We have done it again! SERVPRO of Sumter was voted the Best Mold Treatment Company for 2020. We wish to thank all that casted their vote for us and look forward to continuing to serve the Sumter and Greater Sumter area in 2021 and beyond.

We have a new station set up to clean incoming fire damaged contents. This new setup allows us to clean them faster so they can be returned to the client faster.

Carpet cleaning in progress after a kitchen fire.Soot is attracted to cooler areas, so often you will find rooms affected furthest from the source of the fire. The sooner the restoration begins, the more likely SERVPRO of Sumter can salvage more of your contents in your home.

We were honored at that Best of Sumter event with an award for being voted the Best Mold Treatment Company in Sumter.

Thank you to all that voted. We are truly honored.

We received a call about a burst pipe in a ceiling after hours. Upon arrival we found that the amount of water that was coming from the burst pipe had saturated the insulation to the extent that it cause the ceiling to collapse.

As can be seen in the image of a wall during the cleaning process, the specialize cleaning products used by our team here at SERVPRO of Sumter can make even the heaviest soot look  “Like it never even happened.”

Katlyn and Shannon are getting ready to do a mold remediation in a Sumter home. Once they done their protective eye ware they will use an antimicrobial to wipe the growth from this residence. If they come across some areas that they are not able to wipe the materials will be removed.

In most cases with clean water loss, the carpet is lifted or "floated" for drying. This ensures that the pad and the carpet are being addressed. If this had been a gray water loss, the carpet and pad would have been removed. 

Not all storm damage has to do with flooding and fires. Ice and snow can also bring on disaster. `From fallen trees to collapsed roofs from snow weight, SERVPRO is always ready to help.

A leaking roof can lead to major damage. This roof leak caused the saturation of carpet, padding, and sub floor. The carpet has been lifted to ensure the proper drying of the pad as well as the sub floor and carpet. This minimizes the damage to the sub floor and restores the carpet and padding to make it "Like it never even happened".

When lightning strikes a house, it can travel in any number of directions. Roofs often take a major hit, and metal gutters are especially susceptible, too.

Immediately call the fire department if you suspect lightning has struck your home. 

A home in Florence SC. experienced a slow leak in the kitchen. Over time the leak has caused a lot of damage, one of with is mold growth in the insulation and on the joist. 

A space heater used in a garage in Bishopville, Sc caused a lot of soot and smoke damage. The walls and ceiling of the garage had to be torn out and replaced as well as the garage doors. The contents were packed up and brought to the warehouse for cleaning. 

In a high profile fire in Sumter, SC. the fire traveled through the attic of this home causing major damage to the structure and the homeowners contents. To put out an attic fire the fire department must saturate the whole house, which causes the ceilings and insulation to cave in creating even more damage. 

The growth in this bathroom was likely caused by the high humidity and open windows in this vacant home. 

Every time it rained and the flooring and walls got wet, then the humidity raised, growth would spread through out the structure. 

Firefighters responded to a fire at the Hodge Trucking Company warehouse on Hauser Street  and found the building fully engulfed in flames.

Inside the warehouse, officials said, were carpets, plastic, and other flammable material making the fire spread fairly quickly.

SERVPRO of Sumter has the resources to respond to your needs no matter how big. We have our Disaster Recovery Team standing by to assist us. Let the SERVPRO Professionals handle all your commercial needs. 

Summerton, SC was impacted heavily by the 1000 year flood in 2015. This is the aftermath all the rains left behind crippling the small town just 8 miles from Lake Marion. 

During the high winds of Hurricane Matthew, Kingstree, SC suffered lots of downed trees that blocked roadways and in some cases even took out the roofs of homes and business.

Kingstree, Sc during the 1000 Year Flood in 2015. Never trust a road covered in water. You do not know how deep the water is or if there is a strong current present that can carry you away into even more dangerous waters. 

This is the aftermath of the flooding in 2015 on Sargaent Rd. in Sumter, SC. The sink whole started out with just a side of the road caving in, by the time the rains where finished the whole section of the road was gone. 

Your toilet supply line can cause a great deal of damage if it leaks or busts. You may think if you mop up the water that everything is good to go, however that is not always the case. Your bathroom vanity, baseboards, and walls can also be affected. The water can get up underneath your baseboards and cause your drywall to become wet and over time may even grow mold. It is always important to have a professional evaluate your circumstance to be on the safe side.  

Living in South Carolina we are all going to have some type of growth in our crawlspaces. The only way to properly remediate mold in a crawlspace is with total encapsulation. Encapsulation can be very expensive and sometime not necessary. The air around us contains mold spores, so it is only natural to assume your crawlspace will to. 

One process SERVPRO of Sumter uses when dealing with mold growth is placing air scrubbers and venting to the outside. While doing flood cuts on drywall that is not restore-able, mold spores can go air born and settle in non affected areas. By using this process we eliminate further contamination.

This growth is attributed to poor air ventilation.Moisture is the most critical requirement for growth. Spores remain in a dormant stage when materials are dry and the humidity is below 60%. You can see the condensation on the walls in this hallway that promoted the growht on the ceiling and trim. 

Mold growth in this closet was likely caused by the high humidity in the home and stagnant air. A vacant home with no air movement is a likely candidate for growth. Optimal temperatures for growth are between 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit but can grow in temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Mold growth will also thrive in dark places.  

SERVPRO of Sumter responded to a water intrusion at the County EMS building. As you can see water covered most of the floor in the Magistrates Court. With quick response time and drying equipment we were able to minimize the time of mitigation so that court could proceed on time. 

SERVPRO Professional Shaun Brown is addressing some glued down carpet after a water intrusion in a Wyboo Clubhouse made it necessary to replace the floor covering. By attaching a blade to the front of the machine we are able to tear out floor coverings more quickly and with less residual glue to scrape after the flooring is removed.  

The longer water stands in your property, the more harm that is caused, the more damage is done, and the more likely mold is to grow.

One way to make the carpet drying process go faster is by using a weighted extraction system.  The water removal technician will essentially walk with the tool throughout the wet area and press the tool down into the carpet, where the extraction tool then begins sucking up any water through the vacuum the tool is attached to, including any water soaked into the carpet’s padding or underlay.

 a weighted extraction tool can remove 97% of any moisture in your carpets, giving you a BIG headstart in the water extraction process and helping ensure your wet carpets are dried more quickly.  Of course, once the extraction tool has been used, SERVPRO of Sumter will set air movers throughout the affected area to finish the drying process.

Electrical Safety
Electrical fires are responsible for one in seven of all home fires in the United States every year. According to the
National Fire Protection Association, an average of 53,000 home electrical fires are reported each year resulting in
approximately 500 deaths, 1,400 injuries, and $1.5 billion in property damage. Most electrical fires and injuries can be
prevented by taking simple steps around the home:
1. Cover all unused outlets with safety plugs
2. Check used outlets to make sure they are not being overloaded
3. Check cords for frays and warmth
4. Be sure lighting fixtures and bulbs are placed away from flammable objects such as curtains, clothes, bedding,
and other fabrics

According to the National Fire Protection Association, firefighters respond to a home fire every 79 seconds. Simple steps can be taken throughout the home to reduce the risk of fire and injury/loss of life:
1.Working smoke alarms should be found in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly to ensure they are working properly and the batteries are good.
2.Be sure fire extinguishers are available on every level of the home and that each household member knows how to use them. 
3.Reduce the risk of fire outside of the home by removing dying or dead trees and shrubs and by keeping dry brush and debris at least 30 feet away from the home. Keep gutters, roof, and eaves clear of debris.
4.Be sure any candles in the home are placed away from curtains and other furniture, as well as out of reach of children and pets. Consider using safer alternatives such as flameless candles.

• Nearly 50% of small businesses close after a disaster, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• 75% of small businesses do not have a disaster recovery plan in place,according to a 2015 survey of 500 small business owners conducted by Nationwide.
• For many small business owners, formulating a disaster recovery plan is one of those all-important tasks that gets put on the back burner

This photograph shows the harmful and potential fire hazards that can lurk in dryer vents. Its is important to check your dryer vents often, and clean them regularly. By doing so you remove bacteria, restore dryer efficiency, and in some cases eliminate offensive odors. 

The debris you see here is the result of a broken pipe in the attic. The ceiling drywall and insulation fell to the floor below and left a horrible mess. SERVPRO cleaned up this mess and tore out the remaining damaged ceiling. 

A grease fire caused this damage. We arrived on the scene and was able to remove all the damaged materials. Once all the non salvage materials are removed we begin cleaning the structure of soot. 

This is a board-up after a fire in Dalzell, SC.

Boarding up damaged property is a burden that no one should ever go through- especially if it is your property that has been damaged. Boarding up property incorrectly could cause secondary damages such as moisture or animal intrusion, making the situation even worse.   

This is the aftermath of a water intrusion in the kitchen that required cabinet drying. The injection drying system is used to dry the cavity of the cabinets by drilling holes in the toe kick of the cabinets creating a less intrusive process for the insurance company and the homeowner. In the past the cabinets would have been removed, therefore increasing the cost of the claim.