This extremely bad laundry room fire in Upper Sandusky,OH was caused by an electrical malfunction. As you can see it caused severe damage though out the building, causing operations to be shut down for a lengthy period of time.

Here is a photo of a  prime example of what not to do, when it comes to fire safety. For the safety of the customer, our employees and equipment we had to decline servicing this property due to countless fire and electrical hazards.

Specific Recommendations:

• Keep humidity levels as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
• Use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier during humid months.
• Be sure the home has adequate ventilation, including exhaust fans.
• Add mold inhibitors to paints before application.
• Clean bathrooms with mold killing products.
• Do not carpet bathrooms and basements.
• Remove or replace previously soaked carpets and upholstery.

This crawlspace in Kenton,OH had a moisture problem, which then led to a mold problem.

If you have a crawlspace under your home it is generally a good idea to open these vents to allow outside air to circulate under the floor in summer to prevent the moisture buildup that encourages mildew and rot. In winter, when the air is drier, the vents are closed to reduce the chance that the pipes in the crawl space might freeze.

While it may be one of the most overlooked tools in your home, it's also one of the most potentially overworked. Keeping an extra (new and never used) sump pump as a backup could save you thousands of dollars worth of damage in the long run.

Make a bi-annual checklist, and be sure to add routine checkup/maintenance of your sump pump to it. At some point and time you will probably be glad that you did.

This photo is a prime example of why porous goods should never be stored directly on the floor, especially in a basement.

This doctor's office lost literally tons of past documents, due to water backup in their basement.

This home in Upper Sandusky,OH unfortunately experienced a frozen/broken pipe while the home owners were away on vacation. Needless to say, they came home to quite the mess.

This is why it is always a good idea to be pro-active when you know you will not be present for an extended period of time at your home. It's never a bad idea to turn off your main water valve when going on vacation.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

This local church experienced some flooding issues due to heavy rains in the Logan county area. We received the call to assist, and were onsite within 2 hours to help get as much water out as we could and place our commercial grade drying equipment, to efficiently get the structure dry and ready for services again.

Heat from this ferocious fire melted the siding on the fronts of two houses across the street from the church, as well as several trash and recycling receptacles nearby.

Hundreds of spectators came and went throughout the afternoon hours to look at what little remained of the stone church, which was dedicated in June, 1889.

First responders were called in from neighboring communities, including Bluffton, Kenton, McGuffey, Jenera, Alger, and Union Township, and from the Hardin County Sheriff's Office. The state fire marshal's office was investigating the cause.

This historic Ada,OH church was badly damaged by this 2012 structure fire. Unfortunately for the church and the community of Ada the damage was too extensive to save the building. As you can see from the photo, the only thing structurally left standing was the masonry of the outside walls. The entirety of the roof and any flammable structure materials were destroyed by the fire.

This senior assisted living facility had their sprinkler system freeze a burst. Causing heavy damage to many rooms, hallways and contents. The primary damage was caused by blown in insulation, which did save a lot of potential water damage. But on the other hand resulted in quite a mess and required extensive clean up.

This long lost city building in Sidney,OH had been left to the elements for years, and this was the result. This is similar to what would happen to many current structures if man were no longer inhabiting this planet.

These apartment units were heavily damaged by fire, due to an electrical malfunction. These walls were too far gone to clean and make it "Like it never even happened", but we were able to clean them to prep for sealing and painting.

This florist shop in Upper Sandusky,OH was damaged due to an undisclosed water issue. We were able to arrive onsite within hours to make sure they could stay up and running!

The customer's of this home went to Florida over the winter months. In the meantime a water line broke in the bathroom, leading to the mold that you see in this picture, from floor to ceiling.

This vacant property in Hardin county Ohio was unfortunately not being watched over the winter months, and due to the power being off led to the basement filling up with water from the rain/snow melt.

This is a prime example of how mold can occur, even from a small water problem that is not handled appropriately.

Did you know that carpet can grow mushrooms indoors? Well that's exactly what happened in this home in Lakeview,OH (Indian Lake). If water damage is left alone it can result in some strange situations.

This basement was severely damaged due to flooding caused by a local storm in Ada,OH. The water got so high that the couch literally tried to float out of the window. In this circumstance the basement needed to be emptied, and the drywall removed to aid in the drying process.

This basement in Kenton,OH flooded due to the rain and snow melt, and at it's highest it measured around 4 feet of water. The preceding damage was quite extensive. Around an estimated $10,000 worth of damage was documented.

Local Kenton,OH photo of recent flooding in the area. The snow melt along with the rain, were just too much for the ground to hold. As local areas were inundated by flood waters overnight.

The difference between SERVPRO and it's competitors can be as drastic as Day & Night.

Give us a call at (937)354-3540. We'll be here to assist you with what you need!

Angel's displayed - One post restoration , one pre-restoration. Illustrating the capabilities of our office to save some items that most would deem unsalvageable. Sometimes making it "Like it never even happened."

Photo taken at the halfway point to illustrate the difference between pre and post cleaning of a heavily smoke damaged item. Making it "Like it never even happened." , whenever possible.

Photo taken at the halfway point to illustrate the difference between pre and post cleaning of a heavily smoke damaged item. Slightly further along in to the restoration/cleaning process.

If the conditions are right, and your water damage is not handled in a timely manner. You can literally "make it rain" inside. The dew point (dew point temperature or dewpoint) is the temperature at which dew forms and is a measure of atmospheric moisture. It is the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure and water content to reach saturation.

Even a small leak can lead to a large problem. In fact sometimes the small leaks are the ones that go unnoticed for longer periods of time, and do the most damage. Rotting wood, encouraging mold growth, deteriorating floor coverings and many other unwanted consequences.

This home that wasn't watched while it's owners were away for the winter quickly went from a simple water damage to a full blown mold remediation/tear out situation. This could have been avoided by winterizing the home and/or shutting off the water sources before leaving for an extended period of time.

If the conditions are right ( moisture/food source/temperature) ,mushrooms have been known to sprout from the floor in water damaged homes that are not found and mitigated in a timely manner.

The dew point is the temperature at which the water vapor in a sample of air at constant barometric pressure condenses into liquid water at the same rate at which it evaporates. At temperatures below the dew point, water will leave the air. The condensed water is called dew when it forms on a solid surface.

This fan shows the byproduct of an indoor environment being at "saturation". The fan blades absorbed as much moisture as they could hold...until the point that their own weight caused them to sag.

Basement after a winter thaw and storm , leading to flooding throughout the area. In this specific basement the water got so high , that the couch tried to float out an Egress window.

Fleet of vehicles available to service your loss at most any time day or night , rain or shine. (Not available to be shown in photo - SERVPRO green Chevrolet HHR marketing vehicle)

Outside perspective on the sheer volume of size available in our warehouse for storage of contents and other belongings , while they are awaiting cleaning and/or restoration. It is no problem to store your items for you while awaiting the completion of your home after a devastating loss.

Over 8000 sf warehouse space available to store contents after a fire , water , mold or any other type of loss that may occur. Secure premises and fully climate controlled storage space.