Buffalo Restoration

Meet The Herd

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:00:00 +0000

We've got a friendly bunch of people over here at Buffalo Restoration. And we know that when you have a home disaster, you want a friendly bunch to help out. You have enough to worry about, and the people who are in home shouldn't be one of them.

Customer service is incredibly important to us, along with implementing the best technology, utilizing the best training, offering competitive pricing, and arriving on site as quickly as possible. But none of these other things matter at all if you don't have caring and professional people to do the work.

Watch this short video which features some of our staff. You'll want them to stay for tea and cookies. And trust me, they all like tea and cookies.

Are you covered? Assessing your flood risk

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:41:00 +0000

We get inundated with calls during Springtime from people with water in their crawlspace or basement. We're forunate here in Montana and Gallatin County in particular, we don't see major floods all the time. But there are certainly some people who live near or in floodplains that experience this year after year.

Without coverage, the cleanup after Spring run off or a flooded stream can be incredibly costly. And most standard homeowner's insurance policies do not cover water coming from outside (groundwater or flooding). The average flood claim in Gallatin County is $12,305. Who has that kind of cash lying around?

So how do you know if you're at risk for a flood?

Buffalo Restoration recently sponsored the Montana Association of Floodplain Managers Conference in Bozeman. At the conference, we attended a presentation on a very helpful online educational tool to determine flood risk, www.floodtools.com. This website illustrates your flood risk at your exact address. It shows you a map of the floodplains in your area and assesses your risk on a scale. It provides tips, FAQ's, and historical information about floods in your area. Unless your mortgage company requires flood insurance, you may think you're in the clear. But some homes may still have considerable risk.

You can also type in the dimensions of your home and the value of your personal property to calculate the estimate dollar amount of damage that would occur with different levels of water in your home.

You may not need flood insurance, but it is always worth checking before it is too late. Flood insurance policies have a 30 day waiting period before they go into affect. So get it now before the Spring run off really picks up. Check the website and call your insurance agent today to get the facts on your coverage.

Hidden Fire Hazard: Clothes Dryers

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:18:00 +0000

Your washing machine and dryer are conveienent and you probably don't think much about them beyond the weekly loads of clothes. But your dryer could be a fire hazard in your home. There are 15,000 residential fires caused by dryer vents every year.

Common causes of these fires include:

Lint build up in the trap (causes it to run in overdrive and reach high temperatures)
Lint on the back of the dryer
Improper items including foam back rugs, athletic shoes
Plastic exhaust system

So what can you do to prevent these fires and prolong the life and efficiency of your machine?

Clean the lint trap before AND after each use
Clean the back of the dryer, it goes unoticed
Be careful what you wash and dry, no flammables
Get your vent cleaned by a professional (Buffalo Restoration can do this)
Replace the exhaust system with metal materials

Call Buffalo Restoration with any additional questions about dyer fires and cleaning.

Guest Post: Mold Clean Up

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:58:00 +0000

Mold Remediation – What does the Clean-Up Involve?

The concern of having mold growing in your home or business is something that many people worry about because of the negative effects it can have on your health. Mold can be found anywhere because of its ability to grow on any organic substance as long as moisture and oxygen is present. This heightens the level of worry, especially on older buildings that accumulate more moisture.

Mold grows where there is excessive moisture, and can grow substantially if the problem is not addressed. It’s impossible to eliminate all molds in an indoor environment, but it can be controlled. If you’ve already found mold or moisture problems, there are ways to remedy the issue.

Before you can remove the mold you need to find the location that is experiencing excessive moisture. Once you know the location you need to stop the source of moisture and remove the mold growth. Some common remedies for smaller mold growth include sunlight, ventilation, wall insulation, non-porous building materials, household cleaners, and dehumidifiers. If you have significant mold growth a professional is required to remove the affected materials and eradicate the source of excess moisture.

In order to remove the mold there are a few different methods. Wet vacuums remove water from floors, carpets, and hard surfaces and can only be used when the materials are still wet. An easier way is by wiping or scrubbing with water and then drying the surface quickly to discourage further mold growth. The best and most efficient way to remove mold growth is to remove the damaged materials, double bag it into polyethylene sheeting, and disposing as you would of construction materials.

Gloves and eye protection are important when cleaning up mold. Mold spores can become airborne, raising the risk of respiratory exposure. Disposable protective clothing is recommended for large mold removal projects to prevent the transfer and spread of mold to clothing and to eliminate skin contact with mold. Full containment is also recommended for large mold contamination. Creating a barrier between the moldy area and other parts of the building along with a decontamination chamber for entry intro and exit from the remediation area are required for these large containments as well.

Removing mold is a process that needs to be taken seriously as it can affect your health and the building significantly. A professional can safely remove the mold and the affected areas in an environmentally friendly way. They are also able to dispose of all harmful materials properly. After you have had all mold removed, keeping up with moisture buildup in your home will help reduce the risk of mold accumulating.

About the Author:

Asbestos Abatement is pleased to bring you this article on the mold remediation clean-up process. Asbestos Abatement specializes in mold remediation in Denver, as well as mold removal in Denver.

14 Tips to Preserve the Life of Your Hardwood Floors

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:02:00 +0000

You've spent a pretty penny on your hardwood floors. Make them last by taking proper care of them. With kids and pets and snow, they can get beat up pretty quickly. Here are some helpful tips to prolonging the life of your floor.

Make sure you know information on the floor type and finish. Your manufacturer should have included recommendations for care. If you can't remember, visit a professional at a flooring store and they can help. Every floor is different and every finish is different.

Sweep regularly. It will keep your floors clean from dirt, grit, or sand (or crumbs) that will scratch and dull the surface.

Use rugs in high traffic areas like entrances and hallways to prevent tracking in dirt, grit, or sand. Leaving your shoes at the door will help as well.

Never wax a urethane floor. A majority of floors installed today have urethane finishes.

Don't use oil soaps. They may cause build up and can dull the appearance of your floors. They can also make refinishing more difficult.

Put felt feet on your furniture so that if it moves around it doesn't create marks on the surface.

Don't let your floor get wet, even minor spills. If you experience any kind of water loss, extract the water immediately. If it is a lot of water, call a restoration company who can bring in equipment to extract it quicker. Water is absorbed into the wood very quickly and can cause swelling and buckling. Buffalo has hardwood floor drying systems but depending on how long the floor has been wet, they may be ruined.

Don't even wet mop your hardwood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, and as you heard above, damage the wood. Try using a dust mop.

Put a rug in front of your kitchen sink to catch any excess water.

Sun can discolor your floor so pay attention to where the light comes in and consider using blinds.

Cleats, sports shoes and high heels can put dents in your floor. Be careful.

Use a buffer on wax finish floors. You can rent them but if you have a lot of hardwood in your house, consider buying one for yourself.

When using cleaners, make sure you're using them in the intended way. Don't use tile, linoleum or laminate cleaners on hardwood floors.

To remove stains in wax finished floors, rub them gently with fine steel wool then reapply wax.

More floor questions? Call a flooring expert. Buffalo Restoration can help answer questions about cleaning and water damaged hardwood floors.

Resources: www.curbly.com, www.woodfloorsonline.com

Brrrr.... Be Careful with Your Space Heater!

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:13:00 +0000

When Winter hits, we pull our space heaters out of storage, grab all the blankets from the closet, and hunker down for what's sure to be a bitterly cold few months. But we often forget that our portable heaters are also a very serious fire hazard.

Here are some things to think about when buying a space heater and using it in your home or office.

Keep the heater far away (at least 3 ft.) from combustible materials such as newspaper, bedding, blankets, pillows, clothing, drapes, or furniture.
Keep it on level ground so it doesn't tip over. Keep it out of high traffic areas where it could get knocked over.
Do not leave it on while you are out of the home, or when you sleep. Its tempting but don't risk it.
Avoid plugging the heater into an extension cord. Ideally the heater is plugged directly into the wall.
Keep the heater away from the bathroom or any source of water.
When buying a heater, only purchase newer models that have an overheat protection featured, tip over switch, and a guard around the heating element.
Buy a heater that has a label showing it was tested in a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Many older heaters aren't tested for safety.
If you're going to use a kerosene heater (which are more dangerous), do NOT use gasoline in it. Also do not use a propane heater inside.

And while you're at it, check the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Be safe, stay warm, and we'll see you in May after hibernation time is over.

The Herd is a Proud Sponsor of the President's Plunge to Support Special Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:07:00 +0000

Buffalo Restoration is proud to sponsor the President's Plunge on Feb. 18th to support Special Olympics of Montana. Our community has supported our business since 1991 and we feel that it is important to constantly give back. Special Olympics has always been a special cause for Ben and Gail Yanker. And the plunge happens right across the pond from our new office! So naturally, our mascot Chip, insisted we join the fun this year.

Special Olympics Montana's mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

The President's Plunge is one of the Big Sky Area's major fundraisers for the year. The plunge starts at noon but show up early to meet the athletes. All you need to plunge is pledges of at least $100. Visit http://www.somt.org/events/plunges/presidents-plunge/ for more information and to register.

Chip is ready to cheer on some plungers and support Special Olympics athletes in our community, are you?

How to Choose the Right Carpet Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:57:00 +0000

You've got about a million choices for carpet cleaners.
They all have some kind of huge discount, flashy ads in the Yellow Pages, and trucks that claim they are the best AND the cheapest. So how the heck do you choose the right one?

You've heard the horror stories. Your friend got their carpets cleaned and they were wet for days. Susie from next door didn't want to pay for a professional so she rented a DIY at Walmart. 6 hours, a sore back, and tons of supplies later and the stains are totally gone. Your coworker got the BEST deal from an online site, 6 rooms for the price of 2! But when the carpet cleaner showed up, they claimed his carpets were excessively dirty so there would be an additional charge of $200. There goes the savings.

Here's why you should hire a professional and how to choose:

Carpet cleaning eliminates trapped pollutants from your home including pet dander, dirt, and dust. Your carpets can also house dust mite infestations. This is nasty stuff and you'll never know they are there becuase they're microscopic. But they can leave behind body fragments and feces in your carpet. Professional carpet cleaners heat your carpet to such a high temperture that they kill bacteria and dust mites.

Not all carpets and rugs are the same. A professional is going to know which method will work the best with each type.

You'll eliminate the hassle of renting your own equipment and supplies. And the DIY systems are not nearly as effective. You may even make a stain worse by cleaning it yourself. The systems you buy at the store don't have sanitizing systems which means they won't kill the dust mites and bacteria that get caught in your carpet.

Stains are tough stuff. Professionals know how to treat them specifically. Hire a professional that has had the training to deal with stains.

When hiring a professional, be wary of discounts that seem too good to be true. As the experts from Angie's List say "Always insist on an in-home estimate to get the estimate possible and remember that even a small area may cost around $79 to be cleaned. Always be careful when you hear promotions for carpet cleaning. Never go with an estimate that sounds too good to be true. You always want to be sure that you're going to get the right estimate so you don't en up with extra charges after you hire someone."

How often should you clean? Good question. It is important to clean at least once a year to remove the dust and allergens. But also know that the dust and dirt in your carpet is not only an allergen, but breaks down the fibers of your carpet. The less particles in your carpet the longer your carpet will last.

And finally, here are some things to do before your professioanl carpet cleaner arrives.

Vacuum. You want your carpet cleaner to be working on the deep down dirt, not the stuff you could easily remove on your own.
Dust your baseboards and vents so that debris and dust don't contaminate your newly cleaned carpet when the professional leaves.
Remove furniture or fragile items that will get in the way.
Free up a parking spot outside of your home. Many professionals use truck mounted equipment and they'll need to run hoses from their trucks to your door.
Identify areas that you'll want the professional to focus on including stains and spots.

We Are Family...

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 20:03:00 +0000

Ben and Gail Yanker started Buffalo Restoration back in 1991. Ever since the beginning its been a family business. Their daughters Alisa and Emily and son Christopher were put to work at an early age, crawling in wet basements and drying up water losses on weekends.The children grew up and the company expanded. For the last 6 years Alisa has run the marketing efforts and Christopher is at the helm the company's production team.

But Ben and Gail treat their business as if they have an extra 23 members of their family. With home cooked breakfasts on your birthday and team announcements and cake on the anniversary of your hiring, it is hard to not feel special. When we jokingly refer to our company as the Buffalo herd, there's truth in that. Because a herd moves together, they support each other, through the cold Winters, and the lush Summers. And buffalo are a strong and rare breed. They're about as local as an animal can get in Montana, and so are we.

And being a family company has an impact on how we do business. When you choose Buffalo, you're part of the herd, no questions asked. We're going to treat you like family, and we won't rest comfortably until you can.

Learn more about the members of our herd here.

Join the Herd: We're Hiring an Estimator!

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:54:00 +0000

Job Opening!

Buffalo Restoration Estimator/ Sales Position
Open Until Filled
Full time, 40 Hours/ Week

Job Description
Qualifications: Experience in estimating restorative construction. Hands-on knowledge of construction practices. Solid sales skills or experience. Budgeting skills and experience. Ability to manage multiple projects, personnel management experience, excellent communication and problem solving skills, organizational skills. Also, must have some knowledge or be able to develop expertise in insurance claims handling processes and familiarity with Xactimate or similar software programs.

Duties: Will scope and develop potential new projects; estimate cost of jobs for potential customers; maintain customer accounts & follow up with customers previously contacted; close all sales and meet sale goals; obtain bids from subcontractors; develop budgets and allowances; prepare contracts and payment terms; follow through & review contracts; work with insurance adjusters and project managers to ensure completion and success of projects; be available to help with production when needed; maintain, complete, submit preparations and paperwork for invoices, orders, supplements and audits; maintain complete and timely updates of job-mangement software; perform other tasks as assigned; report to Sales Manager.

Hours: M-F 8-5. On call rotation after trained up for emergency services.

Wage: Annual $40,000.00-$50,000.00. Benefits available after the first 90 days.

Referral Instructions
Please apply Buffalo Restoration Inc in person or e-mail resume to Mr. Phil Blodgett
Contact Direct:555 MANLEY ROAD,BOZEMAN,MT 59715
Email: pblodgett@buffalorestoration.com

Don't Let Your Christmas Tree be Kindling

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:52:00 +0000

Christmas is the most joyous time of year. But your beautiful Christmas tree can be a source of disaster. A fire during the holidays is certainly more of a headache than the in-laws. Be safe, save the presents, and your sanity.

Did you know that fire departments respond to an average of 230 home fires caused by Christmas trees per year?

Christmas tree fires aren't incredibly common but when they occur, they can be very serious.

One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems with lights.

One out of every six tree fires is caused by a heat source being too close to the tree.

Yikes.

Here are some tips from the Buffalo herd:

When picking a tree, choose one that has fresh green needles that don’t fall off the branch when touched.
Before placing your tree in the stand, cut 2 inches from the base of the trunk.
Make sure the tree is far away from any heat source including a fireplace, candles, radiators, or lights.
Make sure the tree doesn't block an exit.
Water your tree daily. See the video below for an example of how a dry tree burns versus a tree that has been water properly.

When you’re adding decorations and lights, make sure you replace any worn or broken bulb connections. Don’t connect more than three strands of lights together.
Never use actual lit candles on the tree.
Always remember to turn off the lights on the tree before leaving the house

Have a safe and happy holiday season from your friends at Buffalo Restoration!

How to Tell If Your Hotel Room is REALLY Clean

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:52:00 +0000

You've heard the horror stories. And the Bozeman Daily Chronicle just ran a disturbing report of a local hotel's lack of cleanliness and disrepair. So whether you have family in town or you're staying in a hotel away from home, make sure you know what to look for in a clean hotel room. If it isn't clean to your standards, call the front desk for a re-clean. You're entitled to a comfortable and clean space, no matter how many people have stayed there before you.

Here are some things to check before you get comfy:

The fancy covers and pillows on top of the beds don't get washed every day so just sacrifice the pretty bed and toss them to the side for your stay

Is the comforter in a duvet cover that is washed every day or is it a dark, stain-covering bed spread? Opt for the white duvet covers, toss the bed spread and use a blanket.

Everyone's worst nightmare, bed bugs. Rip off all the layers of sheets on the bed and look at the top and bottom edges of the mattress. If you see brown or red spots, you've got a problem.

Housecleaning will wash the sheets and vacuum, but they may miss what we call "points of contact" which include commonly touched items such as remote controls, phones, handles, door knobs, light switches etc. Make sure they look clean, and if you can, take a Lysol wipe and do a second round. Being extra careful can't hurt.

Furniture obviously can't be cleaned daily so only use furniture that looks very clean.

Most rooms are stocked with glasses for water. If they aren't individually wrapped to show that they have been cleaned, do a quick rinse before using as they may have accumulated dust.

The bathrooms are important. Make sure the floor is free of debris. The amenities are stocked (you should never see items that have been used before). The toilet is scrubbed. And the shower (bottom and walls) are spot free.

And lastly, if you have issues, make sure to call the front desk. They'll fix it. And if the room is really clean, give the cleaning staff a tip. They work hard, and you will probably never know the messes they've had to deal with.

Happy, safe, and CLEAN holiday travels to all from the Buffalo Herd.

Don't Drink and Drive this Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Buffalo wants you to stay safe this Holiday season.

So we'd like you to know about Operation Tipsy Tow offered by AAA.

They'll tow your car and give you a free ride home (within city limits of Belgrade and Bozeman and a tow up to 10 miles). Tipsy Tow is available Dec. 14-Jan. 1. Put this number in your phone!

Just call 1-800-222-4357.

Thanks to AAA for providing this important service for our community!

Did you know our contents cleaning equipment uses sound waves?

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:33:00 +0000

Did you know Jay Leno uses the same machine that we do to clean his garage tools and car parts? Check out our cool Omegasonics Ultrasonic technology which uses sound waves to remove dirt, soot, rust, and all sorts of particles from contents. We can take the soot covered belongings from a fire or smoke damage and make them look like new again, without any harmful chemicals and solvents. We're saving our customers money by speeding up the cleaning process and restoring items that would have been unsalvageable and replaced.

Want to visit? We're always open for a tour at our new facility, 555 Manley Rd. in Bozeman, MT! We're restoration geeks and we love to show off our state of the art equipment.

Disaster Preparedness for Your Business

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about what would happen to your business in the event of a fire? 20-40% of businesses don't reopen after they experience a loss.

Just imagine...

Who will contact customers? Are your contacts and files backed up off site and where?

Are you a tenant? What does your insurance cover? Do you have Business Interruption Coverage?

If you could not access your office for days or even months, would you close temporarily? Move business elsewhere? How would you continue your operations?

Do you have an evacuation plan? Are your employees aware of it?

These questions may scare you. But knowing the answers could be the difference between going out of business or saving your business after a disaster.

Don't worry! Buffalo has a simple, easy to use, disaster planning worksheet available for free for businesses in our community.

The worksheet compiles important contact information for the business including preferred plumber, landlord, insurance provider, electrician, IT support etc. Having this "important contacts" information in one place is incredibly helpful in streamlining the response to a disaster.

The worksheet also encourages businesses to include a sketch of their facility. The sketch can identify water shut off valves, hazardous materials such as propane, electrical boxes, critical areas, exits etc. This sketch is good to have so that you can help emergency and restoration personnel navigate the building.

And lastly, the worksheet has businesses answer a number of questions about their operations, insurance coverage, communications chain, evacuation process and more so that the business has a plan in place.

Tip: Buffalo suggests keeping a copy of this worksheet in a central location in the business. Tell employees where it is kept and encourage them to read through it so they know where to access important emergency information if they are the one needing to make the calls. We also suggest businesses keep a copy of this worksheet off site, or even at Buffalo Restoration, so that it is accessible if the internal copy has been compromised. Buffalo can use this information to respond to the emergency quickly.

For your copy of the Buffalo Restoration Disaster Preparedness Worksheet, email eporth@buffalorestoration.com or call 406-586-8109.

Did You Know? Turkey Facts!

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:50:00 +0000

With Thanksgiving approaching, we decided to help you get to know the bird a little bit better. Thanks to FRSTeam for their inspiration!

The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.

The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.

A 15 pound turkey usually has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat

The five most popular ways to serve a leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew, chili or soup, casseroles, and as a burger.

Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef

Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity

Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. They make a clucking noise.

Commercially raised turkeys cannot fly

Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sounds barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.

A large group of turkeys is called a flock

Turkeys have poor night vision

It takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound tom turkey

A 16-week-old turkey is called a fryer. A fire to seven month old turkey is called a young roaster

At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle, whom he felt was "a coward".

Some turkeys can run up to 25 miles per hour on ground

Happy Thanksgiving from the Buffalo Herd!

Beware of Ice Dams!

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:55:00 +0000

It's getting cold, beware of ice dams which can cause water damage to your home!

When warm air from your home gets into your attic, it melts the bottom layer of snow on your roof. The water then slides down the roof, and when it hits the cold air of the outside, it freezes into ice. At first it may look like icicles. But eventually, the ice will dam up, forcing water underneath the shingles and into your attic. After time, the water could seep down through sheet rock and flooring to cause major damage to the inside of your home.

This isn't easy stuff to understand, check out this video for a better diagram.

A couple tips from the Buffalo Herd:

Improve the ventilation in your attic.
Insulate around penetrations
Clear out your rain gutters
Remove icicles as they form

BE CAREFUL, don't climb on your roof with snow and ice present. And don't chip at the ice, this could cause more damage.

If you do have water damage, don't hesitate. Call Buffalo Restoration immediately to dry your home and prevent further damage.

Brrr... It's That Time of Year Again

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Brrr...It's Time: Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Call an HVAC specialist to schedule a time to inspect your furnace and replace your filters. It is always convenient to get your duct system cleaned at the same time. Buffalo can help with that. If you have a hot water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them. If any equipment, boxes, or clutter has accumulated near the furnace during the Summer months, move it away to prevent fire.

Prepare your fireplace by screening the top of the chimney to keep out rodents or birds who are trying to escape the cold. Call a chimney sweep to clean it before it is used during the Winter.

Cover drafty windows and doors with weather-stripping or plastic shields to prevent heat loss. Switch out Summer window screens with glass replacements, install storm windows if you have them.

Prevent ice dams by adding extra insulation to your attic, cleaning out rain gutters, and removing icicles as they form. Ice dams can cause water damage when they accumulate and then melt.

Get out your cold weather equipment (and put away your lawnmower). Drain the gas from your lawn mower and other lawn care equipment to store for the Winter. Tune up your snow blower, make sure it’s in working condition for the first big storm. Pull out your shovels from the garage. Stock up on sand

Protect against plumbing freezes by draining your garden hoses and air conditioner pipes. Locate and label your water main so it is easily found in case it needs to be shut off in an emergency. Always leave home at least 55 degrees.

And the easiest preparation tip of all, keep Buffalo Restoration’s number handy on your fridge. Montana Winter weather can cause serious damage to your home and Buffalo can be there in a snap to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

Chip Tips: Halloween 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:24:00 +0000

Prevent fires this Halloween by replacing your jack-o-lantern candle with electric battery operated lights.

In our first installment of our new mini-series, Chip shows you exactly how to do it!

Boo! Halloween Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Boo! Halloween can be dangerous holiday. Yes, there is a chance you’ll be scared by monsters, ghosts, vampires, and witches, but don’t forget about that other spooky danger that could ruin all the fun, fire.

With flames in pumpkins at every doorstep, it is important that your children wear safe costumes. Make sure that their costumes aren’t easily flammable, keep their hemlines short to prevent tripping, keep tabs on loose pieces of cloth so that they don’t ignite. And just for general safety, make sure their costume has some reflective tape or is light in color so it will stand out in the dark.

And for you homeowners out there, here are some pointers about making sure the fire stays INSIDE the jack-o-lantern. You don’t have to use candles, battery powered lights work just as well. But if you do like the old fashioned way, keep the flames off to the side so you aren’t getting a lot of trick or treater traffic close to it. Don’t place your pumpkins too close to cornstalks or hay. And at the end of the night, when the children have all taken their bags of candy home to be devoured in one sitting, don’t forget to blow out the candles.

Take the simple precautions so that we can worry about the real dangers of ghosts and goblins and not fire!

The Littlest Members of the Buffalo Restoration Herd

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:45:00 +0000

Introducing the Directors of Office Shenanigans

Working hard to keep spirits high, everyday.

Buffalo Restoration Awards 2nd Annual Fire Scholarship

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:47:00 +0000

Buffalo Restoration is proud to announce that Madeline Carroll, daughter of IAFF Local 613 firefighter Brian Carroll, is the recipient of the 2012 Fire Scholarship. Madeline, a 16 year old, applied for the scholarship on behalf of her newly adopted sister Erika. Madeline's family recently adopted Erika, a 13 year old girl from Columbia who knows little to no English. Madeline wrote the scholarship to support Erika's education. She is being home schooled by her new mom, learning English, and catching up in school.

We were impressed and inspired by her essay. We ask our applicants to let us know how being a family member of a firefighter has changed or inspired their lives. Madeline's essay revolved around the concept of family. She describes her father's fellow firefighters as uncles. She talks about how they support each other through hardships. While her parents were in Columbia for several weeks for the adoption process, the firefighters were constantly checking in on Madeline and her brothers to make sure everything was OK. Madeline says, "The whole fire-fighting community is a family of its own, and the transition into it was easy, fun, and welcoming. We have all met so many great people through the department and the whole community is very family-oriented." Just as the firefighters welcomed the Carroll family into their community, they are now welcoming Erika. "Although the guys at the department don't know much Spanish besides "hola" and "como estas?" they have welcomed her to the family with open arms", Madeline said. A ceremony and celebration will be held to honor Madeline and her family.

We're thrilled to be able to help Erika, Madeline Brian, and their whole family. For as much as our firefighters do for our community, this is a small token of our gratitude to entire firefighting family.

We love helping people in our community!

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:22:00 +0000

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Cleanup-crews-work-to-repair-fire-damaged-homes-after-suspicious-fires/-/14594602/16741442/-/ulqxyoz/-/index.html

The local fires in our area have kept our crews busy along with the local fire departments. We are glad we can help when people experience disasters in their lives. We specialize in helping people put their lives back together and making it feel like home again. If you or someone you know has been affected by the recent fires please let them know that we can help! We offer free consultations and assessments of the damage. We also have emergency kits available to help the families after a fire. Thank you to our local community who has been supporting us for over 21 years.

We're proud to be a part of the Bobcat Home Team

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 22:43:00 +0000

Buffalo Restoration is proud to be a part of the Bobcat Home Team! The company owners, Bill and Gail Yanker, are die hard MSU fans. You'll see them in the front row at all of the games. We live here, we work here, and we give back to this community.

Here's to another great year of Bobcat football!

Buffalo Restoration Invests in New State of the Art Deodorizing Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (Buffalo Restoration) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:13:00 +0000

At Buffalo Restoration, we pride ourselves in using the best and most cutting edge equipment on the market. We like to stay ahead of the curve because we know that better equipment means we can get the job done better and faster which saves our customers money.

We couldn't help sharing the latest addition to our collection, the Hydroxyl Generator. It looks like something from the future, but beyond its glowing blue lights is a list of benefits we couldn't pass up. We're geeks when it comes to restoration equipment so let us explain why we're so excited.

Randal Halvorson and Christopher Yanker with our new Hydroxyl Generators

The Hydroxyl Generator is a safe and chemical free air purification and deodorizing system. Other deodorizers use ozone which can be harmful to humans so the equipment could only be used while people were out of their homes. With the Hydroxyl Generator, we can deodorize a home while the owners are there, or while our crews are doing other projects so that we can get multiple things done at once.

Here's how it works: "The 365nm to 385nm UVA Rays emitted from Titan's TiO2 Photocatalytic Lamps pass through a Permanent Anatase TiO2 Coated Super Reactor Screen which is designed to hold the maximum amount of Highly Reactive Nano Sized Anatase Titanium Dioxide, and as a result, electron hole pairs are formed that react with the H20 and O2 in the air and produce Free Electrons and Hydroxyl Radicals that when dispersed by the fan will decompose organic and inorganic gases and air pollutants into carbon dioxide and water."

Wow, hard to understand right? But it's clear, this system can kill even the nastiest of odors.

We're excited about the possibilities with this new technology. We can use these generators to kill germs in the air in places like doctor's waiting rooms, nursing homes, day care centers, beauty parlors, etc. So call us if you want to get your home or business smelling fresh again!