Expert tips for water removal, mold remediation and bacteria following Hurricane Irene

ServiceMaster Clean Disaster Restoration Specialists Provide Important Advice on Dealing with Mold

Memphis, Tenn. (August 30, 2011)—In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, which battered and drenched 12 states along the East Coast over the weekend, evacuated residents are returning home today to the effects of the storm’s damaging winds and significant flooding.

ServiceMaster Clean has been helping people get their lives back on track following such catastrophes for more than 60 years and has the recovery programs in place to restore peace of mind. As the experts in disaster restoration, the professionals from ServiceMaster Clean offer homeowners and business owners advice on how to recognize and prevent the spread of potentially toxic mold.

Water damage from the hurricane, especially in warmer areas, can create the perfect environment for mold. The disaster restoration experts at ServiceMaster Clean positioned 1,200 employee crews, over 10,000 pieces of equipment and its mobile command center in Connecticut over the weekend to assist with clean up efforts.

Mold isn't the only concern when returning home following a flood. Pete Duncanson, director of training and technical support for ServiceMaster Clean's disaster restoration service, recommends wearing protective clothing before entering a flood-damaged home. "The potential for mold is there, but you have other bacteria that can enter the building as the waters rise," said Duncanson. "Wear long sleeves and pants, wear gloves and boots, and if you do have a large presence of mold -- you smell that earthy scent in the air -- you may want to wear a respirator."

Dry or discard wet items within 24-48 hours to avoid mold. Even after wet items are removed, mold may remain hidden in drywall, carpeting and HVAC systems. While bleach may be used to control mold, it does not kill it. "Removing mold requires cutting away damp drywall and sanding wood," said Duncanson. "Mold is nature's recycling agent, it eats things. The sooner a remediation expert can get to those things covered in mold the less long-term damage."

Since mold can begin to grow in just a few days after a storm and removal is such a difficult process, it is best to quickly call in a remediation expert in order to prevent long term damage. Here are some additional tips from the ServiceMaster Disaster Restoration Experts:

What to do if your home or business has suffered water damage:

• If the outside temperature is above 60 degrees, use dehumidifiers if available.
• Use fans to circulate the air and assist drying.
• Remove as much water as possible by mopping and blotting.
• Wipe furniture dry.
• Lift draperies off carpet, loop through a coat hanger, and place the hanger on the drapery rod.
• Prop up wet furniture cushions for even drying and place small wood blocks or aluminum foil under furniture legs.
• Remove wet area rugs or other floor coverings and open furniture drawers, closet doors, and luggage to enhance drying.
• Move photos, paintings, and art objects to a safe, dry location.
• Remove wet fabrics and dry them as soon as possible. Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature.
• Remove damp books from shelves and spread out to dry.
• If damage occurs during a cool season, leave heat on; if in summer, use an air conditioner if available.

Important warnings on water damage:

• Do not use an ordinary household vacuum to remove water.
• Do not use electrical appliances while on wet carpet or wet floors.
• Do not go into rooms with standing water if the electricity is still on.
• Do not lift tacked down carpet without professional help. Lifting the carpet incorrectly could promote shrinkage.
• Do not wait to call for professional help. Damage from the water and bacteria growth can begin within hours.

Important warnings on mold:

• Remove damp items from the home within 24 to 48 hours. Throw away any wet items you don't consider valuable. The replacement cost may be less than restoration, but another brand in the ServiceMaster family, Furniture Medic may be able to restore treasured wood furnishings and antiques.
• Never mix bleach with other cleaning products. The combination of chemicals may create toxic fumes
• Avoid direct contact with affected mold areas as much as possible. Wear protective clothing while sifting through items that were beneath the flood waters or where mold has begun to spread.

About ServiceMaster Clean

With nearly 3,200 franchise locations around the world, ServiceMaster Clean serves customers through a global network of franchises that provide cleaning and restoration resulting from

damage caused by water or fire, janitorial services, commercial carpetcleaning, hard surface floor care and residential carpet and upholstery cleaning. Visit our website at www.servicemasterclean.com. Residential customers should call 1-800-Respond, while commercial customers should reach out to 1-866-Recover.

About ServiceMaster

With a network of more than 5,000 company-owned and franchise locations, Memphis-based ServiceMaster is one of the world’s largest residential and commercial service networks.  The company’s high profile brands are TruGreen, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. Through approximately 29,000 corporate employees and a franchise network that independently employs over 31,000 additional people, the ServiceMaster family of brands serve more than 8.2 million customers every year and hold market-leading positions in residential and commercial lawn care and landscape maintenance, termite and pest control, home service contracts, furniture repair, home inspections, residential and commercial cleaning and disaster restoration. Go to www.servicemaster.com or http://twitter.com/ServiceMaster for more information about ServiceMaster.

Contact:

Chris Curran

901-597-8336

901-619-9056

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