern day roof tarps are often light weight but still strong and durable. A professionally installed roof tarp will also be free of wind noise and won’t cause secondary damage.

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Fire and smoke damage restoration in Lincolnwood or Morton Grove

Posted on: November 3rd, 2014

Fires happen and resultant damage is usually severe. If you need fire damage assistance and smoke damage restoration in Chicago, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles or Skokie then you can call A Emergency for fast and effective help. There are many possible causes of fire such as electrical faults, negligence, lightning, arson and more. The risks are real and the consequences are likely to be serious. Fast action in the form of fire and smoke damage restoration is required in order to ensure safety, prevent additional losses and restore normality.

The kind of fire damage and related restoration efforts are heavily influenced by the type of fire. For example high oxygen fires will leave a different footprint to low oxygen fires. The materials burnt also effect the type of fire and smoke damage. Since smoke contains small particles and gases that did not burn away. These particles often contain harmful elements such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide as well as trace elements that are harmful to humans as well as valuables. Smoke can permeate and penetrate throughout your home or building, resulting in unpleasant odors and physical damage. Smoke can also make it difficult to breathe and can also eye and skin irritations. Smoke damage restoration is often required to remove smoke and related odors. Once the smoke starts to clear it leaves behind an acidic layer that is corrosive in nature and results in discoloration and general damage.

Smoke damage restoration is a difficult task and professional disaster recovery experts use methods such as thermal deodorization and ozone treatments. Chemicals are also used to mask the smoke odor. Everything needs to be cleaned and dried and these include walls, floors, carpets, curtains, upholstery, equipment as well as furniture and fittings. Structural damage needs to be repaired.

Professional disaster recovery teams have the right skills, equipment and resources to provide fast and effective fire and smoke damage restoration.

Tags: fire damage restoration, Smoke Damage Restoration
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Board Up and Home Restoration in Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie and Chicago

Posted on: October 21st, 2014

Board up and Home restoration services will rebuild your home and your lifestyle in Niles, Skokie & Lincolnwood

Property damage as a result of disasters such as fires and floods can leave your home in a vulnerable and compromised state. Home restoration services is often required to secure and protect your property after a disastrous event. A-Emergency Restoration Services provides board up in Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie and Lincolnwood and home restoration.

Securing your home is one of the most important tasks of a disaster recovery effort. This can include home board-up in Lincolnwood and Niles, roof tarping, structural stabilization in Chicago and the surrounding areas as well as temporary enclosures and fencing. Disaster responders have all the important equipment and resources to secure, clean, sanitize, disinfect and restore your home or premises after a calamity.

Apart from damage to your property, a disaster can severely disrupt your life and the lives of your loved ones. Such an event can be emotionally draining and overwhelming. You will need to get your life back to normal as quickly as possible. A professional disaster recovery team can help do just that. They understand the importance and the need for fast and decisive action.

One of the first things a disaster recovery team will do is to prevent additional damage and loss. A-Emergency provides board up in Skokie, Lincolnwood, Chicago and the surrounding areas, roof tarping and provide temporary fencing if needed. You don’t want to leave your home exposed to elements or vandals. Before the restoration process can begin your home has to be safe and free of health risks. This means any accumulated water has to be extracted and materials and surfaces have to be dried and sanitized.

Once your home has been secured and cleaned the actual restoration process can begin. This will involve construction, building, plumbing, electrical work, roofing and more. Soon your home will be restored to pre-disaster condition and in time the whole nightmare will become a distant memory and you will glad you used the board up services of A-Emergency in Skokie, Niles, Lincolnwood and the Chicago surrounding areas.

Tags: Board Up, Home Restoration in Lincolnwood, Niles
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Fire Damage Clean Up & Property Damage Restoration in Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Skokie and Chicago

Posted on: October 14th, 2014

5 Easy Ways to Clean Smoke Damage

Has your home or business centre recently been through an unforeseen fire? If so, chances are that you are now looking for fire damage clean up in Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie, and Lincolnwood.

But there is an alternative to these services: doing it on your own. It is not as difficult as it sounds, although it will require some time and dedication from your part.

1. The sooner the better

Going through fire damage restoration can be a strenuous experience, both physically and emotionally. But the sooner you start recovering from the damage the better. Smoke tends to stick to clothes and fabric and with time is becomes difficult to remove it from walls, furniture or floors.

So make sure your household items are not ‘soaked’ in smoke because it will be very difficult to recover from smoke damage.

2. Let air come through

A good starting point is to let your windows wide open so air can come through. Even though you don’t feel like it helps much, fresh air contributes to eliminating the unpleasant smoke odor. But of course, air can’t do much on its own. This is why your help is needed. Or the help of a professional fire damage cleanup agency. Here’s where number 3 comes in:

3. Vacuum cleaner and disinfectants

Baking soda can do wonders to a lot of the household items that have been affected by fire. Besides this, make sure you vacuum the soot that remains from the fire. If wet, soot can easily create long lasting stains, so it is better to vacuum and not wash it.

Use disinfectants to clean up appliances. If you want to get rid of the nasty odor sooner, create a solution from water and vinegar. Vinegar smell is not very pleasant either, but it can eliminate smoke odor and it will vanish after a couple of hours.

4. Walls: try this if washing doesn’t work

Walls are probably the most difficult part of the house to clean. If everything else failed to clean them, try baking soda, as mentioned at point 3. If that also fails, then you may want to consider re-painting the room(s).

5. Contact a professional property damage restoration company

So these are the 5 easy ways to clean smoke damage. Remember that you will need some time to go through these, so if you can’t take time off from work, maybe it is better to consider asking for help from professionals. Contact a fire damage clean up company that works nearby: Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie, and Lincolnwood.

Tags: Fire Damage Clean Up
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Flood Restoration and Home Restoration in Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie and Chicago

Posted on: October 7th, 2014

Flood Restoration Emergency Plan for Home Restoration Services in Lincolnwood, Niles & Chicago

No one wants to have to deal with home restoration after a flood. But sometimes you simply have to take the bull by its horns. In these situations, it is useful to know what are the most important things to do if your house becomes flooded and you need the assistance of a flood restoration expert in Lincolnwood and the surrounding areas of Chicago.

Water infiltrates quickly in the queerest places; it destroys furniture, clothes, floors, etc. Therefore, it is vital that you eliminate water from your house as soon as possible, before it causes further damage. A-Emergency is here to help if you find yourself in the need of flood restoration in Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Skokie and more of the surrounding local areas.

Here is a short list of top things to do immediately after a flood:

Leave everything aside and call your insurance agent as soon as possible. There may be some damage, but you don’t want to have to pay for it – that’s what your insurance is for. So call the agent and let them know that you will need flood restoration.
Shut off any source of electricity in the house! This is utterly important as it can hurt you or those around you. Do not turn the electrical system on again until you are 100% sure that everything is dried out.
Take water out of the house/building. Mud may have entered with the flood, so make sure you shovel out as much mud as possible. Do not let it become dry, because it will harden and it will be even more difficult for you to shovel out. If there is mud left on hard surfaces or in corners, use a garden sprayer or a hose to wash it away.
If your furniture was affected, do not move it. Wait for the insurance agent to inspect the damage first, otherwise you may end up losing your home insurance coverage. By the way, if you have mattresses, sofas or other cloth households, consider getting rid of them. Once wet, they take a lot of time to dry and often grow mold. So consider them lost.

Tags: Flood Restoration, Home Restoration
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Water Removal & Smoke Damage Restoration in Lincolnwood, Skokie, Chicago, Morton Grove and Niles

Posted on: September 30th, 2014

Smoke damage restoration and water removal in Lincolnwood. These are urgent matters after a disaster

A-Emergency Services & Restoration offers priority disaster recovery services like smoke damage restoration & water removal in Lincolnwood, Skokie, Chicago, Morton Grove and Niles.

The usual saying is where there is smoke there is fire. When it comes to smoke damage restoration and water removal in Lincolnwood, we can change the emphasis and say where there is fire there is smoke. Smoke damage can also vary depending on the type of fire. One thing is clear and that is you want to get rid of smoke in your home as quickly as possible. A-Emergency Restoration Services provides disaster recovery services like smoke damage restoration and emergency water removal 24/7 in Chicago, Niles, Morton Grove, Skokie and Lincolnwood and part of these services include smoke damage restoration and water removal.

The flames and heat of a fire will usually cause severe damage but smoke can also result in considerable damage. Smoke can stain and penetrate materials resulting in discoloration. Wet smoke will also leave a sticky residue on floors and surfaces that can also cause further damage. Most types of smoke, be it wet smoke, dry smoke or protein smoke, will also leave behind a pungent and unpleasant odor.

Part of the smoke damage restoration process involves smoke removal, odor removal, cleaning and salvaging. Smoke and soot needs to be cleaned from surfaces and odors need to be extracted and neutralized. The disaster recovery team in Lincolnwood uses special materials and equipment to mitigate smoke, remove stains and neutralizes odors.

Water damage is another potential cause of severe property damage. If water accumulates inside your home you will need to act fast to get rid of it. Water removal may require the use of specialized equipment such as pumps, humidifiers, fans and commercial cleaners and disinfectants. You do not want accumulated water to stand. Standing water will seep into materials, furniture, appliances and foundations and this can result in substantial damage. Water from a contaminated source will also pose an immediate health risk. Standing water can become contaminated and will also promote the formation of mold. Water removal needs be done as soon as possible in order to prevent additional damage and to avoid health risks and we are the experts at water removal in Skokie, Morton Grove, Lincolnwood and the Chicago surrounding areas.

Tags: Smoke Damage Restoration, Water Removal
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