To Kill A Mockingbird at Fair Park's Music Hall

5/11/2023 (Permalink)

Music Hall at Fair Park

Come see the classic play To Kill A Mockingbird being shown at one of the best venues in the DFW area, the Music Hall at Fair Park. The play takes place in Alabama in the 1930s touching on very important issues during that time and now.   

Music Hall was born as Fair Park Auditorium in 1925.  It has had many remodels & expansions over it's almost 100 year history.  Previously, it was the home of the Dallas Opera.  It now plays host to the annual Dallas Summer Musicals series. Located at 909 1rst Avenue, it is very centrally located.

Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird is playing all month long with mostly evening 7:30pm start times with a handful of afternoon matinee times on the weekends at 1:30pm. Prices currently start at $79 but are going fast! 

Hotel Mattress Cleaning - Uncommon but Needed

5/5/2023 (Permalink)

Hot water cleaning of hotel mattresses

We received a special request from one of our hotel customers in the Arlington area.  They had a number of mattresses they needed cleaned.  These were not 10+ year old filthy mattresses that they were trying to get more usage out of.  These are 1-2 year old mattresses that had a stain or two with some having stains not discerning to the naked eye.  The city had done some inspections with a black light and determined that either they needed to be professionally cleaned or replaced.  

Time was of the essence as the inspector was going to be back in 2 days to make sure the hotel had adhered to their directive.  We were there the next morning with our hot water extraction cleaning machine and wand.  Also in tow were our array of specialty cleaning solutions to attack the variety of unknown stains we may encounter.

After a thorough cleaning and a pre-check by a hotel manager and the owner, they were ready for the inspector.  The next day we received great news, the mattresses passed with flying colors.

We have a very happy customer that is scheduling the next batch of mattresses for us to clean.  Another successful job by SERVPRO of Dallas Central!

Best Pizza in South Dallas?

3/13/2023 (Permalink)

Blackjack Pizza Front Counter

March Madness is about to begin which means it's time to sit on the couch with friends and family to watch some basketball! 

In South Dallas, one of the best around is Blackjack Pizza.  It is located off of MLK, south of 30 and just east of 45.  It is one of the old school institutions that only takes cash.  The customer service is wonderful as can be expected from a tenured local restaurant that has lots of consistent, regular customers.

It is a rarity to have an establishment that can do more than 1 thing great, but these folks haven't just perfected pizza but burgers and tea too.  You will also want to try the onion rings as well! Not to mention their lemon cake....mmm. 

The Best Hamburger in Cedar Crest?

12/9/2022 (Permalink)

Wingfield’s Could be the Best Hamburger in Cedar Crest

Wingfield’s Breakfast & Burger has been a staple in the Dallas area since the 1986 founding by Richard Wingfield.  It is located just off of I-35 S and Illinois.

You are underwhelmed when you pull into the small parking lot and walk into a small, pre-fabricated shack known as a Valentine Diner but when you look around during the lunch time you will see a madhouse with cars overflowing into the street trying to find anywhere to park and wait.  Not only are the burgers seasoned to perfection with juices overflowing but the portion sizes are humungous. The burgers may seem a little pricey but the massive size is well worth it.  They have a triple patty burger, I doubt you can finish it! With over 1700 reviews, you can’t go wrong.

A Brief Overview of The Cedars - Dallas Texas

5/15/2022 (Permalink)

The Cedars in Dallas is a fun up and coming area in Dallas.

The Cedars is around a 3 square mile area just south of Downtown Dallas, across interstate 30.  It’s close  to downtown and major thoroughfares and adds a uniquely different hip, vibe that make it one of the best up and coming areas around.  With the population in Dallas exploding, and the suburbs becoming further and further away, the Cedars is on the verge of a breakout.   It is probably most known for the great concerts at places like Southside Ballroom and quirky bars like Lee Harvey’s and as well as some great barbeque from Off the Bone. It is also home to the Dallas Police Headquarters. The Cedars is one of the oldest areas of Dallas, tracing it’s roots back to the 1870’s.  In fact, the history of Dallas and North Texas can be explored at the 20-acre Dallas Heritage Village in the Cedars.

Today, you will find revitalization underway. Numerous townhouse complexes and cool lofts have been built. Four Corners Brewing has been a big addition bringing a craft brewery with a fun large open air patio. One of the biggest and some might say the best projects was taking the old Sears Roebuck & Co building and transforming it into the Southside on Lamar residential lofts, retail shops and office spaces.

What lies ahead?  The Cedars will be the site of the Texas Bullet Train Terminal.  This massive project will take Texas back and forth from DFW to Houston leaving every 30 minutes.  A one-way trip will take around 90 minutes with 1 stop about halfway.  Additionally, the revamping of the area continues as buildings off of Ervay & Akard are underway maintaining the historic feel but adding a cool, fresh twist.

Come visit the Cedars today!

Air Ducts - When Should I have Them Cleaned?

5/3/2022 (Permalink)

Residential Air Duct Vent on Ceiling

We often get called by residential customers about having their air ducts cleaned. The discussion usually involves the following questions:  First, when should I get my air ducts cleaned?  Second, how often should I get my air ducts cleaned?

The answer to these questions of course is “it depends”. What is the reason you are looking to have your air ducts cleaned?  There are several reasons we typically hear: general maintenance, post-construction cleaning, a fire occurred, or we think there is mold. 

General maintenance is the most frequent answer, and is goes something like, “This hasn’t ever been done since I lived here.” Or “This hasn’t been done in years.”  Unless there is loose dirt and other soils actively coming out of your vents, most likely it does not need to be cleaned.  Anything that is up there is adhering to the ducting and will continue to do so.

The next most common situation is doing this for post construction cleaning.  In this case, there may be some loose dirt or drywall dust where it maybe advantageous to have them cleaned.  However, when major construction is being done in a home, it is always a good idea to turn off the HVAC system and close vents if possible to prevent particulate from getting into the ducting.  Ideally, you don’t have this issue to deal with when the project is complete.

When a fire occurs, the soot and smoke can be very pervasive and get everywhere.  An air duct cleaning for moderate to light smoke might do the job of removing loose particles and odor.  For heavy fires it is often recommended to replace the ducting altogether.

Mold is another situation when it can be a clean or replace situation.  An HVAC repair company should first be called to determine what is causing mold in the system.  Sometimes we have seen it as simple as all other vents are closed with only one vent open.  Other items to consider, how much of the ducting is affected by mold or is it just one or two grills?  Antimicrobial can be used to kill existing growth.  The key is to figure out the cause so a conducive environment for mold does not exist going forward.  It is often a good to place an air scrubber to help clean the air as a precaution.

In conclusion, more times than not it is not necessary to have your air ducts cleaned.  As for how often, it is usually just under special situations or if you actively seen particles coming out of the ducting.

Flooring - Can It be Saved After Water Damage?

4/20/2022 (Permalink)

Specialty drying mat equipment drying down a hardwood floor

Unfortunately, water damage happens more often than we would like.  1 out of every 20 homeowners makes an insurance claim each year with around a fourth being from water damage/freezing.  When a water damage event occurs, it can create a lot of havoc for the property owner. 

On the front side of things, there are typically 3-5 days of drying out the structure. During this time, it will be determined what part of the structure is salvageable and what may just need to be removed to gain access to further wet areas and materials like insulation inside walls. 

On the back side of things, there is the reconstruction of the structure.  This may require packing out rooms or an entire house and moving offsite before construction can begin.  This can take quite some time to schedule and complete. A lot of this decision rests upon flooring.  Does the flooring need to be removed?  If so, what type of flooring is it?  Carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood?  Each of these takes a different amount of time depending on the available material and process. 

The type of flooring will determine if there is any hope of salvaging it. Often you will find tile in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms…and for very good reason.  Tile is usually salvageable.  If tile is showing some give, or cracks have appeared since the event, the tile may need to be replaced.  If not replaced, tile should be monitored over the next 12 months.

A general rule of thumb is laminate or engineered hardwood will usually need to come up.  Engineered hardwoods look great these days but they are made out of layers of wood that can swell and degrade when wet.  Glued down engineered hardwood can be the most challenging to remove and thus can increase the length of the process. 

Carpet often can be saved but the carpet pad underneath needs to be replaced.  The pad is like a sponge and retains moisture and odor.  Fortunately, most carpet pad is pretty cheap and easy to replace. One of the tell tale signs that a carpet needs to be replaced is delamination.  Delamination is when the backing to a carpet comes apart from the fibers.

Last but not least are hardwood floors.  Different types of wood will be affected in different ways.  Usually, if cupping or buckling is going to occur it will happen in 7-14 days.  Sometimes the floor can settle back down, and sand and seal may be all that is needed.  However, the key is bringing the moisture level back to par which is typically around 16.  Every house and type of wood can have their own "standard".  If wood cannot be brought back to the benchmark, it is usually recommended to replace the floor.  

If you have a water damage event and have questions about your flooring, don't hesitate to give SERVPRO of Dallas Central a call at 214-664-9522!

The Benefits of a Nationally Recognized Mitigation Company

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Van in Downtown Dallas

With over 1,900 locations across the US and Canada, SERVPRO is one of most well known mitigation companies. 

SERVPRO was founded in 1967 out of California. The longevity has created trust for mass number of insurance companies that we work with, so much so that almost all of the biggest insurance companies have national agreements in place to service their customers.  As part of that agreement, SERVPRO has stringent criteria to be followed for each job.  Internally, SERVPRO has audits to make sure the guidelines are followed.  These are protections that most other mitigation companies do not have in place. 

Because of our relationship with the insurance companies, we can work directly with them behind the scenes to communicate must needed information, issues and approvals, get the appropriate documents submitted, and claims processed with little to no effort needed on the part of the customer.

In addition, large amount of insurance are required to make sure SERVPRO, insurance companies and customers alike are covered.  This provides great peace of mind for our clients.

Another benefit of SERVPRO is the presentation of crews when they are at your property.  You know it is SERVPRO by our easily recognizable green on our trucks, equipment and uniforms.  Our trucks, equipment and team members are presented in a clean and standardized manner.  

Onsite, our crews keep the job site clean and the customer well informed of the process and how things are progressing.  We know people's homes are an extension of their selves so we treat them with the utmost care.

SERVPRO is not only a fire and water mitigation company, we provide a variety of services like sewage, biohazard and post construction cleanup to name a few.  We are also very good at problem solving unusual issues. 

If you have a problem that needs solving, give us a call at 214-664-9522.  At SERVPRO of Dallas Central, we are always here to help.

Emergency Readiness Plan for Your Business

4/11/2022 (Permalink)

A sprinkler head accidentally was knocked off during routine maintenance causing water to flow into the floor or a large warehouse.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has an ever growing population currently standing at around 7.8 million people as of mid 2021.  A lot of those people have followed as their companies moved to the region especially during the last 2 years.  All types of businesses have moved from standard commercial office buildings to strip centers to warehouses.  While remote work has become an option for a lot of businesses there is still a brick and mortar location for almost every company. 

Whether a building is big or tall, emergencies like pipes bursting, fire damage and sewage backups will occur.  During an event like this, chaos can reign allowing unnecessary damage to occur whether through degradation of the structure or ongoing business stoppage.

One of the best ways to alleviate the pain of an unexpected emergency is to have a plan together ahead of time.  Make sure management and maintenance teams have escape plans in place, also know where water shut-offs are as well as circuit breakers.  This additionally includes knowing where first aid kits and PPE are located. It is also a good idea to have at least one onsite employee to be certified in CPR. A list of important contacts is another essential item to have as part of the plan.  These would include a plumbing company, electric company, HVAC company and mitigation company as a start.  Depending on the type of business, other contacts may be needed. 

SERVPRO of Dallas Central is the emergency readiness plan mitigation contact for many companies.  We would love to be part of your plan....214-664-9522! 

Drywall Dust - Hard to Get Rid of Without Specialized Equipment, Chemicals & Knowledge

4/7/2022 (Permalink)

Drywall dust covered floor & furniture in a home after a long remodel

After any sort of repair, remodel or new build in a residential or commercial building there is dust in the air especially if drywall is involved.  Drywall dust is very invasive, getting into places thought impossible.  It usually settles in a thin layer everywhere but even the slightest movement can send the light dust airborne.  Trying to clean the drywall dust up with your run of the mill cleaning solutions will smear the dust and create a film of drywall mud.  

The solution to this problem is the right equipment, chemicals and knowledge. It is still a tedious process and may require several passes but it will get the job done effectively.  Below we will describe several of the best items to combat drywall dust. 

The first item to add to the equation is an air scrubber.  Most air scrubbers will clean 99% of the particulate out of the air using several layers of air filters.  These need to run at least while the cleaning is occurring but ideally for a couple days if possible.  This will capture any drywall dust that goes airborne while cleaning.

The major second component is a HEPA vacuum, preferably several and different types.  HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air.  This is another device that uses a number of air filters to clean.  Regular vacuums do not have the layers of filters and will get clogged up and burnt out from the fine particulate.

Another essential element is a good cleaning solution.  There are chemicals specifically formulated for drywall dust removal. They are usually acidic in nature, and break down and dissolve the residue. 

Most every day people and household cleaning companies do not have these specialty items on hand.  If you need help with some drywall dust removal, give us a call at SERVPRO of Dallas Central.