Date Posted: January 17th, 2012
Water damage is a tough problem to deal with, and as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Water damage prevention is an important part of being a homeowner. As a homeowner, I have dealt with more than my share of water damage, so here are some tips on what we can all do to improve our water damage prevention.
One of the first things I have learned is that it is important to inspect the exterior of the home to make sure that natural forces can’t bring water inside. For instance, by keeping my roof in good repair, I can reduce the probability that a downpour will result in water damage. Rain gutters are another thing that are easy to check, but that often get forgotten. They get clogged and can allow water to enter the house. I know that I have kept water out of my home by keeping my gutters cleaned out. In addition, it is a good idea to inspect the foundation for signs of problems.
I have also found that a regular inspection of my pipes is a good method for water damage prevention. I can look at my pipes, faucets, taps …
Date Posted: January 17th, 2012
The last thing that most people expect to find in their home is mold, and many people wonder about mold remediation. One year I had a terrible cough that my doctor told me was allergy related. Allergy medicines weren’t doing much for it, so I wondered what the cause was. A couple of months later after a very wet spring, I noticed a bulge in the linoleum in the kitchen pantry. I was curious so I pulled up a small section of the floor and found that there was mold there. Needless to say, I called my insurance company to see if there was a specific company I needed to call to help with mold remediation.
It was a crazy experience, with a disaster relief company coming to determine the cause, and wondering what would need to be done. We ended up having to rip out quite a bit of the floor that was rotting because of the mold, as well as the exterior wall behind the pantry. The culprit was a poorly flashed roof, so the insurance only covered the interior damage, but that was pricey enough that I was glad I had homeowner’s insurance that covered at least a …
Date Posted: December 24th, 2011
Be Vigilant In Preventing Fire Damage During The Holidays
Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but sometimes people are so busy being concerned about the festiveness of the season that they don’t take enough precautions for preventing fire damage during the holidays. There are a number of different causes of fires during the holiday season. Candles, overloaded electrical circuits, lights on the Christmas tree, and cooking accidents.
I have learned that it is important to never leave candles unattended. It is much better to blow out a candle when you leave the room and relight it than to have to deal with a fire that has been started by a candle that has tipped over or been knocked over by a pet or a child. Although I love the look of candles as well as the scent of many of them, I am very careful to never light them without making sure I watch them.
There are so many beautiful decorations, and it is easy to find many that run on electricity that really make my home festive. However, simply using extension cords or surge protectors doesn’t mean that I am not overloading the circuits. Even if I don’t plug in so …
Date Posted: December 16th, 2011
If you have had your home damaged by fire, chances are that you have additional damage due to smoke and soot which will require smoke damage restoration. The fire damage is usually immediately visible, but smoke damage is often hidden. Smoke travels in a variety of ways, which allows it to access rooms where the fire was not in evidence. This means that carpet, paint, upholstery, and any and everything in the room may be affected by the smoke.
Smoke damage restoration professionals in Arizona understand that different kinds of smoke create different kinds of damage and will require specific cleaning processes. For instance, a smoldering fire tends to have lower heat and often creates wet smoke, and the results can be a sticky mess that is challenging to clean, even for smoke damage restoration specialists. Hot, fast-burning fires usually leave a dry powdery residue. There may be other types of smoke related to protein residue and fuel oils, for instance, which need to be addressed. In addition, the means used to put out the fire can also leave residues and cause damage, such as residue from a fire extinguisher. You want a smoke damage restoration company that understands the best …
Date Posted: December 16th, 2011
When you have had a fire in your home or business, there are many different kinds of damage that may be sustained, and fire restoration must take into account all of the different types of damage. Most people won’t have previous experience with fire damage and fire restoration, so it is a good idea to call your insurance company to see which fire restoration companies in Phoenix, Arizona they work with so you know who to go to for help.
In addition to walls and furniture that are destroyed or damaged by the fire itself, you will find that included in fire damage is smoke damage, which can cause problems in areas that you may think were unaffected by the fire. Fire restoration professionals understand what smoke can do, and how it travels. For instance, hot smoke will move to the upper floors of the home or building, and smoke is also prone to flowing around pipes, which can allow it access to other areas of the building, including lower floors. This can cause smoke damage as well as odor problems.
Fires can be termed simple if they are burning from pure fuels such as wood, and these tend to result in …
Date Posted: November 25th, 2011
If you live in Arizona and have had a problem with water damage, you want to find the best water damage restoration company in Phoenix to help you with your problems. Whether you have had a broken pipe, a flooded basement, sewer damage, or a leaking roof, you want to get help as soon as you discover the problem. Water is an extremely destructive force, and can actually cause thousands of dollars in damages, so the sooner you can contact a water damage restoration company in Phoenix, Arizona, the less damage will occur. In fact, you will need the company to respond within 48 hours so that you will be able to save more of your property and avoid excessive damage, and many companies advertise a much shorter turn-around time.
If you have standing water, you will need water damage restoration to include water extraction services. It is important to you that the professionals that you hire understand how to do your water extraction properly, because if it is not done correctly, you could have issues with mold later on. These types of issues are often not manifested for quite some time. You want to work with a water damage restoration …
Date Posted: November 25th, 2011
If you have ever found yourself with a mold problem in your home, then mold remediation or mold removal is very important. Mold grows in areas where there is dampness as well as organic material such as wood. Often, this is a hidden threat in your home that you may not know about for years, during which it can grow unchecked. Mold can dry out occasionally, and at this point it sends spores into the air that can then create new mold if the conditions are right. Mold spores in the air can also cause health problems, and this is one of the main reasons for mold remediation.
The first thing that needs to happen when you find evidence of mold is to call a mold remediation company to help you locate the source. For instance, if the mold remediation company finds evidence of mold under your kitchen linoleum, you may wonder how to locate the source. This is where the mold remediation company in Arizona can be extremely helpful. They can bring in a specialist to help you determine the location of the water that is allowing the mold to grow.
The mold remediation specialist will have a meter that can …
Date Posted: November 23rd, 2011
A fire is undoubtedly one of the most stressful events one can encounter in life, and here in Arizona, we’re well aware of the immediate affects of fire damage. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that dealing with the aftermath of the fire can often be just as stressful as the original fire—and sometimes even more so. The money, time and effort put into fire restoration services and smoke damage restoration in Arizona can be as emotionally damaging as the physical damage of the fire itself, and causes many people to consider walking away from their long-beloved Arizona homes or office buildings.Luckily, there’s a worry-free solution to fire restoration and fire damage repair in Arizona. Firestorm 24/7 has been serving major Arizona cities including Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, and many more for years, and has built a reputation as strong as the once-fire-damaged buildings they restore. With years of construction and contracting experience, the team at Firestorm understands the importance of completing fire restoration services to perfection after unsettling fire damage. They’ve developed the fire restoration expertise to satisfy customers’ uncompromising standards throughout the state of Arizona.
Choose Firestorm 24/7 for emergency fire damage repair, experienced contracting, remodels, and …
Date Posted: July 1st, 2011
In the event of a water-related emergency, quick action can help minimize damage to carpets, walls and furnishings. There are several steps you can take to lessen the impact:
Do …
Turn off the source of the water … this may include the main supply
Remove as much excess water as possible by mopping and blotting
Wipe water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items
Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying
Use aluminum foil or unstained wood blocks to shield furniture legs from wet carpeting
Turn on air conditioning, if possible, for maximum drying in summer
Open drawers and cabinet doors for complete drying (do not force)
Move oil paintings and art objects to a safe place
Protect the safety of your family and pets by keeping them away from affected areas
Firestorm 24/7 use specialized, heavy-duty equipment to help speed the drying process and reduce the damaging effects of mold and bacteria.
Don’t …
Use a household vacuum cleaner to remove water
Use any type of electrical appliance while standing on wet floors
Leave books, magazines or colored items on wet carpets or floors
Insurance Claims
Firestorm 24/7 works directly for you. Our team of licensed, professional water removal technicians is experienced in negotiating with all major insurance companies to …
Posted in: Water Damage
Tags: water damage, water damage prevention, water damage restoration