When water disasters strike, call SERVPRO Team Gutierrez ASAP!

10/14/2024 (Permalink)

Water intrusion can spread through your building and wreak havoc to the structural integrity and equipment. Call 301-340-1313 right away!

Our DMV region (District of Columbia, Maryland & Virginia) including the Rockville, Olney & Silver Spring area has seen flooding problems due to heavy rainfall.

Water damage can shut down your office building. Water can cause damage that you can see, but also damage that is not easily visible. No matter the damage, best to call in a professional remediation service, such as SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & Silver Spring North, even if you think the repairs are small. Water takes the path of least resistance, so it finds its way through building materials where the water eventually gets trapped and can create rot and mold growth.

Emergency water removal is the first step in preventing more damage to your property. Once the water has been dried out by our technicians, we thoroughly inspect your property and determine what has been affected and what is okay. We can then focus our effects on restoring the damaged areas. The drying & restoration process can usually be finished in a few days and is monitored closely to ensure proper drying. Water damage can be from any of the sources below:

Plumbing Failure
These disasters can release hundreds of gallons of water quickly into your office building. Malfunction can result from broken pipes, malfunctioning sprinkler systems, loose hoses and other plumbing sources.

Local Flooding
Flooding can come from sudden, heavy rainfalls. Intense downpours can flood gutters, drains and downspouts quickly, and the overflow can cause severe water damage to your business.

Long-Term Moisture & Humidity
Small leaks usually hide and are overlooked; however, overtime they lead to water damage problems that need repair. Ceilings, wall cavities, bathrooms, hallways and attics are the most susceptible areas to mold growth and wood rot from continued exposure. Basements and vented crawlspaces are also environments that can be humid, leading to similar water and mold issues. Standing water can fast turn into damage that is more widespread if not cleaned up right away. Mold starts growing in as little as 24 hours after a water intrusion and can spread through your building and do much harm to the structural integrity, plus to the health of your employees and any equipment inside.

If you want a trusted, professional company to come out to your property to access water damage and to begin the restoration process, call SERVPRO Team Gutierrez of Rockville, Olney and Silver Spring North, 301-340-1313.

Our powerful truck-mounted water extraction equipment and our specially-trained technicians are just what you need when a water disaster strikes your office building.

Graffiti, sewer, biohaz damage... SERVPRO Rockville can tackle them all!

10/14/2024 (Permalink)

Our commercial services include water & fire cleanup and restoration, biohazards & mold remediation, and reconstruction of damaged properties.

Team Gutierrez of SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney and SERVPRO of Silver Spring North offers a plethora of commercial services including water & fire cleanup and restoration, biohazards and mold remediation, as well as reconstruction of damaged properties. 

From office buildings and restaurants, to schools, government agencies and malls, even churches, we solve problems anywhere from water damage to mold and soot damage.   

We realize it’s important to keep your commercial property in the best repair possible. Your building, both on the outside and inside, is oftentimes the face of the company.

Below are a few of the most common issues commercial properties face. You may want to take note of these issues and check your building for them. If you do come across any of these problems, it’s important to get them fixed immediately, as holding off can increase the problem - and cost.

Check for the following (or you may need to hire a professional to investigate for some of these):

• Leaks: From roofs to gutters, to serious moisture buildup, water leaks can cause an assortment of problems including mold growth and rotting
• Asbestos: If your building is older than 20 years, you should have it inspected for asbestos, which if present, can cause detrimental effects on one’s health
• Cracking: Could possibly be a sign of an underlying problem in the building’s structure
• Fire and safety regulations: Make sure your building and property meet all standards regarding the current safety and fire requirements
• Infestation of bugs or rodents: Yikes! No one feels comfortable working in a building knowing it’s home to an abundance of rodents. It also doesn’t look pleasant to visitors or clients when ants or gnats are buzzing around or see a few rodent droppings. Additionally, pests can damage the wiring of a building.
• High energy costs: Keeping your commercial building in good repair can help keep your energy consumption at a manageable level. Also consider installing energy-efficient lighting & appliances. Consider creating energy and water-saving campaigns throughout your building. Make colorful posters and have prizes for whichever floor most actively participates, for example.
• Electrical faults: Dead outlets, melting wires, and faulty circuits can cause fires. A trusted electrician should be called to check out the situation immediately.
• Biohazard damage: Graffiti, sewer and bodily fluids are part of our biohaz cleanup services.

SERVPRO Team Gutierrez of Rockville, Olney & Silver Spring North is here to help. Call us 24/7 at 301-340-1313.

Is Your Business Resilient?

10/3/2024 (Permalink)

It's important to make a plan with your team for your business in case of disasters.

Small businesses that have been struck by disaster will not reopen, according to FEMA - the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

As we post this blog, multiple states along Southeast U.S. including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas are picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild from the massive destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida in late September (2024) before moving on to surround states. Nearly 200 died and neighborhoods and businesses large & small were submerged as of first week of October.

Many people don’t consider the serious impact a disaster, such as a storm, fire, or flood, can have on a small business. It not only can destroy the building and surrounding property of the business, but can also destroy essential information, contacts, etc..., which can put a quick end to the business’ existence.

By taking action before a disaster strikes, you can take steps to increase your employees’ safety, your business’ resiliency, and your clients’ trust.

These steps below may be helpful to keep your business safe:

• Keep your company records, documents, and contacts stored in paperless form (on Google Drive or iCloud, for example)
• Pre-establish policies for employees, vendors and customers in order to maintain trust and stability, and also to retain relationships and positions
• Do a threat analysis. Assess any possible risks your business may be susceptible to, from a hurricane to a cyber attack
• Develop a continuity plan. FEMA recommends creating your plan using these four steps:

1. Conduct a business impact analysis
2. Identify, document and implement recovery strategies
3. Compile a business continuity plan with others in your business
4. Conduct training, testing, drills and exercises to teach, practice and evaluate the plan

Additionally, SERVPRO Team Gutierrez of Rockville-Olney and of Silver Spring North can help establish a response plan should your business experience a storm or fire that may cause water and smoke damage to your business property.

Our SERVPRO's Emergency Ready Plan (ERP) can help give you, your employees and customers peace of mind. Our ERP allows for quick restoration response to help minimize disruption of your business. Call us today, 301-340-1313.

Let SERVPRO Rockville take your facilities to the next level of Clean!

4/9/2024 (Permalink)

It's always important to keep commercial facilities such as businesses, hospitals & schools clean to protect everyone's health.

What the recent pandemic has taught the world is that clean and disinfected spaces, especially in public, continues to be key to keeping everyone safe and healthy.

With the country back to nearly 100 percent normal and most businesses and workplaces operating in person as usual, we want to remind our clients that it's still important to have buildings and facilities thoroughly cleaned to keep everyone safe from germs and other health hazards.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed what it means to be clean, SERVPRO® franchises throughout the country – including SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & Silver Spring North and SERVPRO of Laurel & Greenbelt NE/Beltsville E – are here to help keep your customers and employees safe with our commercial cleaning services.

We use a proactive viral pathogen cleaning program backed by our more than 50 years of experience in cleanup and restoration. 

Our commercial clients include daycares, schools, government entities such as police & fire stations, hospitals, and condo & apartment buildings.

Give us a call today at 301-340-1313 and let our crews take your facilities to the next level of CLEAN!

We do more than Fire & Water restoration: We provide Business Cleaning Needs

3/13/2024 (Permalink)

We do more than fire & water restoration: We provide business cleaning needs for commercial property owners and managers.

You work hard every day to build your business, so the last thing you need to deal with is a disruption to your daily functions. But accidents -both large and small - can happen at any time. SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & SERVPRO of Silver Spring North can help during those times with specialty cleaning for your commercial property.

Whether it’s duct cleaning, odor removal, graffiti removal, biohazard cleaning services… Let SERVPRO® Team Gutierrez certified technicians handle these specialty cleaning projects for your business and commercial properties.  

Providing Your Business Cleaning Needs

We have the equipment and experience to get the job done, whether you have a routine need, like air duct and HVAC system cleaning, or face a major emergency, such as biohazard and crime scene cleanup. Our professionals are skilled and work with the most advanced cleaning products and techniques to clean & restore your commercial property, so you can focus on work and growing your business.

Team Gutierrez can create a custom cleaning plan for the business or property owner, followed by our best-in-class cleaning and disinfecting services, and finishing with a certification they can share with their patrons and staff. Rest assured all our crew members and products adhere to Centers for Disease Control and local cleaning guidelines.

Call SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & SERVPRO of Silver Spring North today at 301-340-1313. We are locally-owned and operating for 44+ years, and always open & ready to help! 

Restoring Commercial Buildings After Water Damage

12/1/2023 (Permalink)

Ask about our Business Ready Plan for quick response to water or other emergency damage.

Flooding and water damage disasters at Silver Spring North or Rockville-Olney commercial properties - such as office & condo buildings and healthcare facilities - are often complex with numerous issues that require a knowledgeable and flexible response. Whether we’re dealing with a relatively small water cleanup scenario or a large-scale event, we work quickly to assess each unique situation and isolate the damaged area.

In many instances, normal operations can continue in a temporary space while we restore your facility.

Restoring Commercial Properties Presents Unique Challenges

Our SERVPRO technicians are trained regularly to be mindful of legal and environmental concerns and strive to fully restore the damaged area while working within your budgetary constraints. We understand that every hour spent cleaning up is an hour of lost revenue and productivity. So when an emergency situation arises at your business, give us a call at 301-340-1313, and we’ll be there fast with the help you need.

About SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & Silver Spring North

SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney and SERVPRO of Silver Spring North specialize in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly-trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property.

We are here to help 24/7. Call SERVPRO Team Gutierrez at 301-340-1313. Ask about our Business Ready Plan for even quicker response!

Winter checklist for your commercial buildings

12/1/2023 (Permalink)

Preparing your commercial property for winter is an essential part of maintaining your building!

Preparing your commercial property for winter is an essential part of maintaining your building(s)! As you know, harsh winter weather can take a toll on your property, so make sure to check off each of the items below before our Maryland winter weather goes into full swing:

-Check your building’s winter inventory! Do you have all the necessary winter snow removal supplies such as a salt spreader and snowplow? Are they in good repair? Make sure these items have adequate fuel, too!

-If you do not plow your own snow, see that you establish a contract with a snow removal service company.

-Make sure your building is safe for customers! This means removing snow from walkways and entrances, adding slip-resistant flooring as shoes tend to get wet from snow this time of year, and ensuring all areas of your building are well-lit. During the winter, we see less daylight, so it is crucial to ensure good lighting for the safety of all!

-Clean snow piles from the roof or hire a professional company to do so. Also, check for loose shingles or any other damage to your roof that can be caused by the high winds or ice that winter brings.

-Keep the building temperature above 45 degrees Fahrenheit to protect plumbing (mainly to avoid frozen pipes). Regularly check both interior and exposed pipes. Insulate pipes and seal cracked ones to avoid broken pipes.

-Inspect your HVAC system. Look for cracks and leaks and listen out for any strange sounds originating from the system. The wintertime can give your system a real workout! 

-Check for large icicles, especially when in harm’s way. Icicles can become quite heavy and very dangerous. Be sure to remove large icicles that have the potential to fall on someone or onto a car. 

-Prevent power outages in your building by investing in backup generator(s) and inspecting nearby powerlines and the surrounding trees. Weak tree branches often cause outages by falling onto telephone poles and powerlines.

We hope you stay safe and are prepared for Winter 2023-24! Team Gutierrez of SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney & SERVPRO of Silver Spring North is here to help 24/7 should you need cleanup & restoration from storm damages.

We also do repair & reconstruction to make your property damage "Like it never even happened." 301-340-1313.

Ways to Conserve Water in Commercial Buildings

10/18/2022 (Permalink)

Install energy-saving faucets and appliances to save water (and money!)

Unlike your home, your commercial building is comprised of various employees and clients/customers. You and your family might make conscious efforts to conserve water at home, but oftentimes, those in your building may not.

How often do you use your bathroom sink and walk out with the water still running? Probably never! Now consider this. How many times have you visited an empty public restroom with a running faucet? Probably a few times a year!

One solution would be to install touch-free faucets. This and other energy-saving fixtures and appliances nowadays can save businesses a lot of money, even if the initial cost isn’t very low.

Additionally, you can make an easy switch of replacing your faucet aerators with newer ones of lower power. After companies make this switch, they typically notice the new aerators only use a fifth of the water the older ones did.

Another money-saving bathroom investment is purchasing new flush valves. Today, there are some great options to choose from. You can buy water-saving flush valves that use 20 percent less water than newer toilets and 70 percent less water than pre-1992 toilets.

If you operate a restaurant or any other facility that calls for a dishwasher, you may want to upgrade to a water-saving dishwasher. Although they cost about the same as normal dishwashers, these washers use 40 percent less water, not to mention less energy too.

A few more tips for saving water in your commercial building include planting shrubs, bushes, flowers, etc. that require less water instead of growing plants that demand water. Additionally, you should make sure your irrigation device is positioned practically. The sidewalk shouldn’t be drenched after a watering session. Also, check for leaks or drips. You'll need them repaired to save water (and money).

If you’ve noticed rainfall and your irrigation schedule collide, you may want to invest in a rain or soil moisture sensor. You can save a lot on your water bill from what nature has to offer. Plus, if it has rained or the soil is damp enough, the plants could potential drown.

Lastly, meter your irrigation separately, as unless you do so, your water company will send all the water coming from the property to a wastewater treatment plant. If you do choose to meter, your sewer bill will plummet.

We at SERVPRO of Rockville-Olney and SERVPRO of Silver Spring North encourage you to incorporate a few of these tips into your commercial business and see how much water (and money) you can save!