SERVPRO of Austin & Albert Lea Finds and Remediates Hidden Damage from Fires and Other Disasters.

Fire Damage Can Outlast the Cleanup

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) reports that structural fire damage cost communities, home- and business-owners $25.6 billion in 2018 (the last year for which complete statistics are available).

Costs came from direct and indirect damages.

The direct damages include:

• Fires destroying structures and contents (and the rebuilding)
• Immediate damage from smoke, fire, or soot

The indirect damages include:

• Continuing damage from smoke or soot
• Water damage from fire suppression
• Microbial growth (such as mold)
• Damage from other fire suppressants
• Restoration of restorable structures

Call the Professionals: SERVPRO^® of Austin & Albert Lea

Our emergency services are available 24 hours/day, every single day. Holidays, weekends, early in the morning, or late at night… We’re available.

Call us at 507-396-6644.

We are franchise professionals with training and experience. At SERVPRO of Austin & Albert Lea, we know that not all damage is obvious, and that many of fire’s consequences continue to cause damage long after the fire is extinguished.

Our work begins with a client’s phone call:

• We are local so can arrive to the site quickly (our motto: FASTER TO ANY SIZE DISASTER)
• We learn which kinds of professionals and equipment to send
• We’ll find out what insurance you have because we work directly with most insurance companies

Once we arrive, we begin assessment.

Damage Causes Damage

Water

Water can hide under floorboards, within insulation or support beams, between ceiling tiles, and behind walls. We extract all standing water and hidden moisture, so the water does not delaminate flooring or wood, weaken building joints or other parts of the structure, destroy drywall and textiles, or loosen flooring or ceiling materials.

Mold

Even a small amount of excess moisture is enough for mold to flourish. Regardless of whether the mold is a type that can harm humans, it eats almost everything it touches, and it grows quickly.

Heat

The USFA warns readers that room temperatures in a fire can range from 100 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. This heat is enough to disintegrate fabric and melt plastics and metal. At SERVPRO of Austin & Albert Lea, we train our team members to inspect the wiring and the pipes because even parts that weren’t exposed to flames may be damaged or destroyed.

Soot

Soot is made of tiny, sticky particles of substances that did not burn completely. The particles often travel to parts of the structure that the fire never touched. The particles stick to whatever they land upon. Soot corrodes most substances, including metal, stone, and concrete. The particles can also be a health hazard, especially to people who have respiratory or heart problems.

Smoke

Like water and soot particles, smoke goes wherever the air currents take it. Smoke is also corrosive and must be removed.

SERVPRO^® of Austin & Albert Lea

507-396-6644