It's Homeowner's Insurance, Not a Home Warranty

In the disaster restoration business we see this all the time: A homeowner with a damaged home is upset with their insurance company because their policy doesn't cover something that they think should be covered. "Why do I pay premiums every month if I can't use my insurance when I need it?" they often say. Nine times out of ten, they're referring to a roof problem, old damage resulting from neglect, or mechanical system breakdown.

While we agree that insurance should be there for you when you need it, there is a difference between what insurance policies are supposed to cover, and what is simply a maintenance issue that would be covered by something like a home warranty, or else paid for out of pocket by the homeowner who has saved money in preparation for what they should know is the cost of home maintenance.

Most insurance policies specify that in order to be a covered claim, the damage must be the result of a "sudden and catastrophic" incident. Asking your insurance company to replace your twenty year old roof because it is leaking is not "sudden and catastrophic;" it's the inevitable result of what happens when your roof gets old and needs to be replaced.

For instance: If your washing machine malfunctions and overflows during the rinse cycle, that is sudden and catastrophic. The resulting damage likely will be covered by your policy under normal circumstances. However, the repairs to your washing machine (or replacement of it) will not be covered by your insurance. Why? Well, for the same reason a transmission repair isn't covered by your auto insurance; it's a maintenance cost resulting from the fact that if something gets old enough, it breaks down.

The good news is that there are warranties to cover those things that homeowner's insurance doesn't cover. Good roofers offer warranties. Home warranty companies offer warranties on a home's mechanical systems and appliances, over and above the existing warranties offered by the manufacturers.

The purpose of insurance is to cover us for damage that is so costly we could not afford to pay for it out of pocket without it ruining us financially. It's simply to protect our financial security in the event of disaster - not as a convenience to save us from having to dip into our vacation funds. That's why deductibles exist. They give us a relatively small financial stake in the claim in order to discourage frivolous claims being filed.

Here's another example: You have a leak in your shower pan or tub area, and later discover water damage to your floors in the surrounding area. The adjuster notices that the edges around your shower pan or tub area are missing grout or caulking, which is intended to seal the water in and prevent leaks. Your claim is denied.

Cracks in tile grout

I have seen a few homeowners get very upset about the previous scenario. They argue that they didn't know there was a leak until they saw the floors buckling or the carpet wet in an adjacent room. What they seem unable to comprehend (or admit) is that they had a responsibility to replace the missing grout or caulk around the shower/tub area in order to prevent a leak. The problem was a direct result of negligence on their part, which resulted in a slow buildup of water under the walls and floors, not a "sudden and catastrophic" flood.

We each have the responsibility to keep our homes reasonably well-maintained in order to prevent damage. That means that if there are tree limbs brushing against the roof, we have them cut back; If our rain gutters are clogged, we clean them out; If we notice a slow leak in an appliance, we disconnect it or discontinue its use until it is repaired so that it will not cause serious damage.

So save that insurance claim for something serious. Maintain your home and pay close attention to anything unusual happening in your house in order to prevent serious damage. And finally, get a warranty to cover your roof and mechanical systems, or start a savings account specifically for home maintenance.

How Many Restoration Companies Can Do All of This?

When there are four other ServiceMaster Restore franchises (and many other restoration companies) in your market, the challenge becomes standing out from the crowd. 

Even though locally-based ServiceMaster is a familiar brand in Memphis, getting people to remember the “Cornerstone” part of our name isn’t easy.

With dozens of restoration companies competing for business here, it’s no wonder that people can barely remember who is who and which ones do what.

In an emergency, most people just want one source that can handle everything, and that’s what makes ServiceMaster by Cornerstone unique in our market.

What do we mean by “handle everything”? Well, when you have a flood or fire, not only does the building structure need to be restored, but so do all the salvageable belongings within it. Cornerstone can handle all of that for you…. and we can do almost all of it right here at our own facility.

So, in addition to the standard water and smoke mitigation, what makes us stand out?

Professional Pack Out, Storage, and Tracking

We can have all affected belongings packed up and moved by professional movers, and brought back to our secure facility where each piece will be cleaned and restored using the most advanced technology in our industry. Also, each item is carefully documented and inventoried using our ContentsTrack system.

Storage Vaults in Our Secure Storage Facility

In-House Textile Cleaning

Using our Esporta Wash System, we can clean clothing and leather goods in house, even items that traditional restoration dry cleaners often won’t even attempt to clean; and we can restore them to food-grade clean or better. Clothing items that are urgently needed can be cleaned and returned to the customer within 24 to 48 hours, depending on what time of day we receive them.

Esporta Wash System for textiles

Hard Contents Cleaning

We can clean and deodorize furniture, electronics, jewelry, and random items of every shape and size, right here in our facility. Our ultrasonic Fireline system will clean every nook and cranny of even the most hard to clean items; and we can do it far quicker and more thoroughly than most other restoration companies, many of whom still clean all hard contents by hand. 

Fireline Ultrasonic Cleaner

Deodorization and Mold Remediation

Have you ever smelled a room that is completely absent of any scent at all? It's like a blank canvas for your nose . Using a unique chlorine dioxide product, we can completely deodorize and sanitize any space without leaving a chemical residue. Besides that, it also kills mold and mold spores. Best of all, the process typically takes only three or four hours.

Putting It All Back Together

Last of all, we can repair or rebuild all structural damage because we have licensed general contractors on staff who are dedicated project managers. That means you have the option of dealing with one company that is responsible for every phase of recovery, from beginning to end. That’s much easier than juggling multiple businesses for different phases.

We even have a complete flooring showroom right here in our building for our customer’s convenience.

In-house flooring showroom

Whether it’s a large commercial building or a small home, ServiceMaster by Cornerstone can restore it. It’s what we do!

When Is Water Damage Too Big, Too Complicated, or Too Disgusting To Clean Up Yourself?

When people ask us what we do at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, we often tell them that we “clean up messes that are too big, too complicated, or too disgusting to clean up yourself.” When it comes to water damage, that obviously applies to things like burst pipes or a major roof leak in a downpour;  but what about those times when you have water damage that isn’t very big? How do you know if it's too big to handle yourself?

Our advice is to always call us for a moisture check if you suspect that water went under your floors or behind your walls. Often what appears to be minimal damage on the surface is actually much bigger behind the scenes, and water will spread faster and further than you might realize. Sometimes an area looks unaffected at first, but later shows signs of damage. Usually that’s the result of wet insulation slowly releasing the water, or your flooring being wet underneath.
 
One thing is for sure: You don’t want to leave water lingering in walls, ceilings and floors where it could take a long time to dry. If it stays wet long enough, you risk damage from wood rot to the structure of your home or building. Just as concerning is the likelihood of mold, which can spread quickly, creating unpleasant odors and perhaps even health risks for those with respiratory conditions and severe allergies.

You want to be sure an affected area is dry, and Cornerstone has special instruments that help us monitor not only areas behind walls and floors, but even the humidity levels in the air, which is something that most people don’t realize can cause additional damage if it isn’t brought down to normal indoor levels.

The phrases “too big” and “too complicated” usually apply to any significant plumbing leak since they almost always result in water finding its way behind walls, into ceilings or under flooring; and it’s almost always more than a little water, no matter how quickly you react to stop the flow. That water is under a lot of pressure, and when a pipe or water supply line bursts, you usually can’t get to the shut off valve quickly enough to prevent the water from spreading into the structure.

The “too disgusting” part applies to things like sewage and drain backups, toilet overflows, or outside ground water that enters your house during a flood. Those situations call for extra precautions and expertise because of concerns about bacteria or chemicals that are likely to be present in the affected area. Exposing yourself to those things is a huge health risk, and it’s just not necessary when well-trained, properly equipped professionals are available to thoroughly clean it up.

If you have a small spill or leak and you're able to react before it spreads much, then cleaning it up yourself with some towels should be a breeze. If it’s more serious than that, call the experts at Cornerstone; it’s what we do.

Disaster Restoration: The New Bandwagon Business

I remember a time about eighteen years ago when the housing market was booming and interest rates were low for the first time in years. The real estate and mortgage businesses were hot. Since getting started in real estate was more expensive and time consuming, people who wanted to make big money fast were getting into the mortgage business.

People were leaving long careers in other industries to become mortgage originators. New mortgage companies were springing up everywhere. Banks were suddenly expanding their mortgage departments in order to get a larger piece of the pie. People with no experience were suddenly trying to be experts in a field that was growing so fast there was barely time to learn all the ins and outs.

That, along with other factors, ultimately resulted in the housing crisis of 2007 and the strict regulation that followed. Suddenly, the mortgage business was very hard. Many left the business within a few years. Many banks shut down or reduced their mortgage operations, and many small mortgage companies closed shop.

Something similar is happening with the disaster restoration industry right now. People have noticed the success of old, established companies like ServiceMaster and they have decided that they too can be disaster restoration experts.

Almost every month I hear of another construction company or plumbing company that has added disaster restoration to their professional repertoire. Like us, they know that no matter what, pipes are going to burst somewhere and fires are going to happen. They want their piece of the pie, and who can blame them? Unlike us, many go it alone without the backing and resources of a brand with a proven system of training and support.

That's not to say that they can't learn the business the right way and do a good job; Some of them do. But that's not as easy as it sounds, and it often takes years to get it right when you're starting from scratch.

Consider this: When you suffer a fire or water disaster in your business or home, who would you rather depend on to put things right again; a company that added disaster restoration as an afterthought, or one that has been perfecting their process for over sixty years. ServiceMaster Restore has even spent years developing and constantly improving their own proprietary cleaning products.

ServiceMaster Restore franchises are not only required to adhere to rigorous ServiceMaster brand standards in order to be designated a Quality Restoration Vendor (QRV), but they are also required to adhere to the strict certification standards of the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification).

Keep in mind also that ServiceMaster Restore has long-standing relationships with almost all major insurance carriers, as well as local agents. We know how the claims process works and what your insurance company requires in order to make the claim go as smoothly as possible. Those companies that are new to the industry might not have those relationships.

More than a few restoration companies have come and gone over the years, and that will probably continue. It's not an easy business, as many find out quickly. But the ServiceMaster brand and ServiceMaster by Cornerstone in particular have stood the test of time, and we plan to be around for many years to come.

Public Notice: We're Watching, and We Know What's Going On

A couple of weeks ago, I caught wind of a story about a mold inspection that two of our team members did. It was only one of several they had done last month. What made it unique, however, is that instead of having to convince the property owner that they needed to take proper action for their mold problem, they had to convince this one that there was no mold problem.

This customer, an elderly woman, had already been told by a different company that she had a mold problem in the crawl space beneath her house after they had done a visual inspection of the area.  Fortunately, she was smart enough to get a second opinion. Following the recommendation of someone she trusted, she called us. When our technicians did a thorough inspection, they concluded that there was no evidence of mold growth.

The people who had performed the initial inspection had this customer pretty frightened. According to the customer, she had even been told that she had toxic, black mold. That's a pretty serious assumption.

One of our technicians showed her the photos that they took of the supposedly mold infested area; there was no visible sign of mold. Our technician also told her that if the previous inspector had actually seen any microbial growth at all, there would have been no way to determine the type of mold it was (if it even was mold) without proper laboratory testing.

The customer later called our office and asked again if it was possible that our technicians were mistaken. That's how much worry the initial inspector had caused this lady; she was terrified that her home was in danger. Our customer service representative reassured the customer, and by the end of the conversation, she was satisfied that there was no need to worry.

This demonstrates that even though unscrupulous companies sometimes try to frighten people into paying for unnecessary services, someone is always watching. In this case, I'm glad that "someone" was ServiceMaster by Cornerstone. Take note, all you scammers out there: We know what's going on, and we're still watching.

Life Lessons From Funerals, and Legacies That Last

I used to hate going to funerals. It was depressing, and I never quite knew what to say to the family of the deceased. I used to avoid going whenever possible, but that all changed one day when I was asked to speak at my aunt's funeral. I couldn't say no to my uncle, so I reluctantly took on the responsibility. After that, I was asked to speak at my grandmother's funeral a couple of years later, and again at the service for my best friend later that summer.

The thing I thought of most when preparing my remarks was the legacy each person left behind. I considered what made each of them memorable, and whether or not the impression they left was strong enough to last beyond a few years. I considered how they inspired the people who knew them. I also discovered that there's nothing like a funeral to make you ponder your own mortality and legacy.

Legacy is one of those words that makes us nervous. We like to pretend that we'll always be around, even though we know better. More often than not, as we go about our lives, we get bogged down in our routines and we forget about the big picture. We don't think about our legacy much, and when we do, most of us probably think of it as something big and momentous that we hope to do, and so we place it on our to-do list for a time far in the future when we believe we'll be better prepared to do something great. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "How much in human life is lost in waiting."

But I think I've figured out the secret to legacy building, and it was really kind of obvious: Legacy is more about the quality of countless small actions and habits than it is about the big accomplishments. It's not so much what you do, but the way you do whatever it is you do. You have to think of it as a building that you build on a little bit every day. You use small building blocks of actions that add up over time and grow into something that lasts.

Building blocks for your legacy don't have to be huge ones. Little ones like a kind word or an encouragement to others every day have a way of building lasting legacies. How about things like creating good memories for your children, or helping someone (even a stranger) with something when it would be easier to make an excuse and go along your way? Or what about being there for others who are struggling instead of shying away from getting involved in their problem? Those are the things that last beyond your lifetime because they will inspire others to do the same kinds of things. 

If you think of the things that people have done to make you feel good, and do those things for others every day, you'll build a lasting legacy without even realizing the impact you're making. You probably won't even remember doing a lot of the things that will end up being meaningful and memorable to others.

There's a reason for that, and it's something I learned by attending and speaking at funerals. It's this: The thing that people remember about you most is the way you made them feel, not what "greatness" you were able to accomplish in life. People remember the way you were more than what you were.
That's a sobering thought. It means that you could just as easily be remembered for making people feel bad as you could for making them feel good.

The people I've known with the greatest legacies never got rich or had huge success. They never set world records or became famous. They were humble people of high integrity who cared about others more than themselves, and were intentional about finding ways to show it all the time. Example: I knew one man whose children remembered how he constantly wrote each of them special notes throughout their childhood, and not just on special occasions. He just noticed when they needed a little extra encouragement.  They kept those notes because they were part of their dad's legacy, and it set him apart from other dads they knew. His legacy will live on because he has inspired his children and grandchildren to do the same thing. How amazing, yet simple!

At ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, we begin every day with a reminder to "impact the lives of others at every opportunity so we can lift people up," and we discuss how we have done that lately. I like that we do that. It keeps our legacies in the forefront and reminds us that our work life can and should be part of something bigger than just completing tasks so we can get paid. Work is a part of our lives, and it's an opportunity to make something that seems ordinary on the surface into something extraordinary.

Consider that someday it'll probably be you that people are remembering at a funeral. What do you hope they will remember about the life you lived; about the way you were? It's worth thinking about.

When Expert Advice Becomes Worthless

Imagine for a moment that you're the owner of a multi-million dollar business and tax time is coming up soon. Your accountant has poured over all your profits and losses, and has concluded that you will need to pay the government $130,000 (I have no idea what the average multi-million dollar company would actually expect to pay in taxes).

Now imagine that you tell the accountant that you disagree, and that you think you should only pay $30,000. The accountant asks why, and you reply that you heard from your cousin who teaches finance at the local college that you can write off all meals you and your family eat, the vet bills for your horses and dogs, plus the college tuition for all three of your kids. The accountant warns you that you're making a big mistake, but you still insist on only paying the $30,000. Your future looks bleak.

As ridiculous as that sounds, we run into equivalent scenarios occasionally in the disaster restoration industry. A homeowner or building owner calls us to inspect their damage and asks our expert recommendations, only to tell us which steps they feel are not necessary to mitigate their problem. I'm not talking about cases where a customer has the knowledge and ability to do parts of the work himself to keep costs down; some do. I'm talking about people who want to skip entire steps in the process altogether because they don't believe they need to be done, or because they don't want to go over budget. That's when expert advice becomes worthless, and dissatisfaction is usually the end result.

A customer has the right, of course, to reject our advice. It's their home or building, and we respect their right to refuse. When that happens, we always re-state our advice to make sure they clearly understand the possible results of not following our recommendations, and then we ask them to sign a release form stating that they understand and do not hold us (or their insurance company if it's a claim) liable for any problems resulting from their decision. We have no other choice, except to turn down the job, which we are willing to do in some special circumstances.

Compare that to the owner of the multi-million dollar company in our earlier example. He has the right to refuse the accountant's advice, but he also accepts the consequences. The accountant has done his due diligence in preparing the correct figures. His responsibility ends there. It's the a same with us.

Just like the accountant, qualified project managers and coordinators in our industry have to complete specialized training and testing to acquire the right certifications to be able to make credible recommendations to customers. Equally as important is that those technicians also have the benefit of experience, since they see similar damage scenarios over and over on a weekly basis. They also have the benefit of seeing and correcting the results of mitigation jobs that were done incorrectly by others.

While it's true that it's always smart to ask questions and not just automatically believe things that might not make sense to you, there comes a point where common sense tells you that there is a reason you hired an expert instead of trying to fix the problem yourself. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't ask for clarity regarding the expert's suggestions; it just means that you shouldn't base your decisions about what they want to do on something you heard from a friend or read on an Internet forum. Instead, ask questions about anything that makes you uncomfortable. A trained expert will have answers that make sense, and will be able to explain them in a non-technical way that their average customer can easily understand.

Why A Disaster Restoration Company Hates Disasters

Almost every time we get bad weather in our service area, someone inevitably says something like "I bet you guys love this kind of weather." Even when conditions are good, people often think we are constantly hoping for a cold winter (pipe freezes), or heavy rain (flooding).

Insulation from collapsed, water damaged ceiling

While those conditions are admittedly part of the life blood of the restoration industry, we honestly don't savor the results of those conditions. Just as a doctor doesn't rejoice over an epidemic or a big accident with lots of injuries, we don't rejoice over floods, fires, mold or trauma. Yes, disaster restoration can be a profitable business, and we want every opportunity to do the work, but industries grow from effectively meeting a need, and the need we meet just happens to be the result of bad things. Even as we acknowledge that our business wouldn't exist if bad things didn't happen, we sympathize with our customers.

So, it doesn't make us happy when a customer's home or business gets burned or flooded . In fact, we hate it; mainly because we've seen the hardship it causes day after day. We especially hate it when someone has had an accident or died unattended and not found for days, and someone is needed to clean up the scene. We're mindful of the sadness others are going through, even as we send out the bill for our services. After all, if we can't grow profitably, we can't continue to meet that crucial need.

The fact is, disasters happen, regardless of whether we want them to or not, and we're just glad that we have the skills, training and equipment to make things better again; just like a doctor is glad when he or she can help a patient recover and go back to a normal way of life.

ServiceMaster by Cornerstone's Dirty Little Secret

I remember the first time I saw my toddler eat something he had just dropped on the floor. I was too far away and couldn't stop him. It completely grossed me out because I couldn't stop thinking of the shoes that had walked across that floor and all the places they'd been. I later learned that he was building immunity in a very natural way. It must have worked because he almost never gets sick. I still think it was gross.

Although most of the germs on my living room floor are probably pretty harmless to a healthy person with a normal immune system, there are dangerous pathogens lurking out there. One of the worst of those is Staph; the very mention of which sends terror through doctors and hospital administrators. They hate that word so much that they don't even like to refer to their employees as "staff." It's unnerving how many people develop Staph infections during their hospital stay. Then there's MRSA (often pronounced Mer-sah), a type of antibiotic resistant staph infection, which has been a problem in athletic locker rooms for a several years now. 

As if those two weren't enough, there's also Listeria; Salmonella; E. coli; Norovirus; and even Ebola (which terrified the world last year, even though it has been around for decades).

There are blood-borne pathogens and there are pathogens that come from all the other various bodily fluids secreted in all the routine ways. Some are airborne, and some just linger on surfaces, waiting for us to touch them so they can get into a cut or end up on our potato chips when we dip into the bag before remembering to wash our hands. It's almost enough to make you go all Howard Hughes and hide from the world!

Since most of us aren't wealthy enough to skip work indefinitely and lock ourselves into our mansions, we have to find another way to cope with pathogens. Well, ServiceMaster by Cornerstone now has a quick, easy solution, and we're happy to reveal our "dirty little secret": Chlorine Dioxide (Clo2), and a method perfected by our friends at Prokure1.

This stuff is going to revolutionize the way we deal with germs. Unlike past methods of pathogen control, Clo2 doesn't just combine with the pathogen; it actually breaks it down into it's basic parts (carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen), and causes it to dissipate harmlessly. The best part is that unlike many commonly used chemical agents (bleach and popular spray disinfectants), Clo2 leaves no carcinogenic (i.e. cancer causing) residue. It's also color safe, so you don't have to worry about damaging carpets, curtains or upholstery.

It gets even better! Clo2 not only works on pathogens, it eliminates even the most stubborn odors, and it kills mold. We've used it to convert smoking apartment units into non-smoking ones, and we've even used it to deodorize and disinfect the homes of hoarders where the odor was extreme. On a less pleasant note; we've also used it successfully for cleanup after an unattended death where a body has begun to decompose. It handles both odors and pathogens in that scenario.  To top it off, Clo2 is even being used against the highly contagious Ebola virus in Africa.

Here's something that truly amazes me: As of this writing, ServiceMaster by Cornerstone is the ONLY disaster restoration company in the mid-south using this method of odor and pathogen control.

Germs and odor will always be a part of life on earth, but it helps to know that there's a devastating new weapon in our arsenal that will solve both problems quickly and safely.

From Filthy to Food-Grade Clean in Ninety Minutes

In the old days of disaster restoration (only a few short years ago), soft contents (clothing, textiles, shoes, leather goods) that had been saturated with super-heavy soot and smoke, or that had been exposed to contaminated water, bio-contaminants, or other pathogens would've been automatically discarded and replaced (per the insurance company) during a disaster cleanup. There was just no way to get them truly clean, deodorized, and decontaminated without damaging the fabric. There's no telling how many tons of soft goods were relegated to the land fills during all those years.

That still happens today in a lot of places. It was happening right here in the Mid-South until last summer when ServiceMaster by Cornerstone met the folks from Esporta Wash Systems, and things haven't been the same since.

We were thrilled with the results on our first contents restoration job using the Esporta iS4000. This particular job was the result of a toilet overflow. Since toilet overflows are considered category three water (full of bio-contaminants), most insurance companies allow for full replacement. We explained our wash system technology to our customer and left the choice to her. She decided to give it a try; after all, we have a 100% satisfaction guarantee on items washed in the Esporta.

We restored several items for our customer, but the one item that stands out in our minds is the Coach handbag that she loved. It had been a gift from someone special, and she didn't want to replace it with a new one. The problem was that it had been sitting wet in a bag for a few days before we were called, and by then it was covered in mold in addition to all the other microbial life forms growing within the fabric.

When we tested the handbag with our ATP meter, the same kind used by health departments for testing restaurant surfaces, the reading was 2460 RLU (relative light units). To give you some perspective on that, 30 RLU or below is considered food grade clean. Most surfaces that you handle daily, such as a cell phone, average around 300 RLU. This handbag wasn't just dirty, it was filthy!

Coach handbag before washing

This was going to be a true test of our new Esporta Wash System; the moment of truth. We put the handbag in one of the Esporta's stationary compartments, adjusted the settings, and started the machine. The Esporta passed the handbag through detergent-laden water over and over, using hydraulic action instead of agitation to wash it. That's why we were able to machine wash something as delicate as this, and that's one reason Esporta is superior to traditional washing methods. Doing it this way protects the integrity of the fabric because nothing is rubbing against it and wearing it out. Instead, water and environmentally friendly detergents just keep passing through the fabric, over and over.

The result was incredible. At the end of the process, this handbag that had previously tested at 2460 RLU was testing at 22 RLU. That's food-grade clean, meaning it was so clean you could safely prepare food on it. It also looked brand new and smelled clean and fresh. Our customer even commented that it had not looked that good since it was new. She was also thrilled with how her clothing items and shoes turned out. We were able to get items that she needed immediately back to her within 24 hours, and she had all of her items back in less than a week; delivered neatly under plastic covers, hanging in nice boxes. The whole thing was a home run for us and a pleasant surprise for our customer.

Coach purse after going through the Esporta Wash System

We've done several jobs with our Esporta since then; all of them wildly successful. We're cleaning items that come to us from as far away as Jackson, MS, three hours south of us. There has been so much demand that we just bought a second machine to keep up. It's that good! Word is out about ServiceMaster by Cornerstone and the Esporta Wash System. It feels great to be an industry pioneer.




Be Prepared - Your Disaster Plan Of Action Is A Download Away

Walking into your home and discovering ankle deep water or seeing (and smelling) the results of fire damage is a bad feeling. You might not immediately understand all the problems it will present, but you know it won't be easy.

That thought alone is enough to cause nausea-inducing stress for some of us. It makes sense to do everything possible to keep that stress to a minimum. A simple plan of action could certainly go a long way toward eliminating that stress, and any good plan of action begins with knowing how to contact the right person for help. The next step is knowing what to do until they get there.

Our free ServiceMaster by Cornerstone mobile app is your all-in-one solution for both of those things. A quick response is the best way to prevent further damage, and there's no quicker way than this. With two touches of your fingertip, you can be on your way to recovery. You'll have the peace of mind of knowing that experts who can handle the hard stuff for you are on their way and ready to put things right.

While you're waiting for us to arrive, you can check out the "What To Know" section of our mobile app. You'll find great advice on what you can do to minimize damage until our crew arrives. You can even take photos and send them directly to us through our app.

You'll also find photos of our leadership team and their contact information using our "Key Contacts" page in the "About Us" section. If that's not enough, you can even read a brief synopsis of our company.

Your basic, emergency plan of action is one download away. It's an easy way to prepare. Just click on one of the following links:

For i-Phone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/servicemaster-by-cornerstone/id839487141?mt=8

For Android: http://www.lollipopandroid.xyz/download/com.smst.charles.html

Two Questions That Can Change Your Life

It's not every day that you get to work with people who are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to do or say something kind to others... unless you work at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone.

In recent months, we have focused heavily on determining the ultimate reason we do what we do every day. That is, the reason we choose to work in the restoration industry, and the reason we show up to work every day. Although that varies from person to person, we wanted to unify everyone under a main purpose for our company. More than that, we wanted to consider whether or not we are finding purpose in our work lives as well as our personal lives. After all, we spend the majority of our waking hours on the job. If our only purpose is to just get through another day of cleaning up after floods, fires, mold and trauma, then the legacy we could leave in this world is wasted.

After a lot of brainstorming and soul searching, our leadership team determined that our company's purpose is "impacting lives at every opportunity so that we can lift people up."
That means everyone; Our customers, our families, each other, and anyone else who crosses our paths in everyday life.

Image courtesy of flikr.com

We now start every morning meeting with the same two questions: What opportunity did you have yesterday to impact someone in a positive way, and how did you lift them up? The answers are often amazing, and sometimes very surprising.

What we discovered was that when we are intentional about looking for opportunities to lift someone up, incredible things happen. A positive culture emerges and we find a kinder, gentler atmosphere. We find ourselves jumping at the opportunity to do things for others that we used to overlook, or perhaps even thought was a little too "above and beyond."

 Positive feedback from our customers has definitely been on the rise lately, and it's because we have team members who are more sympathetic and kinder, and who know they have an opportunity to help someone get through a very frustrating situation. They are motivated by a challenge to change a negative situation into a positive customer experience. They all want to be the one to come into our meeting and share the story that will blow everyone away. Sharing those opportunities with the group has become sort of a badge of honor; a chance to demonstrate that what they do every day, at work and at home, does make a difference and is of value. We couldn't be more proud of them.

Our team also likes to share stories of how their co-workers lift them up. When one team member goes out of his or her way to show kindness to another team member, the others want to make sure that team member gets recognized for it. We didn't even ask them to do that; they just do it because it's right.

In just a couple of months, we've noticed that referring to our co-workers as "team" and our company as the "ServiceMaster by Cornerstone family" stopped sounding clichéd and took on a genuineness that we always hoped for, but never could quite achieve. Things sure have changed!

To sum it up, our family at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone has become a small-scale example of what the whole world could be if everyone would be intentional about looking for ways to encourage and be kind to others.

We might not be changing the world at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, but we've shown what can happen in our own little part of it when we come together for a common purpose and determine to love others. It's a good feeling!

What I Have Learned From Insurance Agents

When I first started calling on insurance agents two and a half years ago, I asked a lot of questions and had a lot of conversations about what's important to their customers. I wanted to know what kind of customer experience would keep agents referring us to their policy holders time after time.

 

Image courtesy of arstechnica.com

 

It's amazing what you can learn if you just ask the right questions and listen carefully. Most of the time, their answers were the result of feedback they had gotten from their customers in the past. Here's what I learned from agents about how to best serve their customers:

Customers need us to show sympathy for their situation.
One agent told me that it's probably rare for her customers to hear "I'm sorry this happened to you" from the restoration company representatives and repair contractors. It's an easy thing to say. It's the appropriate thing to say in a disaster. However, most people rarely think to actually say it. Sympathy needs to especially be extended to the customer on residential jobs. Homeowners are emotionally invested in their homes, and they need to know that the people who are there to solve the problem care about that.

To the customer, this is one of the worst days of their life.
When you see severe water and fire damage almost every day, it's easy to become jaded and forget that what might not even come close to being the worst you've seen is probably one of the worst disasters the customer has ever experienced in his or her home. It's important to remember that everyone's disaster is extremely significant to them, even if it is just another day at the office for us.

Customers need us to set proper expectations.
Most customer dissatisfaction stems from the company they hired not setting proper expectations. The customer needs to know what we'll need to do; why we need to do it; how it's going to be done; and how long it will likely take. They also need to know at the beginning that some of those things might change, depending on what additional damage we might discover during the process. Finally, they need to be prepared for the disruption in their lives; the noise of the equipment, the demolition of ceilings, flooring, sections of wall, etc.; the possible adjustments to their normal schedule during the process.

Customers need to see confidence.
When we arrive on that job, customers need to see us take charge of the situation immediately. They need to see us alert and paying attention. No matter how bad the situation, we need to appear calm and in control. Our actions tell the customer a lot about our ability. They need to be reassured right away that we are trained to handle it and we know exactly what to do. It's important to not panic the customer, and often that means being careful how we phrase things, and using a reassuring tone of voice.

Smile
That should be a given.  A smile always makes any situation better.

Our Foundational Objective: Honor God In All We Do

This week we have a few words from our franchise owner, Mark Jowers:

"When Carol and I purchased our ServiceMaster Clean franchise back in 2001, we immediately adopted the ServiceMaster corporate objectives: To honor God in all we do; to help people develop; to pursue excellence; and to grow profitably.

I have always felt that not only were these the right objectives; I believe that they are in the proper order. A plaque with these hangs just behind my desk, and I refer to them often. 

Although the layout of the objectives has changed, the objectives/values remain the same. Honor God in all we do has been moved to a foundational position. Not a bad thing for a company named ServiceMaster by Cornerstone.....Cornerstone being the key word."          -Mark Jowers, Owner

A new addition to our lobby area: Our company objectives - big and bold

Four Things That Will Destroy Your Carpet, and How To Avoid Them

You've probably seen it many times; wrinkled spots on carpet, or seams that have separated and look like they need to be stretched back together. You might have even noticed carpet fibers coming loose and bare spots forming. When you see those things, it's often time to replace that carpet. While those kinds of problems might sometimes be due to several years of normal wear, many times they are the result of carpet delamination that could've been avoided.

Delamination is the word for what happens when the primary backing on your carpet separates from the secondary backing. The backing is what holds the fibers to the flooring. When the adhesive on that backing breaks down, delamination begins, and you start to see all those things described above. Once that happens, the affected part of that carpet is toast (to use a technical term).

Here are four common causes of delamination:

1. Water damage: This is one we see all the time in the disaster restoration industry. Say, for instance, that a leaky pipe caused all the carpet to get soaked. The water is clean, so you might think the carpet can just be dried out and re-installed - problem solved, right? Well, if it's dried quickly enough, that could be the case; however, if a carpet gets saturated in water, it doesn't take very long for the water to break down the adhesive. How quickly that happens depends on the quality of the carpet. The moisture will also cause the backing to expand or contract (depending on the type of backing), and that begins to pull the backing loose from the adhesive.

If you have water damage, call a water mitigation professional immediately, for crying out loud. Waiting won't make it go away, and the damage will quickly get worse.

2. Walking on newly cleaned carpet that isn't yet dry: After carpet is cleaned, it has to have time to dry out before any pressure is put on it. Stretching from the pressure and movement created by walking on carpet that is still damp can cause delamination, and the visible damage might not happen quickly enough for you to make the connection between the two. It could be several weeks before you notice a little wrinkle in the carpet or some fibers coming loose. It's best to stay off of the carpet until you're sure it's dry. Depending on the type of carpet and the level of cleaning that was needed, eight to twelve hours should be enough time for it to dry. Keeping the room open where it can air out, and keeping it at a moderate temperature will give you the quickest results.

3. Urine: Urine, whether it's from pets or humans, can do a lot of damage to carpet. In addition to the stains and odor it causes, the acidic nature of urine can quickly break down carpet adhesives and cause delamination. To counteract the acid in the urine, you'll need a cleaning product that neutralizes it. Doing this quickly is essential. You can use a white vinegar and water mixture (3:1 ratio). Just liberally pour it on the urine spot and allow it to soak in. Give it a couple of minutes and then use towels to blot up the moisture. Don't rub it, just blot it until it soaks up as much as possible. Then put a dry towel on top of the spot and place some kind of weight on top of it (maybe a copy of War and Peace or the U.S. tax code). Let it sit overnight to soak up the remaining moisture.

4. Harsh cleaning products: The chemicals in some cleaning products can break down the adhesive in your carpet's backing. While many of these products might be okay for light surface cleaning, using too much could cause it to soak into the backing and ruin your carpet. Be careful about how much of any product you use. Always carefully follow the instructions on the label.

Of course, aging carpet is another cause of delamination. No adhesive, backing or fiber will last forever; even the best ones have a limited life. Still, with proper care and routine cleaning by qualified professionals, your carpets can look great for many, many years.

Cornerstone Constants - Creating An Experience

"Customer service" is a thing of the past, and I'm going to try to erase that phrase from my vocabulary. Allow me explain: Everybody uses the term "customer service," but a lot of companies just don't deliver. That's why it has become a trite expression. Nobody wants to hear about your customer service because they've heard it all before. It's time for something better.

What if we instead told you about our "customer experience?" Now that's a little more interesting, isn't it? Service is mundane; it's a given that should be expected no matter what. An experience, however, is something that goes to such a higher level that it's far beyond the expected. It's something so impressive that you talk about it long after it's over.

Here's an example: I recently heard a friend talking about his Disney "experience." He was so impressed by the way he didn't even have to go to baggage claim after arriving in Orlando. He and his family were picked up at the airport minutes after arrival and taken to their hotel where their bags were waiting for them in their room. Their "experience" was practically hassle free. Disney has long understood that customer service is the bare minimum, but creating a customer experience is what keeps people coming back for more.

We understand that a disaster in your home or business is a far cry from travel to a Disney resort. There's certainly a lot more hassle involved, and you don't even get to ride The Teacups or see a parade at the end of it. But at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, our hope is to create a customer experience that you don't get with anyone else; one that shows we've put a lot of thought into what the customer is going through, and how we can make it easier on them.

Long ago, our franchise owner developed something called the "Cornerstone Constants." Our constants are the things that our team members are expected to consistently do on every job in order to create the Cornerstone experience.

There are three parts: Cleanliness, Service, and Integrity. Under each part are words that clarify those parts. For example: Under "Cleanliness" are the following words: Uniform, Hygiene, Workplace, Vehicles, and Equipment. So, when someone from ServiceMaster by Cornerstone shows up to do work in your home or business, you can expect them to arrive in a clean vehicle, wear a clean uniform, and use clean equipment. You can also expect that they will take every measure to keep your home as clean as possible before, during and at the end of the job.
Here is the list of Cornerstone Constants that hangs in our office:

If you ever need us, we hope you'll clearly see the difference between customer service and the Cornerstone experience.

The Shocking Truth Behind Disaster Restoration

If a disaster happens in your home or business, you'll probably be relieved to know that someone is on their way to restore the damage - the sooner the better. But have you ever considered what happens once they arrive? Have you wondered what's going to happen over the next several days, and how it will impact your normal routine and enjoyment of that space? Have you wondered how it might affect you on an emotional level?

Let's take water damage, for instance. Proper drying techniques most often require some maneuvers that can seem pretty shocking to the untrained eye. After all, this is your property. You've spent good money to buy it, and perhaps even more money and time renovating or decorating it just the way you want it. Then a disaster happens, and what comes next is almost excruciating to see.

Imagine the unpleasant sight of baseboards being removed from your walls and holes being drilled; sections of ceiling being removed; once-beautiful flooring being taken up; expensive cabinets being removed; and your belongings being shifted around from one area to the next. I'm also talking about a lot of loud noise from the drying equipment, and extension cords being taped to your floor. In addition to that, there's the plastic sheeting erected as a containment barrier throughout your house, and people you just met going in and out of your home. I can see how it could be kind of unsettling.

But if you think about it, you'll quickly realize that all those things have to happen. When moisture is trapped inside of walls and ceilings among all the wood, drywall and insulation, the environment is ripe for additional damage. Leaving it wet will eventually lead to deterioration, mildew, and maybe even (oh, no!) mold. There's only one way to get it dry. We have to blow high velocity air in there to cause evaporation, which will then be collected by our dehumidifiers. The only way to blow air into those spaces is to open them up. That's called demolition, and it makes most people cringe, regardless of how prepared they might be for it.

Demolition may involve removing baseboards along your walls and making holes along the bottom about the size of a half-dollar every couple of feet. It might involve drilling holes in the base of your cabinets, or even removing your cabinets altogether until the areas behind them and the cabinets themselves are dry.

Ceilings also sometimes require demolition. When they're saturated with water, they begin to deteriorate fast. The drywall becomes spongy and starts to crack, and then it's only a matter of time before it starts to sag and then fall. After all, there's typically a bunch of heavy, wet insulation sitting right on top of it. So you can understand why we sometimes have to cut a big square out of your ceiling. Either way, a hole is going to be there eventually; we might as well beat gravity to the punch and make the area safer and cleaner. Besides, we have to blow air in there, too.

Where floors are concerned, carpet is usually the easiest. Almost everyone knows we have to dry under the carpet, so they usually expect to see it pulled up. Seeing the pad underneath being cut out might be a bit cringe-worthy, but carpet pad is cheap to replace. Of course, sometimes the glue that holds the carpet fibers to the backing breaks down from too much moisture. That's called delamination, and when that happens, the carpet itself must be replaced.

As for wood floors, there are a lot of factors that determine what needs to happen when they get wet. If there's moisture below, it can sometimes be extracted with heavy suction using rescue mats, assuming it's a "nail down" floor. If it's a "glue down" floor, it'll usually have to come up. The glue blocks the water trapped beneath, and the suction from the rescue mats can't suck it out. In any case, regardless of the installation method, most of the wood floors we encounter have to be replaced. It's almost impossible to get wood floors dry quickly enough to prevent them from buckling and warping. It all depends on how wet they got and how long they stayed that way. By the way; laminate floors never stand a chance against significant amounts of water. We typically recommend removal if water has gotten below their surface.

Finally, let's address the noise. Our equipment is loud. The technology to create high velocity wind without making much noise doesn't yet exist (and probably never will). Those loud noises are annoying, I know. They disrupt your peaceful environment and drown out the sounds you're used to hearing, but they're necessary to get your home dry and prevent further damage. Think of that noise as the key indicator that those machines are doing what they were built to do; save your house. The same goes for the unfamiliar people milling about your home. They just want to help you get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, someone with a lot of foresight created what we call "Master Moments." Master Moments is a booklet that explains our drying techniques and equipment in detail. It has a section of frequently asked questions, too. At the beginning of each job, we briefly go over the booklet with our customers, touching on the highlights so that we can set proper expectations. We then encourage them to read through the booklet in more detail at their convenience. Of course, our technicians are always happy to try and answer any questions, too.

Master Moments Recovery Guide

So if you have a disaster in your home or business, stay calm, call ServiceMaster by Cornerstone, and try not to be shocked by what happens next.

First Steps to Recovery After a House Fire

Imagine for a moment that you just had a fire in your home. Maybe it wasn't too bad and it didn't burn the entire house down. No one was injured, but it destroyed your kitchen, and really messed up part of your family room, too. The fire hoses soaked everything in that part of the house. The smoke was thick and filled every room, and everything you own now smells like smoke. There's also a film of soot covering everything. The fire is out and the smoke has cleared. So, what now?

There are steps you need to take right away. The hours immediately after a fire are crucial if you're going to recover quickly, so remember the following steps:

1. Immediately call your insurance agent or claims manager. You'll want to file your claim as quickly as possible and get the ball rolling on your recovery. Also, most policies have provisions for the insurance company to issue an immediate advance against your claim to pay for accommodations while the home is uninhabitable, so the sooner you file, the sooner you can plan your temporary living arrangements.

2. Find out when you can re-enter the home. Wait for the fire marshal to give you the "all clear" before going back inside. There are dangers from falling debris and chemicals in the air after a fire. The fire department will let you know when it's safe to go back into the house.

3. Secure your house. If there are holes in the structure or broken windows, you'll need to have it boarded up once the fire is out. You'll eventually have all of your belongings removed from the home, cleaned and stored for you. Until then, they need to be protected from thieves and weather. Regarding especially expensive items that can easily be removed (jewelry, cash, firearms etc.), you might want to consider relocating them to a more secure location immediately, if possible.

4. Make arrangements for a hotel stay, or accommodations with a relative nearby until you can make more long-term arrangements. Be sure to keep any hotel receipts for your insurance claims adjuster. Most insurance policies state that the insurance company will pay for any reasonable living expenses necessary to maintain the policy holder's current standard of living, and since you will likely be out of your home for several months while repairs are being made, you'll eventually want something larger and more comfortable than the initial hotel room. Your insurance agent can probably put you in touch with local resources for finding suitable temporary housing.

5. Buy some basic items like clothing, toiletries, etc. Since everything in your home will probably be saturated with the smell of smoke, it's best to just buy some new things to use until the professional cleaners can clean and remove the smoke odors from your clothing. The same advance against your insurance claim that pays for a hotel will also pay for these other needs.

6. Once you can safely go back inside your house, don't touch anything with your bare hands. Even things that appear unaffected by the fire will have a film of soot on them. The chemical reaction between the soot and the oils in your skin could permeate the objects and cause damage to things that could otherwise be cleaned and salvaged. That's especially the case with things like walls, furniture (both wood and upholstered), photos and art.

7. Contact ServiceMaster by Cornerstone (or a mitigation specialist in your area) to handle the cleanup. Delaying cleanup could cause further damage due to corrosive gasses from the fire, as well as water damage from the fire hoses. Mitigation companies like ServiceMaster have the equipment, expertise and manpower to handle everything, including the removal, cleaning and temporary storage of your belongings. They will work with your insurance company and repair contractors to get everything cleaned up and returned to normal as quickly as possible.

8. Make note of anything that is obviously damaged. ServiceMaster by Cornerstone will also take photos of the damage and all contents in the home, documenting each non-salvageable item. Those photos will then be sent to the claims adjuster in a convenient report intended to help speed up your claims process.

9. Prepare yourself for a few months of inconvenience while things are being put right again. Keep in mind that for a while at least, life is going to be very different from your usual routine and circumstances. There will be several phone calls with people ranging from your insurance company to your mitigation and repair contractors. There will be decisions to make and questions to answer. Just remember that everyone is working toward the same goal; getting you and your belongings back home again.

There's nothing easy about having a house fire. It turns your life upside down and can stress you out, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Try to stay positive, and don't lose sight of the fact that life will eventually go back to normal again.

Protect Yourself From Burst Water Pipe Damage In 5 Easy Steps

The "polar vortex" has reared its ugly head once again. We're barely into fall in the mid-south and we've already been slammed with freezing temperatures, and even a little bit of frozen precipitation. If this is any indication of things to come this winter, Memphis area residents had better get prepared now.

Many of you probably remember the deep winter freeze we had the first week of January this year. Temperatures dropped into the teens and twenties and stayed there for two days, causing pipes all over the area to crack. When the weather warmed up a little, the leaking and spraying began, in most cases while people were at work or still out of town for the holidays. A lot of folks came home to a big, wet mess that day. We encountered several customers walking around their homes in rubber boots, staring despairingly at their caved-in ceilings and ruined floors and furniture. It was a terrible way for them to start off the new year.

The aftermath of a collapsed ceiling due to a burst water pipe.

So, how do you protect yourself from a similar fate? Well, sometimes it happens no matter what you do, but most frozen pipe disasters we've encountered could have been prevented with a little knowledge and action. Here are five easy steps to help you prevent the sorrow and regret of flooding from a burst water pipe:

1. Keep your home heated to a reasonable level. Even if you're not going to be home (or perhaps especially if you're not going to be home) keep your thermostat set to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You would think that this is a no brainer, but a lot of people who leave home when the weather is mild forget to make sure the heat is set to come on if the temperature drops. If you're leaving town for the holidays, add "set the thermostat" to your pre-trip checklist, right next to "make sure the cat isn't trapped in a closet" (long story, happy ending).

2. Check your insulation. Even with heat running in the house, you still need to make sure the pipes that run through exterior walls, crawl spaces and attics are insulated properly. While we can only hope the builders of our homes adequately insulated our pipes, we can definitely check any exposed pipes in the attic or in crawl spaces and add insulation to them, as well as cover foundation vents and insulate garden hose spigots.

If you're concerned that pipes in your exterior walls might not have enough insulation, there are things you can do. The most proactive step would be to open up the wall and add extra insulation before cold weather hits. You might even want to install a permanent access panel in the wall while you're at it so you can warm the pipes during extreme cold spells. Otherwise, you can always try adding an extra layer of protection by temporarily attaching a piece of foam board to the outside wall that contains those pipes until the freeze threat is over. That extra barrier from a cold wind might make the difference. It might even help if you blow additional heat directly onto the wall from the inside with a space heater (at a safe distance, of course). Do this only if you're going to be home and can fully supervise it.

3. Drip your faucets. Some experts say slowly dripping your faucets will help prevent frozen pipes. The idea is that keeping the water moving prevents it from freezing. Other experts say that doesn't really help, and could even result in water damage from an overflow if your drain becomes clogged or frozen. It's hard to say for sure who is right, but my opinion is to go ahead and drip the faucets if you can be there to keep an eye on it, or at least periodically turn the faucets on and off. That might relieve pressure if the water inside the pipe begins to freeze and expand. And if it's a sink along an outside wall (like many kitchen sinks), don't forget to leave open the cabinet door below to prevent the drain pipe from freezing.  

4. Watch for the signs of a problem. Frozen pipes don't automatically mean burst pipes, although it's pretty likely that they will burst most of the time. Burst pipes don't automatically mean a flood in your house either; you just have to pay attention to the signs and react appropriately. Remember that the most critical time in a freeze scenario is the thaw, not the freeze. If you notice a loss in water pressure during a winter freeze, or no water at all, you need to take action before the pipes thaw and water begins to spray. You'll want to call a plumber as soon as you notice a problem. Don't wait until the thaw begins and everyone else in town is trying to get a plumber. Choose a qualified professional before you need one, and get on his or her schedule early. Even if your pipe hasn't burst yet, the plumber might be able to help you thaw it properly and avoid a problem. That leads us to the next step:

5. Know how to shut off your main water supply.  If you suspect your pipes are frozen, shut off your main water supply to the house and leave your faucets open. Shutting off the water supply will prevent a big water disaster by cutting of the supply of new water. Leaving your faucets on will relieve pressure as the ice begins to thaw. When your pipes thaw and you turn the water back on, do it slowly and watch for any signs of leaking before opening it back up to full pressure. 

Now, being able to take this important step depends on one important factor: Knowing the location of your main water shut off and how to operate it. You might have an interior shut off valve, which can be shut off by simply turning a knob. Otherwise, you'll have to shut your water off at the meter, usually located in your front yard near the road. If you have to shut it off at the meter, you'll need a meter wrench to do it. Make sure you have one. Practice shutting off the main water before a freeze happens. That way you can be sure the valve handle isn't stuck when an emergency occurs.  

As always, if you do happen to find yourself ankle deep (or even toe deep) in water for any reason, the experts at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone are available for emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our phone number is (901) 624-9200. Enter it into your phone along with your plumber's number. You might be glad you did.