Spring presents a different set of potential water damage situations than winter.

Your home may have survived the impact of ice dams and frozen pipes this winter, but now we’re entering spring—the rainy season—which can cause water damage due to flooding and other circumstances.

Are you prepared to deal with spring water damage to your Pittsburgh, PA home? Here’s a quick checklist of items to include in your water damage restoration plan:

Safety first – The safety of your family is priority number one. In the event of a disaster, make sure your family has a plan if there’s a need to evacuate your home. During a disaster such as a flood or severe storm, pay attention to the directions provided by emergency alert systems and do exactly as they say.

Assess the damage – Once the disaster has subsided and it’s safe to check around your home, you’ll want to take note of any damage and take plenty of pictures. Be careful to check for structural damage to your home’s foundation before you make the decision to enter.

Contact your insurance company – Make sure you notify your insurance company of the event and provide detailed information about the water damage in your home. You may want to get permission before hiring a water damage restoration company. Depending on your type of insurance and the type of damage, certain expenses for water damage restoration may be covered.

Let us handle the rest – We’re all too familiar with the impact the east coast weather can have on Pittsburgh, PA homes. This area often faces severe storms and flooding and we’ve gained a great deal of experience in providing water damage restoration.

Dealing with a disaster situation can be scary. Dealing with the aftermath can be stressful. Let a professional handle the situation for you. If disaster strikes at your Pittsburgh, PA home, contact us at 724-834-8889.

Maybe you’ve considered investing in residential cleaning services before, but you weren’t sure if it would be worth it. As a Pittsburgh, PA resident or homeowner, you have to be smart with your financial decisions. Is making an investment for residential cleaning services right for you?

Today, the cleaning experts at ServiceMaster by Stiffey want to share a few reasons why you should consider using residential cleaning services for your Pittsburgh, PA home:

1. It saves time – Do you really want to spend your spare time putting extra elbow grease into cleaning your home? Using our residential cleaning services will free up more time for you to do the things you enjoy instead of worrying about constantly keeping your home tidy.
2. It gives you peace of mind – If you’re a homeowner, especially with a family, you have many responsibilities in your life to take care of. Why not take cleaning off the list? Imagine walking into an immaculate home that you didn’t have to lift a finger to maintain. Your life will run smoother when you let a professional handle the required cleaning for you.
3. You’ll have a home worth visiting at all times – If you use our services on a regular basis you will always have a beautiful looking home. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that every time you have visitors they’ll be walking into a home with a warm and clean atmosphere?
4. We’ll do a quality job every time – Each member of our staff is thoroughly trained to provide consistent and quality work with each visit. Working with a company that prides itself on having high standards means your home is in great hands.

Using residential cleaning services is an investment worth making. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment for your Pittsburgh, PA home, please contact us at 412-427-0086 today!

Water damage can occur in your McKeesport, PA home for a number of different reasons. Ice dams, plumbing mishaps, or a faulty water heater can lead to a water damage situation that can spiral out of control if it isn’t handled the right way.

In the event of water damage in your home, follow these steps to ensure that the water damage restoration process is handled correctly:

1. Contact your insurance company – You’ll want to notify them as soon as possible to schedule a time for them to assess the damage. When you contact them, describe the water damage in your home in as much detail as possible. Take plenty of pictures to document the damage. Depending on your insurance provider, they may or may not cover all of the damage. The more detailed information you’re able to provide the better.
2. Receive approval – Make sure that your insurance provider has given consent for you to contact a professional water damage restoration company to provide services.
3. Contact ServiceMaster by Stiffey – Time is of the essence when it comes to water damage restoration. There are biological elements involved with water damage that may lead to even more problems—such as mold—if left untreated for too long. Our team of certified technicians will provide a multi-step water damage restoration process that includes pre-inspection, mitigation, anti-microbial treatment, thorough drying, and a final inspection. We’ll also speak with your insurance company to ensure they know all pertinent details.
4. Make repairs – Some temporary repairs to your home, such as boarding up your windows, may be needed.
5. Keep damaged items – Do not throw away any of your damaged furniture or other important materials right away. Your insurance company will want to assess these items in order to put a claim together.
6. Communicate with your insurance provider – Communicate every important detail you would like to share with them. After receiving all of the necessary information, they will assess your situation and inform you of your options. Depending on your coverage, they may cover certain expenses.

Dealing with an unfortunate water damage catastrophe will cause a stressful and difficult situation. If water damage to your McKeesport, PA home does occur, contact us immediately at 724-834-88890 and let us give you a helping hand.

A fire in your Greensburg, PA home or building is a catastrophic event that you’ll never be fully prepared for. Once the fire is put out and the dust has settled, you might think that beginning the fire damage restoration process isn’t extremely urgent, but you’d be wrong.

Yes, the immediate danger is no longer a factor, but smoke damage clean-up is just as important as putting the fire out. Smoke damage actually worsens over time, so the sooner you contact a fire damage restoration company, the better.

The Impact of Smoke Damage

Smoke damage will spread quickly throughout your building. It can make its way into your vents and even into rooms that were unaffected by the fire. Smoke is filled with toxic filth and other hazardous materials. Contaminated air can also be circulated throughout your building if soot and ash are left in your ducts and HVAC systems. Smoke also attaches itself to every surface it comes in contact with.

Smoke damage comes in several different forms:

• Yellowing of contents and surfaces
• Chemical etching
• Tar-like residue being left over from burning chemicals

There are many complex factors involved in smoke damage clean-up. Our technicians have the knowledge and expertise to deal with the complicated chemical composition issues that result from fires.

Untreated smoke damage can possibly lead to your contents becoming unsalvageable and being lost. A few hours can make the difference between the contents of your home or building being restored or having to be replaced. The longer smoke damage goes untreated, the more difficult it is to remove using traditional cleaning methods.

When you contact ServiceMaster by Stiffey, you can rest assured knowing that you’re doing everything in your power to mitigate smoke damage and bring your home back to its original state. If your Greensburg, PA home or building suffers from fire damage and needs smoke damage clean-up services, contact us today at 723-834-8889.

Are you wondering whether or not you need to use professional carpet cleaning services for your Uniontown, PA home? Maybe it’s something you’ve been considering for a while, but you keep putting if off. Today we’re going to share some clear cut signs that it may be time you give the professionals at ServiceMaster by Stiffey a call to give your carpets the tender love and care they deserve.

It’s been more than six months since you last had professional carpet cleaning done. At a minimum, you should use professional carpet cleaning services every six months. Perhaps it’s been quite some time since you’ve had carpet cleaning performed. Maybe you’ve never had it done before. In order to extract the deeply-embedded particles in your carpet and to remove the potentially harmful substances in them, it’s important to use the help of a professional.

You have tough stains that just won’t come out. You’ve tried every trick in the book. Perhaps you’ve even tried to rent a carpet cleaning machine to do it yourself, to no avail. There are some stains that are so hard to remove that professional carpet cleaning is the only answer.

 You’re noticing weird odors. Is there an odd smell wafting around your home? It may be due to the dirt, sweat, and grime that have been seeping into your carpets over time. Use professional carpet cleaning services to rid your home of those strange odors.

 Your carpet looks dingy and dull. Does your carpet look like it’s had better days? Your carpets suffer from wear and tear over time. They may lose their luster, which can lead you to believe there’s nothing you can do. Professional carpet cleaning services can bring your carpets back to life and leave them looking as good as they did when you first had them installed.

You have kids and/or pets. Your pets and kids have two things in common. They’re adorable and extremely messy. Your pets can track in dirt from your yard and shed hair on your carpets. If you’re a parent, you’re already aware of the infinite number of ways your child can damage and stain your carpets. It’s hard enough to keep up with taking care of your kids alone, why not let us take care of your carpet cleaning?

We have years of experience providing high quality carpet cleaning for Uniontown, PA homes. All of our technicians are IIRC certified and well equipped to handle your needs. If any of the above signs apply to you, contact us today at 724-834-8889.

No one thinks that their place of business will encounter a fire, but it’s much better to be safe than sorry.

Learning some of the basic safety practices for using a fire extinguisher can prevent a catastrophic event from happening in the first place.

If you’re a business owner in North Huntingdon, PA, take note of these safety measures and educate your employees to help create a safer worker environment. This way you can mitigate the potential need for fire damage restoration.

The following fire extinguisher safety measures are paraphrased from Occupational Safety and Health Association Guidelines:

• Make sure to have fire extinguishers in your place of business – This is a given. In addition to having a fire extinguisher, make sure that it meets NFPA standards. A conversation with your local fire marshal or building inspector will help you determine if your extinguisher is up to snuff.
• Place your fire extinguishers according to guidelines – OSHA fire extinguisher placement guidelines call for a standard extinguisher to be placed within fifty feet of every single employee.
• Train your employees on how to use extinguishers – A fire extinguisher isn’t effective if used improperly. The PASS method provides the proper technique needed to extinguish a fire.

 The PASS technique for fire extinguisher use

 Pull – The pin is set in place to keep the extinguisher locked. You must pull the pin while holding the nozzle away from you.

• Aim – When you’re trying to put out a fire, you need to aim at the base of the flame.
• Squeeze – Make sure that you’re standing at a proper distance from the fire (about eight feet) and squeeze the lever. Be sure not to squeeze too hard; a slow and even pace is recommended.
• Sweep – You’ll want to move the nozzle in a sweeping motion while advancing closer to the fire, continuing to aim at the base of the flame until it’s put out.

 It’s also important to make sure that your extinguishers are inspected on a yearly basis. This process should be documented as well.

Although these safety tips can help prevent a full-blown fire in your North Huntingdon, PA business, sometimes it’s too late. In the event of an uncontrollable fire, use the proper escape routes and call 911 immediately. When the dust settles and you’re in need of a fire restoration expert, contact us at 724-834-8889.

If you’re a Pittsburgh, PA homeowner, you know how difficult it can be to keep your home clean, especially your carpet. Sometimes, you just want to get the job done as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

If you rush through the carpet cleaning process, you may make some mistakes that can lead to even more damage. Carpet that appears to be clean on the surface may in fact be riddled with dirt, grime, and germs that are embedded into its fibers.

One of the best ways to maintain a truly clean carpet is to utilize the expertise of a professional carpet cleaning service provider. If you’re making one of these common carpet cleaning mistakes, consider giving us a call.

• Simply relying on vacuuming – Giving your carpet a once over and calling it “good enough,” doesn’t do your carpet justice. Plus, if your vacuum isn’t very powerful it won’t pick up all of the particles in your carpet. Try professional carpet cleaning to make sure your carpets receive the deep cleaning they deserve.
• Scrubbing stains – Your first reaction to a spill or stain may be to scrub away at it vigorously. This method can actually push the stains deeper into your carpet. Often times a dabbing or blotting method is much more beneficial. If the stain still doesn’t come out, it may be time to contact a carpet cleaning expert.

• Using harmful chemicals – Be careful with the cleaning products you use in your carpet cleaning efforts. Many of these products contain harmful chemicals that can actually damage and ruin your carpet fibers. The carpet cleaning experts at ServiceMaster by Stiffey will thoroughly clean your carpet without causing harm or damage.

We understand what it’s like to take care of your Pittsburgh,home.  Sometimes you simply have too much to do at once,and carpet cleaning may be one of the tasks that falls by the wayside. Why not hire a professional to take care of your carpet cleaning needs? You won’t have to worry about doing it yourself, and you can be sure that the job will be done well. Contact us today at 412-427-0086 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

In a previous post, we discussed the types of people and places that can benefit from utilizing professional cleaning services.

Office buildings and schools were two places we identified. If you own an office building or make administrative decisions at a school in Greensburg PA, consider using the experts at ServiceMaster by Stiffey for janitorial services.

Today we’re going to share the qualities you should look for in a janitorial services provider:

1. Has expertise – You want to trust your office building or school to someone with expertise and experience. Our company has more than 25 years of experience in providing janitorial services. Our employees are trained extensively and we use top quality products to clean your building.
2. Fulfills duties – You want to hire someone who does the job right. Our janitorial services staff is trained to clean in a thorough manner. Using our services will not just leave your school or office building clean; it will leave it immaculate.
3. Works around your schedule – We will customize a cleaning plan that works for you and your schedule.
4. Answers your questions – We are willing to answer any type of question you may have about using our janitorial services. We want you to be fully informed on what we do and how we do it.
5. Builds trust – You want to work with a company you can trust. We have spent the past two decades building a solid reputation with the Greensburg, PA community and we’re positive that you’ve heard nothing but great things about our company and the services we provide.

Maintaining a clean environment in your Greensburg, PA school or office building is important. Don’t leave such a critical task to someone without the right knowledge and experience to follow through. Contact us today at 724-834-8889 to learn more about our janitorial services.

Everyone benefits from a clean environment. A clean, fresh ambiance makes you feel good, and a clean space creates an inviting atmosphere.

There are several different types of people and places that can benefit from using professional cleaning services. If any of the items below describe you, contact ServiceMaster by Stiffey in Greensburg, PA and schedule an appointment.

Types of Places
• Office Building – Maintaining a professional business environment is important. The appearance of your building makes an impression on visitors and clients. Using professional cleaning services will make that impression a positive one. Also, maintaining a clean environment is important to keep employees healthy. With many people in close proximity to one another, there is potential for germs and viruses to spread.
• Homes – Running a household is quite the job. Taking care of your family and keeping your home clean can be daunting at times. Why not use a professional cleaning service to help share some of the load? When you use professional cleaning services regularly, you only have to worry about small housekeeping items.
• Schools – Children are the future. Don’t you want to make sure they’re in a healthy and safe environment? If you’re an administrator at an educational facility, consider using the top-notch quality providers at ServiceMaster by Stiffey.

Types of People
• People with pets – If you’re a pet owner, you’re all too familiar with the mess your furry little companions can cause. Pets can drag all sorts of substances into your home, and sometimes using professional cleaning services is necessary to give your home the deep cleaning it needs.
• Busy people – You have a million items on your to-do list. Why not take cleaning your residence off of that list? With a professional cleaning service, all you have to do is take a few minutes a day to keep things tidy.
• People who don’t like to clean – Some people love to clean. Most people do not. If the latter describes you, maybe you should use a professional cleaning service to handle the dirty jobs you’d rather not perform.

The bottom line is that nearly anybody can benefit from the use of professional cleaning services. The question is whether or not it’s worth the cost. Instead of seeing it as a cost, treat it like an investment. Contact the professionals at ServiceMaster by Stiffey in Greensburg, PA today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.