HOUSTON – Summer is winding down, but unfortunately, Houston’s hurricane season is not over yet. We had a rough start, and while we watch Tropical Storm Francine build off the coast, it is a timely reminder of how important it is to be prepared.
Frontier Services is a local company that knows all too well what it takes to clean up the mess left after a hurricane. They also see how you can best prepare. Houston Life reporter Melanie Camp took us on a tour of their facility to learn more about how they are helping Houstonians in times of need.
When disaster strikes, whether fire, a flood, or storm damage to your home, you want the right team to help you clean up afterward.
“When you initially meet homeowners, you normally meet them when they’re really going through a tough time,” said Frontier Services Operations Manager Frank Ngu. Ngu said having the opportunity to help Houstonians get their homes back to the way they were before a disaster is something the team is honored to do. “We pride ourselves in giving our customers the comfort and joy of returning to their precious home and seeing those items they thought they probably lost. But now here it is, restored back to the way it was as if it never happened.”
Returning damaged furniture to “pre-loss condition” is part of any clean-up operation. When it comes to your furniture, Frontier Services uses cutting-edge technologies to help with the restoration process. “You should expect the contractor to be able to not just clean, not just HEPA vac, but provide ozone treatment of every item, especially that was involved in a fire job,” said Ngu.
Training technicians to do a disaster restoration job right is as important as the job itself. At Frontier Services facilities, they have what they call their “flood house,” a two-roomed structure that includes a kitchen and carpeted room. Here, technicians learn certain tasks they will face when they encounter a disaster to help clean up a home. They train how to suck water from carpet and underlay and learn how to use dehumidifiers and what it takes to dry out a flooded room.
“We put a bunch of water inside of this house and are simulating water damage,” explained Assistant Operations Manager Hector Moreno.
Operations Manager Christine Escobedo said having well-trained technicians is very important when looking for a disaster restoration company.
Escobar said, “I would make sure, first and foremost, that they are licensed, insured, and have the proper certifications to do any water damage restoration.
You can check a contractor’s certifications on the Texas state website and the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
“They need to be a local Houston contractor. There’s a lot of storm chasers that come and chase storms, and so you really need to make sure that you pick somebody local to Houston, that they’re in your backyard so you know, they can take care of you if anything happens after everybody else leaves from a storm,” said Escobar.
Another benefit of working with a local team is visiting their facilities. “Go visit the warehouse. See where your items are going to be stored,” said Ngu
As Moreno said, “We’re here to help you.”
Frontier Services is offering Houston Life viewers a free inspection. Call 346-248-2244, or visit FrontierGP.com to learn more.