How to Safely Set Up a Christmas Tree

12/1/2022 (Permalink)

Be careful with your tree!

Every year, U.S. fire departments respond to ≈160 fires that started at a Christmas tree. These fires cause injuries and death along with millions of dollars in property damage. To keep your family and home safe this holiday season, follow these tips below. 

Choosing the Tree

• If choosing a real tree, use one with fresh, green needles that do not fall off with normal movement
• Remember to water your tree daily
• If using an older tree, make sure the pieces aren't broken and are stable enough not to fall over

Lighting the Tree

• Make sure to use indoor lights and not outdoor lights
• Never leave lights on at night or while away from home
• Do not use candles as lights or have them near the tree - contact with flame is not needed for ignition
• Replace any broken or frayed lines that are on your lights

Replacing the Tree

• Do not place your tree within 3ft of any heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or powerful lights
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2" from the base of the trunk
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit and isn't in a path where people or pets could trip over it

Christmas is a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family, be sure to use caution and safety to have a great holiday season!

You'll Need to Add These 3 Things to Your Fall Chore To Do List

9/1/2022 (Permalink)

Don't forget about these fall tips!

None of us North Dakotans want to think about the end of our warm weather and the bitter cold winter that is approaching. However, as we get into September and further into autumn weather, there are some things you will need to have on your to-do list this fall to prepare your home for winter.

Cleaning Gutters and downspouts

This is a chore that should be done after the leaves around your home have already fallen. Clean gutters allow your home to drain rainwater properly during the winter. Proper drainage also helps prevent ice dams from forming on your roof, leading to leaks and water damage in your home.

Clean fireplace and replace furnace filter

These two moves will drastically improve the air quality in your home as well as reduce the risk of fire once the temperatures begin dropping outside and you need to keep your home warm on the inside.

Drain and put away outside hoses.

During the summer we use hoses on everything from watering plants to filling up a swimming pool, yet once the cold weather comes in, it is easy to forget and leave them outside. This is a quick and easy step that can prevent water in the hose and pipe from freezing and causing damage in your home.

Although we hope to have a wonderful autumn this year, be sure to remember to get your chores done before the snow starts to come down.

Five Tips for Spring Cleaning

3/12/2021 (Permalink)

As the weather gets warmer and we make our way back into spring, here are five quick cleaning tips to make sure your spring cleaning goes smooth and easy this year!

Use minimum products

When preparing to start your cleaning, use as few products as possible. Minimizing your cleaning product inventory creates less clutter and confusion. Most of the time, you will just need a good all-purpose cleaner and some rags. Instead of overwhelming yourself with a wide range of cleaners for floors, wooden furniture, and appliances, use an all-purpose cleaner and save time switching between different products.

Create a plan

Organize your home and assign dates to clean different rooms and areas. Begin by making a list of all rooms in your home, including outside. Under ever room, make a list for what needs to be cleaned, it may help to walk through every room and write out the list. Once this is done, including everything that needs to be cleaned outside. Assign dates to every room, schedule bigger projects for weekends and smaller ones for afternoons throughout the work week. This way you have a plan and timeline to get everything cleaned.

Clean out the cabinets!

Spring cleaning is not just about what you can see. Declutter cabinets, fridges, drawers, etc. this will help get your home organized more than anything else. Everything might be clean now, but when you have to start digging through drawers and boxes to find something, your home will quickly become a mess again. Consider purchasing drawer and refrigerator organizers to help contain the clutter.

Use Lemons!

Lemons work great for cleaning all sorts of surfaces. From faucets to tabletops, lemons are great as a cleaning product. To clean your microwave, squeeze a lemon into a bowl of ½ cup – 3 cups of water and leave the lemon in the water, microwave for about 3 minutes or until it is steamy. Afterwards just wipe out the grease from the insides! Lemons are a natural, cheap, versatile tool to use for cleaning hard to clean areas.

Wash windows on a cloudy day.

When the sun is bright and shining, it can leave streaks from drying out too fast. Instead, wait until it is either cloudy, or the sun is not directly shining on the windows, such as at dusk or in the evening. This goes for mirrors too, turn off any bright lights and use ambient lighting to leave a streak less clean on these surfaces.

Places to not forget

While cleaning, don’t forget to clean out these easy-to-forget places as you complete your spring cleaning!

Wipe down kitchen cabinets

Stove top fans

Knife block

Ceiling Fans

Crumbs in toaster

Toothbrush holder

How to Reduce Health and Safety Hazards in Your Home

12/17/2020 (Permalink)

photo via Burst Blog post contributed by Lisa Walker of neighborhoodsprout.org

Your home is a symbol of comfort and stability. We all want a cozy, safe place to live. Unfortunately, some common threats put your family at risk. For maximum comfort, remove any health or safety hazards. Here are some ways you can protect your home and your family.

Water Quality

Water quality is a common hazard that is often overlooked. However, neglecting to test or treat your water could potentially make you sick, so consider purchasing a home test kit. Home water test kits are extremely affordable and can be found for as little as $10. In order to be considered safe, your water’s arsenic level must be less than 10 parts per billion. It’s vital to understand that you can’t purify arsenic-contaminated water by boiling it. Because arsenic does not evaporate like water does, boiling the water increases the concentration of arsenic. Instead, stop drinking or cooking with your tap water until you can install a water treatment system.

Mold Prevention

In-home mold can cause health issues. To help eliminate mold from your home, it’s often best to call an experienced professional who specializes in mold remediation. For instance, SERVPRO of Minot provides a mold remediation service that includes inspection and assessment, followed by mold containment, air filtration, mold mitigation and remediation, and cleaning. If you suspect your home has a mold issue, the mold remediation process can help.

Smoke Detectors

Fires are another home threat that could strike at any time. Place smoke detectors in each room and a fire extinguisher on each floor of your home. Replace the batteries annually, and be sure to test the smoke detector monthly.

Another way to keep your family safe in the event of a fire is to have a carefully planned escape route. The National Fire Protection Association provides online guides that will walk you through the steps for creating your own at-home fire escape plan. Because fires spread in as little as one to two minutes, it’s vital to practice your escape plan as a family so that everyone knows what to do. If you don’t have them already, it’s also wise to purchase several fire extinguishers, with one specifically for the kitchen, as well as a fire-proof safe so documents and valuables are protected. Although you may not want to think about the possibility of a house fire happening to you, preparing in advance will help protect your family.

You deserve a safe, comfortable home. By taking the proper precautions, such as detecting and eliminating any potential safety hazards throughout your house, you can protect yourself and your loved ones. You’ll sleep better at night with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family, belongings, and assets are safe and secure.

Contributed by Lisa Walker of neighborhoodsprout.org

Tips to keep you and your home safe this Christmas

12/9/2020 (Permalink)

As we come towards the end of 2020, many of us are looking forward to Christmas, with the bonus gift of it being on a Friday this year. Although some of us may be celebrating a little different this year, many Christmas traditions will remain the same and it is important to keep safe while doing so. Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe.

Prepare your car for winter travel

As North Dakotans, we are used to bad winters, but it never hurts to be reminded of the basic winter travel necessities. Remember to keep plenty of gas in your vehicle, to keep your heat running, in case bad winter conditions leave you stranded on the side of the road. In your vehicle you should also have:

• Extra blankets or coats
• Jumper cables
• Snow shovel

If Traveling on Christmas:

• Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance traveled
• Watch for icy or dangerous conditions on the roads
• Call ahead to tell someone you are on your way and when to expect your arrival

For your home:

• If you plan on leaving for an extended period of time, make sure your home is heating properly and turn the water supply to your home OFF.
• Never leave open flames unattended. Whether it is a candle, fireplace, or someone is cooking, don’t leave those heat sources alone.
• If using a live tree, cut off about 2 inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption, remember to water it and remove it from your home when it is dry
• Inspect lights for frayed or damaged wires
• Make plans for your pets to be taken care of

Christmas and the holiday season is a wonderful time of the year and if you stay smart and safe, you can have a wonderful time.

Why we use PPE

3/13/2020 (Permalink)

At SERVPRO® of Minot we take pride in being able to test for, mitigate, and clean up properties that have been invested with hazardous materials, most commonly mold.

This is why we make sure to train our staff in all safety measures to handle the problem. One of the most important measures to take is the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). 

The use of PPE is important for a few reasons most notably, the safety of our staff and the safety and sanitation of the property.

Making sure that our staff is trained in proper use and knowledge of PPE is a main priority. This allows them to be safe and focus on the job at end, rather than worry about exposure to possibly toxic materials. When our staff knows they are safe, they can focus on providing a superior service to our customers.

We take pride in upholding the highest quality standards of safety and this is just one of the ways in which we do it.

Pesticide Certification

2/19/2019 (Permalink)

Did you know that businesses that apply EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) disinfectants are required to have a pesticide certification  in the state of North Dakota? SERVPRO of Minot's Commercial Number is 10066709.This certification must be renewed every three years to remain active. SERVPRO of Minot follows guidelines set by the state for use and record keeping of the products we use, store and transport. When we use products that are registered we record the time, quantity and how it was applied to your home or business. We also send to the homeowner or business a letter stating these services. All documentation is kept for three years. All of us at SERVPRO of Minot feel these practices are a valuable aspect to our company. Following these guidelines is important for our ecosystem. These guidelines help us to remain conscience of our environment and help in its preservation. 

SERVPRO Christmas party 2015

12/10/2015 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Christmas Party 2015

The SERVPRO of Minot Christmas party was help December 4, 2015 at Badlands bar and grill. Almost the whole team was able to take part in the festivities.

Added to our Fleet

9/24/2015 (Permalink)

2015 Dodge Pro Master

Added to our SERVPRO fleet this summer a 2015 Dodge Promaster to assist our customers in Fire and Water Damage Restoration.

"Like it Never Even Happened."

3/26/2015 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Minot's trailers are stocked and ready to help make it, "Like it never even happened."

The SERVPRO of Minot crew is cleaning and loading equipment. They are ready to respond to the next emergency water damage.