DID YOU KNOW that even the healthiest of individuals can still feel negative effects in the presence of some common things around the house?
It’s not something that necessarily has to start growing in the basement of your house after a flood. It’s something that can “just happen” and it’s not good news. But it can be easily fixed. People don't realize a past water damage in Little Egg Harbor, N.J. can bring in future problems. First of all, what are we talking about? Old stuff brought in There are some items that can come into your home that can trigger your allergies or other sensitivities. These can include cardboard boxes, packages and other items sent or brought to you. The worse of these would be old stuff, things that have been around a while, gathering allergens. This could be an area for black toxic mold to grow in Little Egg Harbor, N.J. Old ‘normal’ stuff We’ve all been to a library and sniffed old books. OK, maybe not all of us, but those that remember books and libraries can relate. These old books and documents can be allergen triggers, so be sure to remember this before checking them out or taking them into your home. Old decorations Sure, the holidays are a time when you use ornaments and stuff, and this is just a few times a year… but you have to store them, right? Remember that they can bring in allergens. It might be best to give them at least a wipe-down, if not a complete cleaning, before putting them into the attic. Old mattresses Ick. This is a tough one, and sometimes a sensitive issue. Sure, it’s OK to pass on mattresses from one generation to another (what is family for?), but what are you getting when you inherit an old mattress or other bedding from someone not close to you? And don’t be tempted by that new-looking mattress at your neighbor’s garage sale. You just don’t know what you are getting into. Did you know that every mattress has dust mites? Old rugs and carpet Rugs and carpet are very important to you, but be sure to have them inspected by your carpet cleaning pro before bringing them into your home. These are items that can collect all types of allergens and other contaminants that can affect you and your family. The best thing to have done is mold testing in Little Egg Harbor, N.J. Don’t be afraid to throw old stuff out. Remember, it’s your home and your family’s health. Protect it! Just make sure that what you bring into your home is safe and sound — and safe for any allergy or asthma issues you or your family may have. When something fails, such as a high-pressure fresh water source to your toilet… or perhaps a leaky drain pipe underneath the kitchen sink… no matter what it may be, you usually know what to do. You know the drill… clean it up, get it dry, and call a professional water damage in Wildwood, N.J. restoration company to ensure all is good and there is no possible way mold can grow. You want peace of mind, and this is the way to get it. However, sometimes you just don’t know when things happen, when things leak or when water intrusion occurs — because it can be slowly invasive and build up over time. There are several steps to determining if you have an actual water damage situation and when you must call a pro — and when you can do it yourself. Remember, you can’t be too cautious with the well-being of your loved ones. The nose knows Damp and wet areas affected by water intrusion demonstrate themselves after a day or two with a very easy to detect odor. It will just smell wet, musty, and unhealthy. If you detect anything like that, it’s time to do some serious investigating. You may not actually see the water intrusion, but no doubt it is probably there. Surface damage You can often see swelling materials, such as the particle board under a sink, providing evidence of water intrusion. When things buckle, even if you notice it after the surface has dried, there is potential of subsequent water damage, because if it leaked once… it will again! This can turn into mold growth, possibly toxic black mold in Wildwood, N.J. It is always best to have a mold inspection in Wildwood N,J. after any kind of water damage. Stains You can usually see this in the ceilings and areas around water sources. Sometimes it is around windows. If you detect water marks (think of a carpet under a water fountain in a building) then you need to put your investigative hat on and figure out if it is a big deal or not — and most likely, it will be a big deal. The evidence of water damage can be easy to see, and sometimes it hides and continues to affect surfaces and your health until it becomes a serious issue. If you have any water damage issues or questions, do the right thing. Call your favorite water damage professional company today. After all, it pays to call a pro! Broken pipes, leaky roofs, plugged up drains, wind-driven rain, and other issues can strike at any time, especially during spring weather.
When water intrudes, you want to clean it up, and fast. Most homeowners call their favorite disaster restoration company, but while they wait, they find it very difficult to do nothing about their unfortunate situation. Some may attempt to vacuum up the water, get out all the fans, rip out wet sheetrock, and other tasks that need to be handled — at least in the minds of those affected by a disaster. It’s really tough to sit by, wait, and do nothing in a situation like this. But often, that’s exactly what you should do. Nothing. Make the phone call to your restoration company and get their advice and wait for them. With this in mind, consider these definite “do not do” activities in the event of a water damage in Cape May, N.J. situation. Do not vacuum up any water with an ordinary vacuum cleaner (yes, it’s been done and not with good results) and it is best to avoid even a wet/dry vacuum. If you must do some water extraction yourself, make sure it is a professional grade piece of equipment, such as something you might rent, as there are safety considerations to keep in mind — such as avoiding electrocution. Don’t use electrical appliances, even ordinary ones that might seem harmless, when in the vicinity of flooded areas. Make sure any power cards are properly grounded in your home. Don’t go into heavily flooded rooms if you can, don’t walk on wet carpet or through flooded areas, such as a basement. Again, the electrical issue can be a factor. If the flooding is limited and you simply have a squishy carpet, you may be able to move around the home, but only after you have made certain power is turned off in affected areas and there are no safety concerns. Don’t start pulling apart building materials, such as sheetrock, or removing carpet, as you might make a bigger mess that will make more work for the restoration company that is on its way. Small injuries can quickly become infected injuries. Do get a mold test in Cape May N.J., to prevent any issues down the line. This is the best way to avoid black toxic mold in Cape May, N.J. Don’t wait! Disaster restoration companies work 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s the nature of disaster work. Do the right thing, and give your favorite restoration company a call the minute disaster strikes. After all, it pays to call a pro! When a pipe breaks, you know it. Water spewing everywhere, making all kinds of noise and a huge mess that leads to all kinds of expensive damage.
When a pipe leaks, that’s a different story as you may not discover it until expensive damage occurs. Under every sink in your home, you have two types of pipes: Supply and drain. Either type can leak and cause all kinds of damage, often at a slow but steady rate, and not only to the floor directly under the pipes. Water can run down into the subfloor, into floor cavities and even into rooms underneath. Adding insult to injury, you don’t know this is happening because, usually, it’s all out of sight. The worse part of looking for leaks under sinks is there is usually a bunch of stuff down there, and you will have to move it around or — better yet — remove it all completely so you can do a thorough inspection. Look for warped wood, boards or other signs of water damage In Somers Point, N.J.. Use a tissue paper to wipe each pipe connection, both supply and drain. Any type of moisture will be detectable using tissue paper. If a supply pipe is leaking, that’s dangerous because there is pressure that can cause it to steadily increase the rate of the leak. For the drain pipe, gently shake it to see if it is loose. Drain pipes can loosen on their own and begin leaking. If you have pipes that are leaking, don’t delay. Fix them yourself if you are handy. If not, call your favorite plumber. And also call a professional for a mold test in Somers Point, N.J. This could save you from needing mold removal in Somers point, N.J. There is nothing worse than finding out toxic black mold in Somers point, N.J. has been in your home growing. Any type of water damage you discover should be inspected and remediated by a qualified water damage restoration company. Play it safe and when you find you have a leaky pipe, call your water damage pros. They’ll be right over. With the arrival and impact of electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, many have given up their favorite pastime of reading paper newspapers and books. But if you look around your home, you may still find plenty of books, documents, and valuable paper products that you prefer over the electronic variety — or that you just can’t get rid of.
Many of these items end up in the basement or other storage areas, and just when you least expect it, can become damaged from moisture, a broken pipe, flooding from storms, or a failure of your sump pump. Water damage in Margate, N.J., can come from many sources. When that happens, it’s time to dry everything out, and that’s not always easy. Doing this early can stop the growth of black toxic mold in Margate, N.J. The first step is to wipe off and remove as much excess water that you can, without damaging the paper. For loose papers, such as documents, lay them out individually on absorbent cloths and then carefully blot. If using paper towels, make sure they are pure white, with no color print on them. Loose papers are fairly straightforward to dry. Some air movement from a small fan can help the drying process. After drying, you can compress the papers to flatten them out. For books, very carefully open the covers of each book, and stand your books upright on a stack of several, absorbent pure white paper towels. Place several layers of absorbent towels inside the covers, and gently close them. Allow the towels to pull moisture from the pages; replace them as they get wet, checking frequently. As you progress, carefully open pages, perhaps every 20-30 pages or so, and place more towels or cloths inside those pages, closing the book, allowing moisture to transfer into the towels or cloths. Keep the book on its side as you do this. Eventually, as the book dries, you can open the pages, and put the book in front of a fan to continue drying out the pages. Then it may be a good time for a mold inspection in Margate, N.J. What if you have many books or documents, and they are valuable and must be saved and you don’t have the ability to do it yourself? That’s when it’s time to get some professional help. Put your damaged documents or books in the freezer. It’s now time to contact your favorite disaster restoration company for help. Mold removal in Margate, N.J. should always be done by a professional. After all, it pays to call a pro! Devastating pipe breaks, failing sump pumps, a smoky kitchen fire, the roof leaking from damage from high winds, water damage in Ventnor, N.J..... no one wants to deal with any of that.
But it does happen, and when it does, you probably do what is natural – you pick up the phone and call your insurance company, most likely your insurance agent, who may direct you to anyone from a central call center to handle your claim, an insurance adjuster, or perhaps to a local disaster restoration contractor they know. And then the fun begins. You aren’t sure yet if you have coverage, because the insurance company is dragging its feet. The adjuster isn’t able to come out for a few days, something you can’t believe. You worry, fret, and wonder if the damage to your home will be covered, and if you will have to pay for some (or all?) of the damage. You know you have to cover the deductible, and that’s not cheap. And is mold removal in Ventnor, N.J. covered, down the road? The work begins. Everyone is in a hurry because if the damage isn’t fixed right away, other issues will surface. The restoration contractor does what he is trained to do, and the work progresses nicely, and eventually all is well again at home. A few days late, the adjuster shows up. And he delivers a devastating blow. While you have coverage, the cost to repair the damage is more than the insurance company feels is fair, so they will only pay a percentage of the costs. The rest? You have to pay for that yourself. What can you do? One thing is to get another opinion. Hiring an independent insurance adjuster to review the job, all the paperwork, and your insurance policy might shed light on the issue and give you more info you need. Depending on the new information you receive, you can revisit the issue with your insurance company. Taking this information to the insurance adjuster who you are battling with probably won’t do much good. It’s time to go over his head, as the saying goes. If the difference between the costs of repairs and the offer from the insurance company is high enough, you can also consider a claim to the state entity (such as the insurance commissioner) that has authority and power to help. Many claim to be subject to bad business practices. You might be advised to hire an attorney, all which will cost you more. Is it necessary to have a mold test in Ventnor, N.J.? The good news is if you hire the very best disaster restoration company, they have the experience to help you deal with all of this. A professional can also prevent the growth of black toxic mold in Ventnor, N.J. After all, it pays to call a pro! Do you know what the EPA says about discarding moldy materials?
It’s not as easy as just tossing them into the trash can, which is what some homeowners might be tempted to do when they try out some “do-it-yourself” mold work. Building materials and furnishings that are contaminated with mold growth and are not salvageable should be double-bagged using 6-mil polyethylene sheeting, the EPA states. These materials can then usually be discarded as ordinary construction waste. Mold removal in Atlantic City N.J. should be done by a professional. It is important to package mold-contaminated materials in sealed bags before removal from the containment area to minimize the dispersion of mold spores throughout the building. Large items that have heavy mold growth should be covered with polyethylene sheeting and sealed with duct tape before they are removed from the containment area.Most likely this has happened due to water damage in Atlantic city, N.J. Doesn’t sound like fun, right? As a homeowner, you can get confused following all these mold removal rules and regulations, and these here are just the tip of the iceberg. But preventing toxic black mold in Atlantic City N.J. is the goal. Do yourself a favor. When you see some mold, keep yourself and your family safe: Call a mold pro. He knows all the rules. — Source: EPA Getting a mold test in Atlantic City, N.J. is always a good idea, if you see mold growth of any kind. When pipes freeze, they create havoc that is time consuming and expensive.
Any kind of water damage in Absecon, N.J. can be a problem. Your home is full of all kinds of pipes, including fresh water pipes that supply your bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, and more. These fresh water pipes are under pressure, and if they freeze up, they can burst and create a huge mess that must be cleaned up quickly. You might have heard some say that hot water freezes faster than cold water. If you do a quick Google search, you will see all types of references to this topic. You might have seen videos of people throwing hot water up in freezing air and it freezes instantly, creating ice crystals. But no matter what you personally believe, one thing is accepted as true among many disaster restoration professionals: Hot water pipes freeze and break faster than cold water pipes. This statement isn’t based simply on water temperature. It’s based on the makeup of the water, and some studies show that hot water contains more dissolved gasses, and those chemical particles crystalize first. Many restoration professionals will tell you that they have been on many water damage jobs where the hot water pipe was broken and spraying water, while the cold water pipe was fine. And at the same time, many have experienced hot water spigots doing nothing while their cold water companions, just within inches of each other, work just fine. There are many articles about what is called the “Mpemba” effect, that warm water freezes faster than cold water. While it makes for interesting reading, the main takeaway for you is to make sure that no pipes in your home ever freeze. You can do this with some planning. The best solution is to make sure your pipes are wrapped with heat tape or insulation, combined with ensuring no cold drafts are allowed into walls or cavities in your home. Another preventive step to take is when the temperatures really dip into the sub-zero range, and especially if you have had pipes freeze in the past, consider allowing them to drip during extended times of not being used. Yes, this will run up your water bill a bit, but it is definitely cheaper than a devastating pipe break and resulting flooding. After all preparing now is the best way to avoid the need for any kind of mold removal in Absecon, N.J. down the road. But if the unthinkable does occur, and a pipe breaks and damages your home, do the right thing. Call your favorite disaster restoration company.This type of water damage can cause the growth of black toxic mold in Absecon, N.J. After all, it pays to call a pro! A professional mold inspection in Absecon, N.J. will be well worth it to prevend any issues down the line. Fixing a musty basement is a chore that must be done quickly yet can be very frustrating. Trying to chase down a musty odor is not easy. It’s a restoration project that is crucial to you enjoying your home.
A smelly basement is not just an odor problem; it usually indicates something more severe is going on. What you are smelling could be just damp materials, but it could also be mold growing, and the off-gassing of that process. This isn’t pleasant nor healthy. Always make sure there is no Black toxic mold in Ocean City, N.J. There are several steps you, as a homeowner, can take to help fix this issue. Step #1 Doing some simple cleaning can accomplish quite a bit. Keeping things clean – and dry – is key to curbing the smells that can come from a basement. Take the time to inspect all the materials in your basement and take out and clean those that might be damp or have an odor. A little suspicion goes a long way. There may be going water damage in Ocean City, N.J. Most likely, these items that could have odor issues are porous materials, such as clothing, bedding, and similar items. Have your carpet cleaned professionally, if there is carpet in the basement. Using a home carpet cleaning machine might actually do more damage than good. Hire a pro. Step #2 Look at the sources of potential musty odors. Windows that are drafty, walls the seep in water, anything that can create odors should be inspected and addressed. Remember that musty smells usually come from mold growth. Getting a mold inspection in Ocean City N.J. might be the best course to take. Step #3 Although you may think that your basement is nice and dry, it might not be. The only way is to monitor the humidity level. You can do this with a hand-held device, the type your restoration pros use, but that may not be practical for you. Those devices can be very expensive. Better yet is to set up a dehumidifier that has that information on it with its display. This way, you can run the dehumidifier as needed to keep the humidity at the level you want it to be. The lower the humidity, the less you should experience musty odors in the basement. And the absolute best way to know if those musty smells from the basement are due to water intrusion, or other restoration issues, and what to do about them, is to consult with your favorite water damage professionals. Always consult a professional to have mold removal in Ocean City. N.J. taken care of. After all, it pays to call a pro! |
Jo Lucas
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April 2023
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