Community Spotlight: ServiceSource

6/1/2023 (Permalink)

Our owner Bill Warnecki is also proud to be ServiceSource Board Member.

ServiceSource is a non-profit organization near and dear to our hearts here at SERVPRO Team Warnecki. The important work they do for the disabled community and their families is truly inspiring! First founded locally in Virginia, they have now expanded across the east coast and Utah, offering services tailored to help those with disabilities enter the workforce.  From working with employers to ensure proper accommodations are met, to helping future employees with skill-based training, ServiceSource is constantly working towards a more inclusive world for the disabled.

Our owner Bill Warnecki, who is also a proud ServiceSource Board Member, traveled to Utah last week to witness firsthand the impressive programs run by ServiceSource’s affiliate PARC. He was humbled to meet all the hardworking staff and participants there and couldn't be prouder of them!  And we couldn’t be prouder to support such an outstanding organization as ServiceSource!

Please feel free to visit their website and learn more at https://www.servicesource.org/

Bill Goes to the Capitol

6/1/2023 (Permalink)

Over the past couple of months, our President, Bill Warnecki, has been lobbying on Capitol Hill on behalf of the Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) in efforts to solidify and expand the rights of our front-line workers.  This is a very personal mission for us because all of our employees are family. 

The pandemic helped recontextualize the incredible and important work our Crew Chiefs and Production Technicians do every day, and whether they need more comprehensive protections on our worksites or clearer roadmaps for their citizenship, we will fight for them.  Our employees are the lifeblood of our family, and even though their issues may not be as visible or understood by our legislators up on the Hill, Bill will proudly continue to champion their needs.

Our Warehouse

6/1/2023 (Permalink)

Not to brag, but our warehouse has an enormous capacity to fit all the dehumidifiers, air movers, and air scrubbers to fully mitigate any job that comes our way.  This means we are eminently prepared with the proper equipment for your property’s water, fire, or mold damage. 

Not only does the space afford us the ability to stock our equipment, but it also allows us the ample real estate to securely store any of our customers’ belongings that may need to be removed during the mitigation process.  From large bed frames, armoires, and dinner tables to small chairs and packed boxes of books, we can tightly wrap, protect, and store our customer’s most valuable items.  And once we finish mitigating and restoring a property, all possessions will be returned in the same condition they were in when taken. 

This Year’s Women’s Forum at SERVPRO Convention

5/31/2023 (Permalink)

We are so proud of our inspiring owner, Jennifer Rueda Warnecki!

Every year, SERVPRO holds a national convention as a way to bring the whole SERVPRO family together, celebrate the brand, and learn the latest ways to give our customers the best experience possible.  This year’s Convention, held in Tampa on June 28th, is particularly special to us.  Our inspiring owner Jennifer Rueda Warnecki has been invited to be a panelist on the SERVPRO Women’s Forum!

Hosted by the SERVPRO Women's Initiative, the forum was created last year to highlight and support the wonderful women in the SERVPRO family and to discuss, among other things, the challenge of "taking their own seat at the table" in a traditionally male dominated industry.  Having experience building our Construction Department from a dream into the foundational cornerstone it is now, Jennifer is a proud example of the potential women have in our industry to not only succeed, but to flourish.  It is a humbling honor to be a part of this panel and to help support the next generation of SERVPRO women!

Our Morning WIP Meetings

6/2/2022 (Permalink)

Our WIP meetings allow all departments to catch up with each other.

Excellent customer service is the backbone of our business model.  It is our guiding star.  To help maintain this high standard, every morning at 8AM, we hold a company wide Work In Progress (WIP) meeting.  This meeting keeps all departments up to date on all current jobs.  Keeping everyone on the same page means that any of our customer’s concerns, whether voiced the day before or in an after-hours call, can be addressed as soon as possible.

These meetings also help monitor the progress of our jobs and set up accountability for the day.  Fostering open communication allows us to act on the newest information, whether our Job File Coordinators need to send out new release forms or our Production Team needs to act on a brand-new leak. 

Most importantly, however, these WIP meetings are an opportunity to come together as a family.  To greet each new day with the strengthened support of each other.  We are blessed to have an amazing team, and everyday we give thanks to that.  These are the values and ideals our customers can expect when they hire us for a job.

Hurricane Season 2022

6/1/2022 (Permalink)

Never underestimate the destructive power of a hurricane.

Today marks the first day of summer as well as the start of the 2022 hurricane season.  While our area doesn’t usually experience hurricanes, the past couple of years have shown that the tail end of some hurricanes can reach us.  Suffice it to say, it is always best to be prepared, because even the tail end of a hurricane brings torrential thunderstorms and potential flooding.

First off, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict that the 2022 hurricane season has a 65% chance of having above-average hurricane activity.  This is based on several climate factors, such as the ongoing La Nina and a warmer-than average sea surface temperature in the Atlantic and Caribbean.  Also, if we look at the trend over the past several years, we can expect these storms to last longer and hit harder. 

We encourage everyone to keep an eye on the weather forecasts this season.  We will also be updating our blog on any potential news to keep us all prepared on the latest.

We Offer Unparalleled Service to Commercial Business

6/1/2022 (Permalink)

Commercial jobs can be huge undertakings, but we always make sure to first accommodate our client's business needs.

It takes a lot to successfully run any business, but water damage can be particularly devastating to the service industry.  That is why we make sure to go out of our way to accommodate their business needs.

For example, we recently received a job from a local hotel.  Several pipes from their bathroom had burst, leaking water throughout the first two floors.  Multiple hotel rooms were affected including a large, carpeted hallway.  Hotel management was rightly concerned with how our work mitigating the damage would affect their clientele.  Our work would have to close down large sections of the hotel and since the first floor and lobby was also affected by the leak, management decided they couldn’t have us working during normal business hours. 

To accommodate, we made the decision work from 10PM to 6AM every day.  This allowed the hotel to still greet and book new customers during the day while giving us the proper amount of time to make sure everything was completely dry.  This is just one example of our commitment to going above and beyond for our commercial clients.

How Do We Dry a Water Heater Leak?

5/31/2022 (Permalink)

Flood cuts allow us to completely dry areas affected by water damage.

Many of our customers have little to no experience when it comes to mitigation.  We get many questions everyday about how we do what we do.  In an effort to pull back the curtain on our process, we’re going to detail one of our recent jobs in this blog post.

In this particular case, a water heater on the first level of a house had a major leak that pretty much affected the entire floor.  Luckily, the owners had installed water resistant floor tiles, so the floor didn’t retain any of the water.  The drywall, however, was not so lucky.  Using our moisture meters, our Production Technicians found substantial moisture readings behind the walls.  The readings were high enough to require us to make a two-foot flood cut in almost every wall. 

A flood cut removes the bottom two feet of drywall, not just to remove irreparable damage, but also to allow us to aim our air movers and dehumidifiers directly behind the wall.  When done right, this ensures all potential moisture is removed and no pesky mold forms.  Once we were able to completely dry all the walls, our Construction Team went in and replaced all the cut-out drywall and baseboards.  Then we matched the paint job, so all of the rooms looked just as they did before the leak.

Hopefully, this helps you understand some of the steps we take to mitigate your water damage.  It’s one of the many ways we make any disaster “Like it never even happened.”

Employee Testimonials

5/26/2022 (Permalink)

Why do our employees enjoy working for SERVPRO? Here's some of them in their own words.

We pride ourselves in providing our customers the very best service, but that’s not possible without providing our employees with the very best and supportive work environment possible.  Don’t take our word for it, though.  Here are some of our employees’ experiences firsthand:

“SERVPRO is well-known for offering great services to our community in time of need with restoration. As much as they care about their customers, their employees are treated even better. They offer a great family culture with respect and room to grow. They value their employees by showing how much they care with little things such as Birthday Celebrations and Team bonding Events. They work hard to make sure everyone feels part of the team and welcomed.  I really enjoy coming to work daily and love the wonderful team that SERVPRO has created.” - Amanda Escobar

“I like working here because I get the opportunity to show my potential. I like that I'm part of the team and that my work feels appreciated. I look forward to work every day and continuing to grow within the company.” - Francisco Rodriguez

“I enjoy working at SERVPRO of Alexandria because the culture of the company is amazing. The owners of the franchise really go out of their way to show appreciation for their employees often. From celebrating individual birthdays, to staff lunches, they are always making sure that they are creating a very pleasant work environment for everyone. I appreciate that the on boarding process is very organized. Every new hire receives a development plan which helps to track your progress and achievements. The company's online training programs are great. I find the modules very helpful. I can always refer back to the training programs for any questions that I may have. Overall, I thoroughly enjoy working at SERVPRO of Alexandria!” - Kendra Owens

“I enjoy working at SERVPRO of Alexandria because I feel very welcomed, and I look forward to working with my fellow employees. Best job in the world!” - Yennifer Bustillo

“I love working at SERVPRO of Alexandria because we treat each other with kindness. Never a dull moment, very family oriented. We push each other to strive high and encourage one another to reach our goals.” - Jennifer Rodriguez

“I really enjoy working at SERVPRO of Alexandria. I’ve been able to learn new skills, grow as a professional, and challenge myself daily.  I have been encouraged to provide my input on things, and my opinions have always been appreciated. Most of all, my coworkers have become an open and close family to me.” - Jose Cortez

“I like working at SERVPRO of Alexandria because I am learning new things, my co-workers are very nice and help me to learn my position. I also like the owners Bill & Jennifer as they are very understanding and friendly.” - Patricia Gomez

“I like working here because my co-workers work as a team, and we have fun together.” - Carlos Garcia

“I like working here because of the people, environment, and overall mission. Everyone is pleasantly kind and willing to lend a helping hand. The environment is consistently positive and the teamwork in each department is very motivating as we work through all situations together. This job is also very rewarding since we assist clients through a time in need and get them the best quality service. There are also many opportunities to learn and grow within this company which drives everyone to improve in their field/department while embracing what everyone uniquely brings to the table.”- Maria Fuster

We Can Clean the Mess Left by Your Fire Emergency System

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

One of the many areas of the factory that was covered in white powder that we cleaned.

We respond to all manner of fire related emergencies.  From large kitchen blazes to contained cigarette fires put out quickly, we have the experience and expertise to mitigate and reconstruct any damage.  Sometimes, we even get calls for an overly sensitive fire emergency system.

For instance, a small fire at a commercial factory set off their relatively new fire emergency system.  Instead of just focusing where the fire was, the system spread fire suppressing foam across the entire facility.  After it had disintegrated, the foam left a thick white powder that covered everything.  In short, the clean up of the powder far outstripped the clean up of the actual fire.  It was nothing our team couldn’t handle, though, and the factory was as good as before in no time.

Obviously, its better to have a sensitive fire emergency system than one that doesn’t work at all.  However, if you can check, at least once a year, that your system is properly calibrated, you can save a lot of time and money on potential clean up.