If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, such as certain areas of California, you should do what you can to protect your home from them. While it may seem pretty hopeless once a wildfire is on a path that will go straight through your home, there are some things that you can do to try and minimize the damage.
The first thing that you can do if you own your home is to outfit it with fire resistant materials. The roof is perhaps the most important surface that you should take care of, since it is the largest surface of the home that is exposed to sparks of fire that have become airborne. If there is a wildfire near your house, you should take your water hose and keep the roof wet as much as possible to stop this threat. Fire-resistant roofing materials are large in number and include tile, metal, and fiberglass. Any oil-based roofing material should be replaced and wooden shingles are a disaster waiting to happen.
Fire-resistant materials should also be used to build the walls and windows of the house, since this can impede the spreading of the fire to the interior. Stone, metal, and brick offer a decent amount of protection, but vinyl siding and wood provide extremely little. The windows are important because heat will radiate inside the house and possibly set drapes on fire, so having smaller windows in homes that are at risk is a good idea.
Another thing that you can do to your lawn if a wildfire is nearby is wetting it with the water hose. This can also slow the fire’s spread to your house some. Do not allow dead leaves and other debris to build up in the yard during wildfire season and try to get rid of any tree branches that are hanging over your house. You can even go as far as to have these trees that are close to your home removed, but that is a personal preference. It will help, but some people may not want to sacrifice them.
If you have to evacuate, realize that you cannot take everything with you. Take only the most important valuables and get out as soon as you can. If you have time and are leaving voluntarily, take the opportunity to wet your yard, roof, and the exterior of your house again. This is pretty much all you can do at this point and the rest is in the hands of nature.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Dallas Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Testing Your Home For Mold
Testing for mold in your home is not really a complicated process, but if you should know that if you do not follow the instructions that come on the package to the letter, the test will be almost completely useless both to you and to the mold laboratory that you send the test kit samples to. Most test kits are fairly straight forward, but this is a rundown of what you are going to have to do, even if you do not use just the test kits.
Sometimes knowing where you need to test for mold contamination is pretty easily simply because of the fact that the mold is either completely visible on the walls, ceiling, or other belongings, but also due to the fact that many kinds of mold have a significant musty odor to them. You can take a sample of the mold that you can see on the walls by taking a knife (a clean one) and scraping some of it off into the test kit. Be careful here and do not inhale the mold spores. Wear rubber gloves and a respirator while doing this, if you can. Whether you are wearing gloves or not, though, you should wash your hands afterward before going to test another site and especially before you eat anything.
If you want to, you can also take a piece of scotch tape and lift some of the mold off the wall. Some people may prefer this over the knife method, but it is a matter of personal preference. The knife method is more likely to stir up the spores than the tape method.
Set a test kit out in every room of your home after you have run the air conditioner or fans in every room for about ten to fifteen minutes to get the spores stirred up. Tape at least one kit to the grill of an air conditioning vent so you will know if there is any mold growing inside the duct itself. If the air conditioner continues to blow mold spores out into the house after it has been run for about 15 minutes, you know you have a problem in your ventilation system.
After you collect the test kits from around your house, you need to label them all with your name, address, where each test kit was used in the home, and any other pertinent information. This should also include how long you left the test kit setting out in your home, whether it was 30 minutes or a day.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Sometimes knowing where you need to test for mold contamination is pretty easily simply because of the fact that the mold is either completely visible on the walls, ceiling, or other belongings, but also due to the fact that many kinds of mold have a significant musty odor to them. You can take a sample of the mold that you can see on the walls by taking a knife (a clean one) and scraping some of it off into the test kit. Be careful here and do not inhale the mold spores. Wear rubber gloves and a respirator while doing this, if you can. Whether you are wearing gloves or not, though, you should wash your hands afterward before going to test another site and especially before you eat anything.
If you want to, you can also take a piece of scotch tape and lift some of the mold off the wall. Some people may prefer this over the knife method, but it is a matter of personal preference. The knife method is more likely to stir up the spores than the tape method.
Set a test kit out in every room of your home after you have run the air conditioner or fans in every room for about ten to fifteen minutes to get the spores stirred up. Tape at least one kit to the grill of an air conditioning vent so you will know if there is any mold growing inside the duct itself. If the air conditioner continues to blow mold spores out into the house after it has been run for about 15 minutes, you know you have a problem in your ventilation system.
After you collect the test kits from around your house, you need to label them all with your name, address, where each test kit was used in the home, and any other pertinent information. This should also include how long you left the test kit setting out in your home, whether it was 30 minutes or a day.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Your Cell Phone, Water, and a Sticker
Water is a part of our everyday lives, but most of us who own electronic devices can readily admit that it is not only the source of live, but also the source of some pretty pricey problems. It is every cell phone or blackberry owner’s nightmare: dropping that $400 device into the bathtub or into the pool. What do you do with it after you drop it into water? How late is too late to save it? And if it can be saved, how do you do it?
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mississippi Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mississippi Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors
Prevent Mold From Growing On Your Stuff
I know that I do not like mold on my stuff and you probably do not, either, but sometimes we dig into our closets and discover an old favorite item of clothing only to find that it is stinky and covered in mold. What a disappointment. This happens more often than some of us realize and the solution that we usually come up with is just to throw the item away. But, why let it get that way in the first place? What can you do to stop mold from getting on your things? There are a few different ways to help prevent mold from growing not only just in your home, but also on your stuff.
Since we are already talking about moldy clothes, one of the worst things that you can do is to pack your clothing extremely tightly into your closet. Maybe you have an aunt or a grandmother that has a closet packed to the brim with clothing that they never wear, but they might not realize that by trying to save space, they are actually helping mold to grow in the closet full of the clothes that they love so much. Air cannot circulate in these packed closets and add to that high humidity and warmth and you get mold. Some closets have vents installed in the floors to help alleviate this problem, but packing the closets so tight you can barely move them aside to get the shirt or pair of pants that you want completely defeats the purpose of the vent. Try not to pack your closets so full and if you cannot help it, simply get rid of some clothes.
Wet clothes are also particularly a problem, especially during the summertime when people go swimming. These are often thrown on the floor of the laundry room and left for some other person to pick up, but if you are the person that is supposed to pick them up, please do so. Wash wet clothes as soon as you can, especially if you can do this before they dry out. If you can help it, never throw dry clothes on top of wet ones because you will forget about them and mold will begin to grow pretty soon.
If you have baby bottles or any bottle that is oddly shaped, perhaps with a hollow handle that allows liquid inside, you probably have a hard time getting them completely dry if you do not have a dishwasher. To keep mold from growing in these, simply put them in the freezer after you wash them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Minnesota Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Florida water damage restoration companies
Since we are already talking about moldy clothes, one of the worst things that you can do is to pack your clothing extremely tightly into your closet. Maybe you have an aunt or a grandmother that has a closet packed to the brim with clothing that they never wear, but they might not realize that by trying to save space, they are actually helping mold to grow in the closet full of the clothes that they love so much. Air cannot circulate in these packed closets and add to that high humidity and warmth and you get mold. Some closets have vents installed in the floors to help alleviate this problem, but packing the closets so tight you can barely move them aside to get the shirt or pair of pants that you want completely defeats the purpose of the vent. Try not to pack your closets so full and if you cannot help it, simply get rid of some clothes.
Wet clothes are also particularly a problem, especially during the summertime when people go swimming. These are often thrown on the floor of the laundry room and left for some other person to pick up, but if you are the person that is supposed to pick them up, please do so. Wash wet clothes as soon as you can, especially if you can do this before they dry out. If you can help it, never throw dry clothes on top of wet ones because you will forget about them and mold will begin to grow pretty soon.
If you have baby bottles or any bottle that is oddly shaped, perhaps with a hollow handle that allows liquid inside, you probably have a hard time getting them completely dry if you do not have a dishwasher. To keep mold from growing in these, simply put them in the freezer after you wash them.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Minnesota Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Florida water damage restoration companies
Equipment to Remedy Mold
It does not take long to realize that one who chooses to remedy a mold infestation on their own, as opposed to hiring a professional to do the deed, will probably be wondering as to what the safest way to do this is. It is important that safety is first and foremost on the long list of things to take into account when dealing with the scourge on one’s home that is mold. Aggravation of asthma, emphysema, respiratory infections, rashes, eye infections, and even death are just some of the health complications that can come about from having mold in the home.
One of the best ways to ensure that the remediation process is as safe as possible is to know the kind of tools the job will call for. And to know what the job will call for, you must know just how much mold needs to be removed. If there is mold growing on the walls of your home, then trying to wash the mold off with mold killing chemicals probably, and unfortunately, will not work. In fact, possibly the only solution is the most expensive solution and that would be completely removing and replacing the drywall. However, if the mold has not seeped all the way into the drywall, then this may not be required.
It comes highly recommended that one uses heavy duty mold killing chemicals in the remediation process. If you read product reviews, it should be easy to become committed to buying a particular cleaner. It is also recommended that you buy a high strength brand of trash bag to keep on hand, should any contaminated materials be discovered that should be disposed of immediately. It is very important that you do not touch anything contaminated that you throw away, as it is possible to cause cross contamination.
You should also purchase some sort of respirator during the remediation process, no matter how serious the contamination is. A half or full face mask respirator will most likely be required if you are going to be removing the drywall or any other possible building materials from your home or building. A full face mask can be purchased for roughly $130. You should also buy disposable protective clothing which is fairly inexpensive, especially when you consider the amount of protection that will be received from them. Breathable gloves should be, but these can often only be bought in bulk quantities.
You should also purchase a vacuum with a HEPA filter. These vacuums collect mold spores that have settled onto the floor and have possibly worked their way into the fibers of your carpet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Hampshire Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
One of the best ways to ensure that the remediation process is as safe as possible is to know the kind of tools the job will call for. And to know what the job will call for, you must know just how much mold needs to be removed. If there is mold growing on the walls of your home, then trying to wash the mold off with mold killing chemicals probably, and unfortunately, will not work. In fact, possibly the only solution is the most expensive solution and that would be completely removing and replacing the drywall. However, if the mold has not seeped all the way into the drywall, then this may not be required.
It comes highly recommended that one uses heavy duty mold killing chemicals in the remediation process. If you read product reviews, it should be easy to become committed to buying a particular cleaner. It is also recommended that you buy a high strength brand of trash bag to keep on hand, should any contaminated materials be discovered that should be disposed of immediately. It is very important that you do not touch anything contaminated that you throw away, as it is possible to cause cross contamination.
You should also purchase some sort of respirator during the remediation process, no matter how serious the contamination is. A half or full face mask respirator will most likely be required if you are going to be removing the drywall or any other possible building materials from your home or building. A full face mask can be purchased for roughly $130. You should also buy disposable protective clothing which is fairly inexpensive, especially when you consider the amount of protection that will be received from them. Breathable gloves should be, but these can often only be bought in bulk quantities.
You should also purchase a vacuum with a HEPA filter. These vacuums collect mold spores that have settled onto the floor and have possibly worked their way into the fibers of your carpet.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Hampshire Flood Damage Cleanup and other states and cities such as
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
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