Recent Posts

Natural Disasters in Vermont

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Flooded intersection in Vermont A man seen kayaking in a flooded intersection after a hurricane swept through Vermont.

Common natural disasters in Vermont include severe storms, floods, winter storms, hurricanes, landslides, power outages, and tropical storms. Very rarely do tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and droughts occur in Vermont but they can happen. Vermont endures intense storms in the form of severe thunderstorms and lighting, heavy rains, large hail, and gusty winds. Thunderstorms can happen year-round, but normally occur during spring and summer months. Lightening and hail can accompany server storms, resulting in possible greater damage to local and personal property.  Many streams and rivers crisscross the state and make Vermont highly susceptible to river floods and flash flooding. These floods are generally caused by periods of heavy rain, quick thaws, fast snowmelt, and overly saturated soil. Vermont is vulnerable to ice storms, blizzards, and heavy snow. The winter months are long and cold, generally in December and January. Vermont receives over 86 inches of snow annually, which is almost three times more than the national average. Although Vermont is not a coastal state, it does still experience the effects of Atlantic storms. Hurricanes and nor’easters can occur and have the potential to cause major destruction. SERVPRO of Bennington and Rutland Counties responds immediately to your storm damage emergency. We have the storm damage restoration experience and specialized equipment to restore your Vermont home or business back to pre-storm condition.  Storms don’t wait for normal business hours, and neither do we at SERVPRO of Bennington and Rutland Counties.  You can depend on an immediate response from out highly trained technicians, who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Preventing Mold Growth in your home

9/27/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth in a home This photo shows mold growth on the walls, floors, and ceiling of a home.

Molds are very common in buildings and homes. Mold will frow in places with a lot of moisture, such as leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery. Mold can be found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents and heating and air conditioning systems.  Mold can appear fuzzy, discolored or in slimy patches that increase in size as they grow. You can usually see or smell a mold problem. The key to preventing mold growth is to identify and control moisture and water problems. Mold spores are everywhere, including your home and they can grow on any surface that has sufficient moisture.

Common sources of moisture are:

  • Roof leaks
  • Indoor plumbing leaks
  • Outdoor drainage problems
  • Humidifiers
  • Wet clothes drying inside the home
  • A clothes dryer venting indoors
  • Poor or improper ventilation of heating and cooking appliances
  • Condensation on cool surfaces
  • Damp basements and crawl spaces
  • Steam from a bathroom or kitchen

If you see signs of mold, call us today at (802)-375-1500.

Ways to Reduce the Risk of a Buildup of Moisture and Mold

9/15/2022 (Permalink)

Mold growth on walls This is what happens when mold is able to grow.

Molds are everywhere in our environment and are a vital part of the ecological system. Molds are a form of fungus. There are many different types, and they can occur both indoors and outdoors. 

Reduce the risk of a buildup of moisture and mold by:

  • acting quickly if a leak or spillage occurs
  • using a dehumidifier to reduce indoor moisture
  • leaving windows open, when possible, to allow air to circulate
  • using extractor fans to remove moisture during cooking
  • avoiding indoor activities that produce moisture, such as drying clothes or using kerosene heaters
  • ensuring that all fabrics are thoroughly dry before storing them
  • emptying and airing rarely used drawers and closets from time to time
  • regularly cleaning so that mold cannot build up on surfaces, dust, or other matter
  • using mold-killing products when cleaning the bathroom
  • avoiding laying carpets in bathrooms and basements
  • maintaining buildings, facilities, gutters, and drains to reduce the risk of leaks

It is not always possible to prevent mold from growing, but regular cleaning and wiping can reduce the risk of it appearing or getting worse.

Why a Winter Preparation Plan is Important

9/14/2022 (Permalink)

Shoveling snow. Do you have a plan for snow removal?

Winter storms can come out of nowhere, and the first snow if the year is not the time to decide what you’re going to do about it.  Most likely you have invested a significant amount of time and money into your commercial property. Taking the time to winterize your commercial property this fall can be far less expensive and inconvenient than having to fix the problems several weeks or months from now.  Here are some important steps to take when preparing your commercial property for winter!

  1. Plan for snow and ice removal
  2. Check your plumbing and caulking to prevent leaks and drafts
  3. Have your roof inspected
  4. Clean your gutters, drains, and sewer drains
  5. Shut down your office irrigation systems
  6. Winterize your landscape to protect your real estate investment
  7. Make sure your fire prevention equipment is working
  8. Have a contingency plan