PuroClean Franchise Owners Do What it Takes to Respond, Restore, and Rescue Properties in Their Communities

In The Community

Every day, members of our PuroClean family do what they can to help their neighbors in times of need. Our teams across the United States and Canada strive to uphold the qualities of empathy and professionalism, and their work within the community best exhibits this. Although we have countless stories like this, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight a few in this article.

Powhatan, VA

One January morning, Mary Ann and Marvin Howell of Powhatan, VA, woke up to their bedroom completely inundated with water due to issues with their septic tank. They were devastated and in disarray as Mary Ann had recently undergone surgery and was still recovering. The couple, who are both on disability, reached out to their insurance company only to discover that they did not cover damage from sewage backups under their policy. They were advised to contact the Coalition of Powhatan Churches, and upon hearing of the devastating situation, the organization’s director, Patsy Goodwyn, reached out to Steve Crane for assistance.

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Steve Crane, owner of PuroClean Restoration Professionals in Powhatan, VA, is a testament to PuroClean’s promise by offering a helping hand to those in his community. “We are your servants. We believe in serving God and our fellow man. It is an honor to serve you and your family during the most difficult times you will face,” said Steve.

Steve and his team went to work right away to assess and sanitize the affected areas, taking a few days to dry the property. Steve knew that if they had not mitigated the damage immediately, it could have had serious implications on Mary Ann’s health following her surgery. After learning more about the family’s circumstances, Steve waived the service charge for the entire job.

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Steve and his team also provided remediation services to James Bethea and his family after their home was infested with mold. James, who is blind, and his wife were at a loss with the implications of their situation. PuroClean offered to inspect and ultimately work to mitigate the mold damage. The process required cleaning walls and contents and running air scrubbers to reduce pollutants in the air. Given the Bethea family’s misfortune, Steve did the job free of charge. James commended the team, saying, “Best job I have ever seen! PuroClean is the dean of cleanup! They taught that mold to stay out …I recommend PuroClean; their staff is very friendly.”

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Steve and his team at PuroClean Restoration Professionals have shown unparalleled support for their community, which has led to Habitat for Humanity Powhatan, VA commending the location for work they have done for the non-profit organization. “Habitat, teaming with PuroClean, has been able to respond quickly to provide demolition manpower to crumbling home structures, [and] air filter and exhaust equipment for the safety of volunteers and homeowners.

Most importantly, the health of our homeowners has been enhanced because of your mold remediation process and the gift of insulation,” said Roseleen Rick, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Powhatan, VA. In addition to being applauded by Habitat for Humanity, Steve Crane’s involvement in assisting the Howell family was shared in an article in Powhatan Today, Powhatan’s weekly newspaper, which covers local news and significant community events.

Nanuet, NY

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed countless lives. Unfortunately, the trials of everyday life continue even though we’ve all had new challenges to face. In March of 2021, a client called PuroClean Emergency Restoration Services in Nanuet, NY, led by Mitch Cohen, to mitigate significant water damage in a home in Monroe, NY. To make matters worse, they had also experienced the worst of COVID-19. 

The client’s parents owned the residence, but, sadly, they both had recently passed away from COVID-19. Dealing with considerable property damage while coping with the loss of loved ones is a tremendous hardship for anyone to face. Mitch understood the stress and heartbreak that overshadowed the job, and our team worked with sensitivity and compassion.

A burst pipe in the upstairs bathroom caused the water damage. The resulting leak spread from the bathroom into the master bedroom and closet, the hallway, kitchen, and then finally, the basement. The scope of the damage could have potentially caused a lot more trouble, but the crew was able to handle each area swiftly.

They removed parts of the drywall, ceiling, and the damaged insulation within the walls. The team performed demolition and clean-up work on all three levels of the home. Mitch and his crew were able to mitigate the leak quickly and efficiently to restore the areas of the home. The client was thrilled with this since it had snowed 8-inches while they worked, and the house could have been more vulnerable to damage.

Denver, CO

The reality of being in the restoration cleanup industry is that we are often dealing with some of the most difficult situations in people’s lives. In the most extreme of circumstances, PuroClean franchises deal with the sanitation of crime scenes. Thankfully, in the shooting that led to the restoration undertaken by PuroClean of Central Denver, the victims survived their injuries.

The team, led by franchise owners Tomas Mejia & Sonia Gonzalez, arrived at the retail store in Arvada, CO, a few hours after the incident happened and just thirty minutes after they received the store’s notification. The police were still on the scene when they got there, and they told them that they had not released the property to be properly cleaned and disinfected yet. Then, an hour later, the store contacted them to inform them that they had authorization from the sheriff’s department to start their crime scene cleaning. In delicate situations like this, compassion is what drives us. 

Biohazard jobs, such as crime scene cleanups, require our technicians to be wearing full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). This is due to the potential exposure to bodily fluids and contaminants. The crew also sets up a full containment of the area so any substance involved does not affect uninvolved areas. After the scene is cleaned up and sanitized, they installed Air Filtration Devices with HEPA and Carbon filters. These tools clean the air of any potential airborne contaminants.

Ultimately, the most important aspect of jobs like these is the health and safety of all those involved. The victims are in our thoughts and prayers, and we wish them the quickest and smoothest of recoveries.

Zephyrhills, FL

PuroClean Certified Restoration Specialists, led by Victor Gutierrez, recently performed a biohazard cleanup on a home in the middle of Zephyrhills, FL. Their client was acting on behalf of his elderly grandmother, who lives alone in the house while he lives in New York. He was concerned that there was no one around to check in on his grandma and needed professional help cleaning up the home. Victor and his team understand the situation, and they were happy to lend a hand to them.

It should never be ignored just how important empathy is to being successful in the restoration industry. Behind every property that we work on, there are real people with stories and lives. In almost every instance, dealing with a property disaster is a burden and a departure from everyday life. It is in these difficult moments our teams shine the most.

The homeowner lived alone, and her living condition was deteriorating due to her lack of accessible assistance. Also, the walls were wet, so the technicians had to cut them open to dry and sanitize them, which was challenging because the house had electrical issues, and the equipment had limited power sources. Victor’s team contacted an electrician, an AC company, and a reconstruction company to help mitigate this issue.

Before the client left to return to New York, he said he would pay for the team to routinely come around and check in on his grandmother and make sure her living condition doesn’t deteriorate again. The project manager, Gino, refused the payment for that and promised that we would because it is simply the right thing to do.

Our PuroClean franchise owners across North America strive to take an active role in strengthening their communities. We applaud them for their ongoing generosity and commitment to helping those in their times of need.

Last edited on 2nd of August 2021