There are a number of things that you need to do to prepare for the next hurricane if you live on the gulf or Atlantic coast of the United States, but those who have just moved there may not realize just what those things may be or which are the most important.
The thing that you will need to survive the most is clean water. The human body can survive for a week or longer without food, but without water, death will follow in a pretty short time. You may not be able to get to the store and obtain the water that you need, so you should save this up ahead of time. This is easily done if you keep milk jugs and rinse them out. Store these in a closet or other area of your house until the storm is on its way. Fill them up and you should have plenty of clean water to drink and bathe with, depending on how many people are staying with you.
Whatever you do, refrain from drinking water out of the faucet after the storm has already hit. This water could be contaminated with anything, including mud, silt, sewage, chemicals, and sea water. Sea water is dangerous enough by itself, since it can cause you to become extremely dehydrated and can even cause death within a few hours. You should never, ever, under any circumstances, drink sea water. It will kill you.
You will also need a fair supply of food to eat while you are stuck in the house. This should include mainly non-perishable items and foods that do not require cooking, since it is likely that the electricity will go out while you are there.
You should also make sure you have a decent amount of cash on you, in case your local bank and ATM is unavailable for a while after the storm is over.
Special items like medication for the elderly, babies, or those with different medical needs should be gathered up and put into a Ziploc bag or other kind of waterproof case.
You also need a flashlight and some extra batteries. A hand crank radio is also good to have around so you will know what is going on in the outside world even after the electricity goes out.
You will also want to have a rain coat or poncho, some heavy rubber boots, and an umbrella to use in case you have to go out of the house for anything, but you should avoid this if at all possible.
You can also include some water purification tablets in your supply kit. These usually can be bought at outdoor supply stores or at your local department store.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Storm Survival Necessities
Preparing for a hurricane can be some hectic business, but compiling a list of things that you will need during the storm if you are planning on staying home is the easiest way to sort this mess out.
The most important thing you will need is clean water to drink. You can purchase bottled water at the grocery store if you need to, but a cheaper way to do this is to save old milk jugs and fill them with tap water before the storm begins. As long as you have somewhere to store the milk jugs, you should not have a problem with this method. If you do not have anywhere to store them, you can buy water at the store just before the storm begins, but be aware that they might not be able to meet the demand.
After the storm begins and you are shut up inside your house, you should not drink the tap water or even really bathe in it because of possible contamination. It might be fine to bathe in sea water, but you never know what the local water supply may be contaminated with. It could be sewage, chemicals, soil, or any one of a number of different things. Try to have enough clean water saved up to bathe a little with while the storm passes.
You will also need plenty of non-perishable food to eat. This should include pre-packaged food that does not have to be cooked, since there is a good chance that the electricity will go out, depending on how far you will be from the hurricane’s landfall.
Another item you may want to have on hand is a hand crank radio. This is something else that you will need if the electricity goes out; it will allow you to keep in touch with what is going on in the outside world and if there is anything that you need to know about. It can also help keep you from getting cabin fever, since you may be trapped by the storm in your house for a few days or longer.
Batteries for anything that you may need should also be available, especially for a flashlight.
Having a first aid kit on hand is always a good idea whether a natural disaster is imminent or not.
A rain coat and some heavy rain boots should be kept in case you have to go out for any reason.
You should also make it a point to keep some cash on you, since your local ATMs and banks may not
The most important thing you will need is clean water to drink. You can purchase bottled water at the grocery store if you need to, but a cheaper way to do this is to save old milk jugs and fill them with tap water before the storm begins. As long as you have somewhere to store the milk jugs, you should not have a problem with this method. If you do not have anywhere to store them, you can buy water at the store just before the storm begins, but be aware that they might not be able to meet the demand.
After the storm begins and you are shut up inside your house, you should not drink the tap water or even really bathe in it because of possible contamination. It might be fine to bathe in sea water, but you never know what the local water supply may be contaminated with. It could be sewage, chemicals, soil, or any one of a number of different things. Try to have enough clean water saved up to bathe a little with while the storm passes.
You will also need plenty of non-perishable food to eat. This should include pre-packaged food that does not have to be cooked, since there is a good chance that the electricity will go out, depending on how far you will be from the hurricane’s landfall.
Another item you may want to have on hand is a hand crank radio. This is something else that you will need if the electricity goes out; it will allow you to keep in touch with what is going on in the outside world and if there is anything that you need to know about. It can also help keep you from getting cabin fever, since you may be trapped by the storm in your house for a few days or longer.
Batteries for anything that you may need should also be available, especially for a flashlight.
Having a first aid kit on hand is always a good idea whether a natural disaster is imminent or not.
A rain coat and some heavy rain boots should be kept in case you have to go out for any reason.
You should also make it a point to keep some cash on you, since your local ATMs and banks may not
Steps to Prevent a House Fire
Whether you think that it can happen to you or not, a house fire can be one of the most trying experiences that you can have, but the majority of house fires can be prevented simply by paying attention to what you are doing and using the electrical devices in your home the way that they were intended.
When cooking in the kitchen, you should never leave oil or shortening to heat on the stove unattended. This is the cause of more house fires than you can imagine and it is easily avoidable by simply not leaving the room for more than a minute or two (literally). If you have to put out a grease fire, you should know that you cannot do this with water. Use baking soda or your fire extinguisher, depending on the size of the fire. If it is very small, the baking soda should take care of it. If it is larger and threatens to spread beyond the stove, use the fire extinguisher.
The electrical devices most notorious for starting house fires are used during the winter to keep the house or the people in it as warm as possible. Electric blankets have been known to catch beds on fire with people asleep in them and go on to burn the rest of the house to the ground. While you may think that you know how to use an electric blanket, you may want to reconsider leaving it on while you are asleep under it. If you absolutely must leave it on, it should be on a low setting. Never leave it on a high setting, especially when it is underneath other blankets. The other blankets will insulate the heat and make it even more likely to catch on fire. Secondly, do not allow pets or children to walk on the bed while it is on it. Walking on electric blankets can damage the heating elements.
Space heaters are another concern for those of us who cannot afford to pay the extra cost of a gas bill during the winter time to heat the house. These can cause house fires quickly, as well, and should be used with caution. Do not place them in the rooms of small children since they often have a number of plush toys and blankets in the room that can catch on fire. An area of at least 3 to 5 feet or more should be cleared from around the heater so it does not catch anything on fire.
Something else to consider when using devices that emit heat is to never use an extension cord with them unless it is a heavy duty gauge of at least 14. Small cords used with lamps and other devices cannot handle the current needed to provide power to devices that emit heat. They will melt.
When cooking in the kitchen, you should never leave oil or shortening to heat on the stove unattended. This is the cause of more house fires than you can imagine and it is easily avoidable by simply not leaving the room for more than a minute or two (literally). If you have to put out a grease fire, you should know that you cannot do this with water. Use baking soda or your fire extinguisher, depending on the size of the fire. If it is very small, the baking soda should take care of it. If it is larger and threatens to spread beyond the stove, use the fire extinguisher.
The electrical devices most notorious for starting house fires are used during the winter to keep the house or the people in it as warm as possible. Electric blankets have been known to catch beds on fire with people asleep in them and go on to burn the rest of the house to the ground. While you may think that you know how to use an electric blanket, you may want to reconsider leaving it on while you are asleep under it. If you absolutely must leave it on, it should be on a low setting. Never leave it on a high setting, especially when it is underneath other blankets. The other blankets will insulate the heat and make it even more likely to catch on fire. Secondly, do not allow pets or children to walk on the bed while it is on it. Walking on electric blankets can damage the heating elements.
Space heaters are another concern for those of us who cannot afford to pay the extra cost of a gas bill during the winter time to heat the house. These can cause house fires quickly, as well, and should be used with caution. Do not place them in the rooms of small children since they often have a number of plush toys and blankets in the room that can catch on fire. An area of at least 3 to 5 feet or more should be cleared from around the heater so it does not catch anything on fire.
Something else to consider when using devices that emit heat is to never use an extension cord with them unless it is a heavy duty gauge of at least 14. Small cords used with lamps and other devices cannot handle the current needed to provide power to devices that emit heat. They will melt.
Preventing House Fires
A house fire can be one of the most devastating experiences a homeowner can go through, but there are a number of things that you can do to reduce the chance of this happening. A large number of house fires result from people simply not paying attention to what they are doing, neglecting an electrical device, or using one incorrectly.
Space heaters are used in the winter in many homes that cannot afford to pay the gas bill or the extra electricity cost that it takes to heat their home, but these are the cause of house fires if they are not used properly. The first thing you need to realize about these devices is that you should never use an extension cord with them unless they are heavy duty. The cord should be a gauge 14 at least or else it will melt. The smaller cords simply cannot handle the amount of electricity needed to power these devices and so, they cause fires.
Something else you should be wary of is putting the heater on a carpeted surface. You can do this with heaters that have a good amount of space between the heating element and the floor, but space heaters with short legs should be used only on non-carpeted floors.
Another electrical item that is often misused is the electric blanket. Imagine waking up and the bed being on fire with you in it. That could be mistaken for a nightmare, but it has happened before to people who do not turn their blankets off when they go to sleep. Electric blankets need to be used to warm up the bed only and turned off afterward and they should NEVER be left on their highest setting while you are sleeping under them. You should also not allow pets or children to walk on these, since it can damage the cords inside them and cause them to have shorts.
Any other electrical device that puts out heat should be used very carefully to ensure that a house fire does not break out. It is important to follow the directions of the device to the letter and use the utmost caution if you have to leave it unattended for any amount of time. Try not to leave these items alone for more than a few minutes at a time.
Grease fires are also common in the kitchen. The best way to prevent this is to heat oil or shortening slowly and never leave it unattended.
Space heaters are used in the winter in many homes that cannot afford to pay the gas bill or the extra electricity cost that it takes to heat their home, but these are the cause of house fires if they are not used properly. The first thing you need to realize about these devices is that you should never use an extension cord with them unless they are heavy duty. The cord should be a gauge 14 at least or else it will melt. The smaller cords simply cannot handle the amount of electricity needed to power these devices and so, they cause fires.
Something else you should be wary of is putting the heater on a carpeted surface. You can do this with heaters that have a good amount of space between the heating element and the floor, but space heaters with short legs should be used only on non-carpeted floors.
Another electrical item that is often misused is the electric blanket. Imagine waking up and the bed being on fire with you in it. That could be mistaken for a nightmare, but it has happened before to people who do not turn their blankets off when they go to sleep. Electric blankets need to be used to warm up the bed only and turned off afterward and they should NEVER be left on their highest setting while you are sleeping under them. You should also not allow pets or children to walk on these, since it can damage the cords inside them and cause them to have shorts.
Any other electrical device that puts out heat should be used very carefully to ensure that a house fire does not break out. It is important to follow the directions of the device to the letter and use the utmost caution if you have to leave it unattended for any amount of time. Try not to leave these items alone for more than a few minutes at a time.
Grease fires are also common in the kitchen. The best way to prevent this is to heat oil or shortening slowly and never leave it unattended.
Hurricane Water Sanitation
Hurricanes and typhoons occur in different parts of the world, but the effect of both is typically the same. Flooding, high winds, extremely heavy rain, and often casualties occur during both of these kinds of storms, even though one type occurs in the Atlantic and the other occurs in the Pacific. They are similar in not only this way, but also in the way that you need to prepare for them.
Both of these storms can do serious damage to your local water supply and contaminate it with leaves, sticks, other debris, sewage, and sea water. This means that your local water supply is not safe to drink until your local government says that it is safe to do so after the storm is over. You should never drink the water out of your faucet while the storm is still going on outside and if possible, you should always evacuate your area if you are worried that your home could be flooded by the storm or the collapsing of surrounding dams or levees. The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed what can happen when levees break, so if you live in a similar area and a hurricane comes to town, take whatever you can carry and get out.
If you are not worried about your home flooding during this storm, then you will still need to save up as much water as you can to ride out the storm in your home. As mentioned earlier, drinking your tap water after the storm begins is not an option. You can boil it if you need to, but the bad thing about this is that boiling does not remove any chemicals from the water that it may have been contaminated with. You can purchase bottled water before the storm gets to your house or you can go the cheap way and save tap water in rinsed milk jugs. This is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Consider just how much water you are going to need. This amount will go up with the number of people that will be staying in your house and the amount of time you are expecting to be locked up in it while you are waiting for the storm to end. Each person should have access to one gallon of water for their use per day. The last thing that you want is to run out of drinking water, so if it is looking like your water supply might not last, forego bathing until the storm is over.
Both of these storms can do serious damage to your local water supply and contaminate it with leaves, sticks, other debris, sewage, and sea water. This means that your local water supply is not safe to drink until your local government says that it is safe to do so after the storm is over. You should never drink the water out of your faucet while the storm is still going on outside and if possible, you should always evacuate your area if you are worried that your home could be flooded by the storm or the collapsing of surrounding dams or levees. The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed what can happen when levees break, so if you live in a similar area and a hurricane comes to town, take whatever you can carry and get out.
If you are not worried about your home flooding during this storm, then you will still need to save up as much water as you can to ride out the storm in your home. As mentioned earlier, drinking your tap water after the storm begins is not an option. You can boil it if you need to, but the bad thing about this is that boiling does not remove any chemicals from the water that it may have been contaminated with. You can purchase bottled water before the storm gets to your house or you can go the cheap way and save tap water in rinsed milk jugs. This is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Consider just how much water you are going to need. This amount will go up with the number of people that will be staying in your house and the amount of time you are expecting to be locked up in it while you are waiting for the storm to end. Each person should have access to one gallon of water for their use per day. The last thing that you want is to run out of drinking water, so if it is looking like your water supply might not last, forego bathing until the storm is over.
Floor and Ceiling Water Damage Help
Finding mold or water damage in your bathroom is something that no homeowner wants to deal with, but the fact is that this happens more often than most people realize and that preventing it is much easier than dealing with the discovery later on after you have neglected this very important room of your home. If you are moving into a brand new house, then you are in luck, since there will probably be neither water damage nor mold in the bathroom when you get into it. You are ahead of the game. If you are moving into an old house or have lived in the same home for a number of years, then you might have some issues on your hands, but hopefully the room is not so far gone that you will have to renovate completely to take care of them.
The first thing that you need to look at in your bathroom is the floor. This is what holds up everything else in the room and if it gives way, it does not matter the quality of the craftsmanship in the rest of the room; everything in the room will end up on the ground under the house. So, if the flooring in your bathroom is old or damaged, then you should replace it. Before you put the new flooring down, though, you should take a look at the joists underneath to see if they are water damaged or rotting. If they feel weak in any way, you should find the money to repair it with, since building a new bathroom on top of weak joists makes no sense at all, because weak and rotted joists are what you are trying to prevent in the first place. You should also look for mold under the old flooring, as well, and remove any materials contaminated with it.
After you replace the flooring (if necessary) and put down the new flooring, you need to make sure that the entire floor is water tight to prevent rotting the joists later on. Much more water goes through the bathroom every day than you may realize, so think about this when waterproofing your floor. There should be no missing areas of grout or caulking anywhere in the room.
The next place you need to look is up. Does your ceiling sag at all or is it cracked in any places? Do you have a window in the bathroom or an exhaust vent? Or do you have neither? One of the most important things that you can install in the bathroom to protect it is an exhaust vent. Steam from your shower or bath is absorbed by the ceiling over time if it has nowhere to go, cause mold growth, and the drywall to sag. If enough water is absorbed by the ceiling over the years, it can crack and eventually collapse.
The first thing that you need to look at in your bathroom is the floor. This is what holds up everything else in the room and if it gives way, it does not matter the quality of the craftsmanship in the rest of the room; everything in the room will end up on the ground under the house. So, if the flooring in your bathroom is old or damaged, then you should replace it. Before you put the new flooring down, though, you should take a look at the joists underneath to see if they are water damaged or rotting. If they feel weak in any way, you should find the money to repair it with, since building a new bathroom on top of weak joists makes no sense at all, because weak and rotted joists are what you are trying to prevent in the first place. You should also look for mold under the old flooring, as well, and remove any materials contaminated with it.
After you replace the flooring (if necessary) and put down the new flooring, you need to make sure that the entire floor is water tight to prevent rotting the joists later on. Much more water goes through the bathroom every day than you may realize, so think about this when waterproofing your floor. There should be no missing areas of grout or caulking anywhere in the room.
The next place you need to look is up. Does your ceiling sag at all or is it cracked in any places? Do you have a window in the bathroom or an exhaust vent? Or do you have neither? One of the most important things that you can install in the bathroom to protect it is an exhaust vent. Steam from your shower or bath is absorbed by the ceiling over time if it has nowhere to go, cause mold growth, and the drywall to sag. If enough water is absorbed by the ceiling over the years, it can crack and eventually collapse.
Bathroom Water Damage and Mold Help
Nobody wants to find mold growing in the bathroom, but you will if you do not take the proper steps to make sure that it is taken care of on a regular basis. There are a number of things that you can do to stop mold from growing in your bathroom and since you will spend a large amount of time in this room over the years, it is suggested that you take these steps no matter what it might cost your wallet. The last thing you want is to need a mold remediation done in the bathroom that could cost you thousands of dollars simply because you did not take the time and effort to care for it.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
Water Damaged Clothing Cleaning Methods
One of the most devastating things that can happen to a home owner is a house fire. And more often than not, you would have to either replace or attempt to restore fire or smoke damaged items. If you choose to simply clean the items, you must make sure that you clean them thoroughly before you make use of them again. While it may be quite a chore to try and restore most fire damaged items in the house, clothing is an almost entirely different story. Cleaning smoke damaged clothing is a very simple thing to do, and is most dependent on when you decide to wash them, and with what cleaning agent you employ to wash them.
While it is very easy to clean to clean the clothing, the task in of itself can be very daunting and, quite frankly, boring. However, one thing that can make the task easier to accomplish in a timely manner is to simply sort out your clothes by fabric types. This will help to determine how to care for each individual fabric type. This helps to ensure that you do not cause more damage than there already was. There are some things that are important to have dry cleaned as opposed to the others that will simply need to placed in a washer in your laundry room.
It is best if you sort out the clothing in accordance to how much soot or ash the clothes have managed to absorb. You should group the lightly soiled items together with other lightly soiled items. And, obviously, you should clean them together as well. However, you should break the lightly soiled items down into other groups based on fabric types, because some fabrics may not need to be as strongly cleaned because it could cause more damage.
However, you should shake out heavily soot soiled clothing before you attempt to wash them. This will help to remove as much of the soot as possible. It is also very important that you break the more heavily soiled clothes up into groups, as you did with the lighter soiled clothes. You should also make sure and wash the items twice at the very least. This is to help make sure that the clothes are completely clean.
It is a good idea to use the full recommended amount of laundry detergent for each wash load. Depending on the clothing’s material, you will have to adjust the water’s temperature.
While it is very easy to clean to clean the clothing, the task in of itself can be very daunting and, quite frankly, boring. However, one thing that can make the task easier to accomplish in a timely manner is to simply sort out your clothes by fabric types. This will help to determine how to care for each individual fabric type. This helps to ensure that you do not cause more damage than there already was. There are some things that are important to have dry cleaned as opposed to the others that will simply need to placed in a washer in your laundry room.
It is best if you sort out the clothing in accordance to how much soot or ash the clothes have managed to absorb. You should group the lightly soiled items together with other lightly soiled items. And, obviously, you should clean them together as well. However, you should break the lightly soiled items down into other groups based on fabric types, because some fabrics may not need to be as strongly cleaned because it could cause more damage.
However, you should shake out heavily soot soiled clothing before you attempt to wash them. This will help to remove as much of the soot as possible. It is also very important that you break the more heavily soiled clothes up into groups, as you did with the lighter soiled clothes. You should also make sure and wash the items twice at the very least. This is to help make sure that the clothes are completely clean.
It is a good idea to use the full recommended amount of laundry detergent for each wash load. Depending on the clothing’s material, you will have to adjust the water’s temperature.
Venting Is A Good Thing To Keep Mold At Bay
If you do not have a ceiling exhaust fan installed in your bathrooms, it will not be long before you realize why you need one. There are so many reasons that they are a necessary item. Have you ever tried to blow dry your hair in a steamy bathroom? If you could see yourself in the mirror it might help, but with all that moisture in the air it’s not likely. Then there are also those unspeakable bathroom odors that almost anyone would rather not speak of, but they go along with the natural procession of things and the exhaust fan is a marvelous invention, if only to dispel an unpleasantness that remains even after its last occupant is gone!
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected.
A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected.
A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
Replacing Molded Carpet
For a homeowner there is nothing more unsightly then mold. Even worse, still, is mold growing on your carpet. The first thing one usually decides to do upon discovering mold is to have it thoroughly cleaned. However, this can be far more difficult than it actually sounds. One of the biggest problems you can face may be that the mold isn’t simply on your carpet. It may also be on the padding beneath the carpet, and this could just cause even more damage than the original carpet. And if this is the case, the whole carpet should be removed. The padding should also be removed and thrown away.
Fortunately, removing carpet is a relatively simple task that can be achieved by someone who has never worked with carpet in their life. All the process takes is a little bit of common sense, and perhaps some patience.
The first thing you should do when removing the carpet is to take up the moldings that go all around the floor and to begin to take the doors from off of the hinges. The only real purpose behind taking the doors off of the hinges is to create more space for you to work with as you take the old carpet out of the floor and put the new carpet in its place. It is probably a good idea to employ the use of a utility knife to cut the carpet up into strips. Cutting the carpet will make the task of taking the carpet out much easier. However, when using the knife, it is very important to be careful, as you might have a hardwood floor underneath and it would be a tragedy to cut it.
You should always start at one end of the room and to pull the carpet from off of the tackless strips and to roll it up neatly. You can install new tackless strips later on if you make the decision to put a new carpet in later. You should install them around the perimeter of the room you’re working in, but make sure that you do not put them in front of any doorways. There needs to also be at least one half inch of space between the stips and the wall. The tack points should be facing the wall.
You should check the floor underneath for mold damage. It may be refinished if damage is found.
You won’t have to reinstall carpet where the old carpet had been, but only depending on the condition of the floor.
Fortunately, removing carpet is a relatively simple task that can be achieved by someone who has never worked with carpet in their life. All the process takes is a little bit of common sense, and perhaps some patience.
The first thing you should do when removing the carpet is to take up the moldings that go all around the floor and to begin to take the doors from off of the hinges. The only real purpose behind taking the doors off of the hinges is to create more space for you to work with as you take the old carpet out of the floor and put the new carpet in its place. It is probably a good idea to employ the use of a utility knife to cut the carpet up into strips. Cutting the carpet will make the task of taking the carpet out much easier. However, when using the knife, it is very important to be careful, as you might have a hardwood floor underneath and it would be a tragedy to cut it.
You should always start at one end of the room and to pull the carpet from off of the tackless strips and to roll it up neatly. You can install new tackless strips later on if you make the decision to put a new carpet in later. You should install them around the perimeter of the room you’re working in, but make sure that you do not put them in front of any doorways. There needs to also be at least one half inch of space between the stips and the wall. The tack points should be facing the wall.
You should check the floor underneath for mold damage. It may be refinished if damage is found.
You won’t have to reinstall carpet where the old carpet had been, but only depending on the condition of the floor.
Protecting Your Personal Property From Mold
It is well known that there is no such thing as a “mold free” environment. It is in the air we breathe, on our furniture, on our clothes, and definitely in our homes. It is simply a matter of whether or not the mold actually starts to grow on our property that determines if there is a problem. Mold likes to grow in wet environments, so wet kitchen floors are potential breeding grounds, as well as un-dried dishes in your kitchen.
Even items that you might use to take care of an infant with are susceptible to mold contamination. Things like baby clothes and even food are targets for contamination. Baby bottles are no longer just round cylinders, as they used to be. To accommodate twenty first century styles, plastic companies that produce these products have changed to using several different odd shapes and designs which make the bottles more difficult to clean in some cases. If these bottles are not completely dry and are placed back into a refrigerator, they can become a veritable breeding ground for mold and other bacteria. However, there is a way to prevent this. After drying the bottle as best you can, simply place the bottle into the freezer and let it sit in there until you are ready to use it again. These cold temperatures are, for lack of a better word, unfit for mold to grow in. This is the same reason why it is popular to put common items like flour, cornmeal, and sugar in the freezer.
Clothes that have not been attended to in a long amount of time that gather in the back of the closet are hotbeds for molds. It is important that you do not pack clothes close together, as it can cut off air circulation in the closet and that will create warmth which is essential in order for mold to survive. If there is warmth, and if there is enough humidity in your home, this can cause further mold infestation. A good way to prevent mold in this area is to install a vent inside of the closet.
Damp and dirty clothing left in a bathroom closet or hamper is another breeding ground for mold. The same goes for damp carpets, as well. While having a carpet in the bathroom is not a good idea when mold is involved, it can be worsened with wet clothing. It’s important that you take the laundry out of the closet or hamper constantly.
Even items that you might use to take care of an infant with are susceptible to mold contamination. Things like baby clothes and even food are targets for contamination. Baby bottles are no longer just round cylinders, as they used to be. To accommodate twenty first century styles, plastic companies that produce these products have changed to using several different odd shapes and designs which make the bottles more difficult to clean in some cases. If these bottles are not completely dry and are placed back into a refrigerator, they can become a veritable breeding ground for mold and other bacteria. However, there is a way to prevent this. After drying the bottle as best you can, simply place the bottle into the freezer and let it sit in there until you are ready to use it again. These cold temperatures are, for lack of a better word, unfit for mold to grow in. This is the same reason why it is popular to put common items like flour, cornmeal, and sugar in the freezer.
Clothes that have not been attended to in a long amount of time that gather in the back of the closet are hotbeds for molds. It is important that you do not pack clothes close together, as it can cut off air circulation in the closet and that will create warmth which is essential in order for mold to survive. If there is warmth, and if there is enough humidity in your home, this can cause further mold infestation. A good way to prevent mold in this area is to install a vent inside of the closet.
Damp and dirty clothing left in a bathroom closet or hamper is another breeding ground for mold. The same goes for damp carpets, as well. While having a carpet in the bathroom is not a good idea when mold is involved, it can be worsened with wet clothing. It’s important that you take the laundry out of the closet or hamper constantly.
Moldy Fabric Cleaning Methods Revealed
There is hardly a person in the world that hasn’t gone through their wardrobe and discovered that one favorite shirt of theirs from their younger days. And then the moment is ruined upon the discovery of a fuzzy substance on the shirt. If you found this shirt in the back of your closet, then you should go wash your hands, because the shirt has been infected with mold and touching mold spores with your bare hands can be very hazardous for your health. There are several medical problems that could arise from contact with mold. Some of these problems are skin rashes, allergic reactions, runny noses, and the like.
If you do have articles of clothing which contain mold, don’t worry because most molded clothing can be cleaned as good as new. However, the mold can end up leaving stains. Bleach can be a very effective form of mold removal. However, this usually works best when cleaning white clothing. Other effective cleaning methods include using a scrub brush, which can remove a good deal of the mold and then place a pre-wash spray on it. Allow this spray to soak for roughly forty five minutes and then put it into the washing machine. It is very important that you allow these clothes to dry naturally in the sun. If you were to use some artificial source of heat, then the stain could set in even deeper in the fabric, and the sun can help further the bleaching process white clothing.
While regular clothing is easy to have mold removed from, you may have no such luck with genuine leather or cowhide. These types of items are easily susceptible to being discolored beyond repair. Most of these items are incapable of being restored, and they are probably better left in the garbage.
However, upholstery and curtains that have come in contact with mold can be cleaned using the same aforementioned methods as described above. It is important that you also purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter in it in order to accommodate a mold free home. If you use this vacuum and its brush attachments to gather up all of the mold and its consequential spores, the filter will prevent these spores from being re-released. This will prevent from having to repeat this process or, perhaps even worse, have to throw out more clothing.
If you do have articles of clothing which contain mold, don’t worry because most molded clothing can be cleaned as good as new. However, the mold can end up leaving stains. Bleach can be a very effective form of mold removal. However, this usually works best when cleaning white clothing. Other effective cleaning methods include using a scrub brush, which can remove a good deal of the mold and then place a pre-wash spray on it. Allow this spray to soak for roughly forty five minutes and then put it into the washing machine. It is very important that you allow these clothes to dry naturally in the sun. If you were to use some artificial source of heat, then the stain could set in even deeper in the fabric, and the sun can help further the bleaching process white clothing.
While regular clothing is easy to have mold removed from, you may have no such luck with genuine leather or cowhide. These types of items are easily susceptible to being discolored beyond repair. Most of these items are incapable of being restored, and they are probably better left in the garbage.
However, upholstery and curtains that have come in contact with mold can be cleaned using the same aforementioned methods as described above. It is important that you also purchase a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter in it in order to accommodate a mold free home. If you use this vacuum and its brush attachments to gather up all of the mold and its consequential spores, the filter will prevent these spores from being re-released. This will prevent from having to repeat this process or, perhaps even worse, have to throw out more clothing.
Mold Can Destroy Citrus Crops Quickly
Anyone who works with citrus crops knows that they can take a very long time to grow and cultivate. But, perhaps even more frustrating than waiting on the crops to have to grow and ripen are the various molds and fungi that could afflict the crops. The two most prominent molds that affect a citrus crop post-harvest are blue mold, and green mold. These two are caused by the single mold Penicillium digitatum. All citrus fruit growing regions have this mold and it is most certainly a serious threat to the crops.
Citrus fruit is made into an easy target for mold by way of being bruised or by being punctured while it is being packed or harvested. The mold is attracted to the juice that comes out of the damaged fruit on account of the fact that mold likes to grow in wet and humid environments. And since most citrus is grown in temperate zones, there is no lack of these two qualities. If the fruit is in, say, a large shipping truck with a lot of other fruits, the mold could spread far into the shipment and cause a good portion of it to be riddled with mold infection. And if the mold makes to the grocery store and the mold, by some miracle, goes unnoticed it could affect other items in the store. If the fruit is left on the tree and mold has spread to it then other fruit on the tree could be affected and the crop could be rendered useless.
The only actual difference between blue mold and green mold is color. There are virtually no differences in the effects the two molds have on fruit. The two molds also have very similar growing environments and necessities and have basically the same needs. They must both grow in a temperature of around seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. Raising or lowering the temperature can slow the growth of these molds. As such, freezing the citrus fruits can stop the molds growth before any serious damage can be done. This is why most shipment trucks are equipped with a freezer, but many still do not have this feature. Taking extra care of the citrus fruits is another way to prevent the spread of mold. Caring for the fruit helps to ensure that there is no puncturing or bruising. Fungicides are also a very popular, and a highly recommended, way of dealing with mold.
Citrus fruit is made into an easy target for mold by way of being bruised or by being punctured while it is being packed or harvested. The mold is attracted to the juice that comes out of the damaged fruit on account of the fact that mold likes to grow in wet and humid environments. And since most citrus is grown in temperate zones, there is no lack of these two qualities. If the fruit is in, say, a large shipping truck with a lot of other fruits, the mold could spread far into the shipment and cause a good portion of it to be riddled with mold infection. And if the mold makes to the grocery store and the mold, by some miracle, goes unnoticed it could affect other items in the store. If the fruit is left on the tree and mold has spread to it then other fruit on the tree could be affected and the crop could be rendered useless.
The only actual difference between blue mold and green mold is color. There are virtually no differences in the effects the two molds have on fruit. The two molds also have very similar growing environments and necessities and have basically the same needs. They must both grow in a temperature of around seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. Raising or lowering the temperature can slow the growth of these molds. As such, freezing the citrus fruits can stop the molds growth before any serious damage can be done. This is why most shipment trucks are equipped with a freezer, but many still do not have this feature. Taking extra care of the citrus fruits is another way to prevent the spread of mold. Caring for the fruit helps to ensure that there is no puncturing or bruising. Fungicides are also a very popular, and a highly recommended, way of dealing with mold.
Hurricanes And Water Safety Made Simple And Easy
If there is a hurricane heading to your area, then it is most important that you make preparations, incase you decide to simply wait the hurricane out. Arguably the most important thing that you can do is to make sure that you have a sizeable bottled water supply in your home. It is important that you make sure that the water supply is proportionate to the number of people dwelling at your house, as there must be enough water for the duration of the storm. It is critical that you have clean drinking water during the storm. The water from the sea and sewer system may have affected the water in your tap, so you should never assume that the water coming out of your faucet is clean. You should not drink anything but bottled water during a hurricane. This contaminated water could sicken your family or guests and even cause death in the worst case. You should make sure that there is at least one gallon of water for one person to drink a day. Water purification tablets and chlorinated bleach come highly recommended, as they can be used to clean water in most situations. It is important that you let the treated water set for at least 30 minutes before you drink it.
It is important that you, under no circumstances whatsoever, do not drink water that may be contaminated. Damage to your body caused by contaminated water is devastating and if you have drank any contaminated water and are afflicted with the symptoms of it, it is very unlikely that you will be able to make it to a hospital during the hurricane and death could very well result. If you receive any cuts or wounds, do not try and wash it off with faucet water. This could make the contamination’s job that much easier. You should instead wash the cut or cuts with soap and chlorine bleach treated water. This will help keep serious harm from happening.
You should at no point allow children to play in flood waters, no matter how hot it may get in your building. If there are toys that have come into contact with water that you so much as suspect as being contaminated, you should have the toys disinfected before allowing the children to play with them again. You should also board up your windows and doors with plywood, as it keeps glass from being blown into your home and causing cuts.
It is important that you, under no circumstances whatsoever, do not drink water that may be contaminated. Damage to your body caused by contaminated water is devastating and if you have drank any contaminated water and are afflicted with the symptoms of it, it is very unlikely that you will be able to make it to a hospital during the hurricane and death could very well result. If you receive any cuts or wounds, do not try and wash it off with faucet water. This could make the contamination’s job that much easier. You should instead wash the cut or cuts with soap and chlorine bleach treated water. This will help keep serious harm from happening.
You should at no point allow children to play in flood waters, no matter how hot it may get in your building. If there are toys that have come into contact with water that you so much as suspect as being contaminated, you should have the toys disinfected before allowing the children to play with them again. You should also board up your windows and doors with plywood, as it keeps glass from being blown into your home and causing cuts.
Easy To Follow Tips To Waterproof Your Deck
One thing that always makes a homeowner proud is a newly finished deck. And for a few months it may look very good. However, if you have not had your deck waterproofed, your deck could end up being a very ugly addition to your home. If you want your deck to be around for a long time, then waterproofing it is absolutely essential. Without waterproofing, than cracking and warping can occur, and that means your deck will not be very far from destruction. Fortunately, waterproofing doesn’t have to be very difficult.
The very first thing to do to waterproof your deck is to give it a very thorough cleaning. Now, usually the best time for one to start waterproofing the deck is to start right after you build the deck. However, cleaning it off is the first thing to do if you do not have the option of starting right away. You should start the cleaning process is to sweep off any and all debris that may be on the deck. Then remove any furniture that may be on the deck. Once all of the debris and furniture is removed, you can go to your local hardware store and purchase a cleaning solution. You can employ the use of a pump sprayer to apply the cleaning agent to the deck. It will eventually start to foam, and at that point you should start to scrub the deck with a scrub brush that has stiff bristles. The bristles will give a little extra muscle to remove any stubborn stains that may be left on there, especially ones from soot or grease. After scrubbing, rinse the deck off as thoroughly as possible with a garden hose. It’s a good idea to wear eye protection of some kind in order to keep any grit from the deck out of your eyes.
Now, after the deck has had time to dry, there are two options available. If the wood is more or less new, you have the option to put a new stain on it. If you do not want a new stain, then now is the time to apply water sealant onto the deck in order to protect the wood. Applying the sealant is best done with a sprayer or roller. The deck should dry completely after a few days, and then it should be alright to walk on it without worrying about damaging any of the sealant.
The very first thing to do to waterproof your deck is to give it a very thorough cleaning. Now, usually the best time for one to start waterproofing the deck is to start right after you build the deck. However, cleaning it off is the first thing to do if you do not have the option of starting right away. You should start the cleaning process is to sweep off any and all debris that may be on the deck. Then remove any furniture that may be on the deck. Once all of the debris and furniture is removed, you can go to your local hardware store and purchase a cleaning solution. You can employ the use of a pump sprayer to apply the cleaning agent to the deck. It will eventually start to foam, and at that point you should start to scrub the deck with a scrub brush that has stiff bristles. The bristles will give a little extra muscle to remove any stubborn stains that may be left on there, especially ones from soot or grease. After scrubbing, rinse the deck off as thoroughly as possible with a garden hose. It’s a good idea to wear eye protection of some kind in order to keep any grit from the deck out of your eyes.
Now, after the deck has had time to dry, there are two options available. If the wood is more or less new, you have the option to put a new stain on it. If you do not want a new stain, then now is the time to apply water sealant onto the deck in order to protect the wood. Applying the sealant is best done with a sprayer or roller. The deck should dry completely after a few days, and then it should be alright to walk on it without worrying about damaging any of the sealant.
Fire Damage Restoration Advice
One of the most devastating things can happen to a home owner is to have a house fire. And once the embers are finally smoldered out, the first thing one usually wants to do is to go into the charred remains to see just what are you home can be salvaged and cleaned. However, you should hold off on doing this until you have sought council from your insurance claims adjuster. This way, you can make sure that you do not waste your time, and money, and cause more damage as opposed to repairs. Your insurance adjuster can give guidance on how best to restore and/or replace your destroyed or damaged belongings.
One helpful thing that an insurance claims adjuster can do is refer you to a fire restoration company. Companies such as these can give very helpful tips to prevent further damage from being done to your home and property. Fire restoration companies can even tell you how to restore damaged properties. They will also give you an estimate of the likely price of thoroughly cleaning and deodorizing your home. Even though these services are, more often than not, expensive, it will most likely be a lot less than having to replace your damaged floors and furniture.
Now, if you find that you are incapable of affording the services a fire restoration company can offer, there are certain measures that you can take on your own. However, be sure that your fire marshal approves your plan and deems it safe enough for you to do before you go back into your home.
It is important that the very first thing you do to repair your home is to get as much air circulating through it as possible. The easiest way of doing this is to simply open some doors and open some windows and bring in a fan. If there has been any water damage, perhaps as a result of the fire trucks, you will probably want to invest in a de-humidifier. Any wet items should be dried as soon as possible. You might also want to consider buying a heavy duty vacuum cleaner. If you cannot afford cleaning services, do not use an upright vacuum or attachments because this would only set soot damage further in the carpet. After the vacuuming is done, you should cover the carpet with a tarp, so you do not cause further soiling while cleaning.
One helpful thing that an insurance claims adjuster can do is refer you to a fire restoration company. Companies such as these can give very helpful tips to prevent further damage from being done to your home and property. Fire restoration companies can even tell you how to restore damaged properties. They will also give you an estimate of the likely price of thoroughly cleaning and deodorizing your home. Even though these services are, more often than not, expensive, it will most likely be a lot less than having to replace your damaged floors and furniture.
Now, if you find that you are incapable of affording the services a fire restoration company can offer, there are certain measures that you can take on your own. However, be sure that your fire marshal approves your plan and deems it safe enough for you to do before you go back into your home.
It is important that the very first thing you do to repair your home is to get as much air circulating through it as possible. The easiest way of doing this is to simply open some doors and open some windows and bring in a fan. If there has been any water damage, perhaps as a result of the fire trucks, you will probably want to invest in a de-humidifier. Any wet items should be dried as soon as possible. You might also want to consider buying a heavy duty vacuum cleaner. If you cannot afford cleaning services, do not use an upright vacuum or attachments because this would only set soot damage further in the carpet. After the vacuuming is done, you should cover the carpet with a tarp, so you do not cause further soiling while cleaning.
Yes You Can Detect Mold With Light
There is almost nothing that plagues one’s house quite as badly as the pest called mold. Mold is usually very easy to find, because more often than not it is brightly colored and absolutely hideous. However, not all molds are as easy to detect. Some mold is actually very well hidden from the naked eye. There are a few types of molds, such as members of Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. groups, which are capable of being next to invisible. However, it is not impossible to find these molds. In fact, you can use one of the simplest objects in your house to your advantage. A flashlight.
While it may sound simplistic enough to use a flashlight to find mold, there is a trick to it. Using the flashlight will not help you to detect the mold unless you shine it in the right way. You cannot simply shine the light directly on the surface where you suspect mold, because you will most likely see absolutely nothing. Instead, you must shine the light along the surface. Doing this will make the difference between getting rid of the mold or just using up battery power for nothing.
Mold is very tricky because it likes to hide in little areas that are difficult to get to without tools. One of these places is inside wooden paneling. Using the light along the paneling can show whether or not the paneling is buckled and in need of removal or replacement. There may be drywall or perhaps even a cavity behind the drywall because some people like to replace water damage drywall with paneling.
Moisture does not exactly mean that there is mold in the area, but this does not mean that you should neglect to look in areas where there is moisture. This is because it will help you realize that mold has the potential to grow in almost every single area in your home. It will also teach you that the mold can especially grow in the places you cannot see it. It is very much like the phrase “knowing is half of the battle.” In this case, knowing can make the difference between a house devoid of mold and a house infested with mold. If you do not know how to find mold, then you cannot combat it.
Do not just look for the black mold that you may constantly hear about. You should know that some black molds are merely cosmetic and if you don’t have the mold tested to confirm whether or not it is dangerous, you could end up wasting thousands of dollars.
While it may sound simplistic enough to use a flashlight to find mold, there is a trick to it. Using the flashlight will not help you to detect the mold unless you shine it in the right way. You cannot simply shine the light directly on the surface where you suspect mold, because you will most likely see absolutely nothing. Instead, you must shine the light along the surface. Doing this will make the difference between getting rid of the mold or just using up battery power for nothing.
Mold is very tricky because it likes to hide in little areas that are difficult to get to without tools. One of these places is inside wooden paneling. Using the light along the paneling can show whether or not the paneling is buckled and in need of removal or replacement. There may be drywall or perhaps even a cavity behind the drywall because some people like to replace water damage drywall with paneling.
Moisture does not exactly mean that there is mold in the area, but this does not mean that you should neglect to look in areas where there is moisture. This is because it will help you realize that mold has the potential to grow in almost every single area in your home. It will also teach you that the mold can especially grow in the places you cannot see it. It is very much like the phrase “knowing is half of the battle.” In this case, knowing can make the difference between a house devoid of mold and a house infested with mold. If you do not know how to find mold, then you cannot combat it.
Do not just look for the black mold that you may constantly hear about. You should know that some black molds are merely cosmetic and if you don’t have the mold tested to confirm whether or not it is dangerous, you could end up wasting thousands of dollars.
You Can Prevent Basement Mold Problems
It is a well known fact that old basements and mold damage go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, to new home owners it may not be as well known just how these damages are caused. And it may be even lesser well known how to combat the damage. Now, water damage, musty smells, and interior wall damage may be very obvious problems, but not all of the problems are as apparent. But they can indeed be removed.
Now, it is a very popular thing to employ your basement as a laundry room and it is usually a very efficient place to do this. However, you could be making your clothing a target for one of the biggest causes of home water damage: mold. Wet clothing is a veritable breeding ground for mold. If you throw in a basement, which is usually the most humid area you can find in a house, then the results could be disastrous. The reason is that mold likes to grow in places that are wet and humid. And if your basement does not have a good vent system, then humidity will build up from the machines running. This means that if the clothes are unattended for a certain period of time, you may find yourself buying some new clothes soon.
Now, while it can be difficult to prevent mold, it is not impossible. One way that you can prevent this from happening is to keep from blocking vents. This will allow for a better air flow and, as a result, the humidity will drop and keep your clothing safer. You should also make sure that any hot air with nowhere to go must be dealt with immediately. This heat has the potential to cause damage to any wood in the basement, and the damaged wood could create crevices for condensation to build up from humidity. This condensation and heat is almost guaranteed to start a mold colony. Installing an exhaust vent can be very beneficial to the remediation of this problem. It is also important that you keep doors that lead outside of your home closed as often as possible. This will help prevent more moisture from entering your house, and, therefore your basement. You can also invest in a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier and a good ventilation system should be a major help in keeping your basement mold free.
Now, it is a very popular thing to employ your basement as a laundry room and it is usually a very efficient place to do this. However, you could be making your clothing a target for one of the biggest causes of home water damage: mold. Wet clothing is a veritable breeding ground for mold. If you throw in a basement, which is usually the most humid area you can find in a house, then the results could be disastrous. The reason is that mold likes to grow in places that are wet and humid. And if your basement does not have a good vent system, then humidity will build up from the machines running. This means that if the clothes are unattended for a certain period of time, you may find yourself buying some new clothes soon.
Now, while it can be difficult to prevent mold, it is not impossible. One way that you can prevent this from happening is to keep from blocking vents. This will allow for a better air flow and, as a result, the humidity will drop and keep your clothing safer. You should also make sure that any hot air with nowhere to go must be dealt with immediately. This heat has the potential to cause damage to any wood in the basement, and the damaged wood could create crevices for condensation to build up from humidity. This condensation and heat is almost guaranteed to start a mold colony. Installing an exhaust vent can be very beneficial to the remediation of this problem. It is also important that you keep doors that lead outside of your home closed as often as possible. This will help prevent more moisture from entering your house, and, therefore your basement. You can also invest in a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier and a good ventilation system should be a major help in keeping your basement mold free.
Water Underneath Your Home
Unless your have a basement, not many people care much for venturing into that little door that leads underneath your home. The crawl space under there can vary from house to house. If you have ever had the pleasure of going in there, then you know how spooky it can be. It is usually very dark with lots of long ago vacated cobwebs and possibly some more recent occupied ones. It is also a great place for snakes to creep into, as well as mice and small animals.
You might not ever want to go under there, but an occasional look around into the dark depths with a flashlight might be a good thing. Not knowing what is going on under there can result in some bad consequences if left undetected.
If you happen to have central heating and air ductwork running underneath your home, any of the places it may have came loose can cause you to lose heating and cooling efficiency, in turn causing more strain on your unit and your wallet. Brackets holding the duct work off the ground could work loose or rust. It probably won’t happen, but you never know.
A more serious problem can occur if water leakage happens. This can be really bad if it is occurring around the foundation of your home. Over time, it can cause foundation failure. When this happens, the walls inside your home can become affected as well. If you find water under the house it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Water damage in any form is never good.
Leaking pipes can cause water to puddle in spots under the house also. It does not sound too bad unless the leak happens to be wetting the floor joist. Eventually, it will cause rotting and molding to occur. This can lead to floor damage that can be costly and not easy to repair.
Outside water spigots are another thing you do not worry about until you start to use it and have problems. Usually the handle will start to slip and will not shut off completely. This is very easy to notice, but leaks can also develop in the piping behind the foundation walls where you can not see.
So, if you do go under your house just to have a look around, keep these few things in mind to check out while you are there. A little prevention really can go a long way towards saving time and money later on.
You might not ever want to go under there, but an occasional look around into the dark depths with a flashlight might be a good thing. Not knowing what is going on under there can result in some bad consequences if left undetected.
If you happen to have central heating and air ductwork running underneath your home, any of the places it may have came loose can cause you to lose heating and cooling efficiency, in turn causing more strain on your unit and your wallet. Brackets holding the duct work off the ground could work loose or rust. It probably won’t happen, but you never know.
A more serious problem can occur if water leakage happens. This can be really bad if it is occurring around the foundation of your home. Over time, it can cause foundation failure. When this happens, the walls inside your home can become affected as well. If you find water under the house it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Water damage in any form is never good.
Leaking pipes can cause water to puddle in spots under the house also. It does not sound too bad unless the leak happens to be wetting the floor joist. Eventually, it will cause rotting and molding to occur. This can lead to floor damage that can be costly and not easy to repair.
Outside water spigots are another thing you do not worry about until you start to use it and have problems. Usually the handle will start to slip and will not shut off completely. This is very easy to notice, but leaks can also develop in the piping behind the foundation walls where you can not see.
So, if you do go under your house just to have a look around, keep these few things in mind to check out while you are there. A little prevention really can go a long way towards saving time and money later on.
Water Damage, Mold, and Mildew
One of the worst mistakes that a homeowner can make is ignoring the possibility of water damage to their home. While it may not seem like the steam in your bathroom from your showers or baths can do a lot of damage to the room, over time it can discolor the ceiling and eventually cause the drywall to sag down and possibly even collapse. You can imagine what kind of damage to the value of your home this can do and if you have purchased a home with water damage to the floors or ceiling, you know how much of a headache it can be to remodel it.
The answer to the steam problem is to install a simple exhaust vent in the ceiling over the tub or shower. This allows the steam to escape outside the room and the house and stops it from being absorbed by your ceiling drywall. You can often paint over the discoloration of the drywall after it has been damaged, but if the slab is sagging or cracked in the middle, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for a loved one to be in the bath and the ceiling collapse on them.
Mold is also a threat to this and other moist rooms in the house. Mildew also tends to build up on tile and stone. Mildew and mold are close to the same thing, since they are both fungi, but mold tends to grow on more porous surfaces.
We have all heard horror stories of the bath tub or the toilet falling through the floor and unfortunately, most of the time this is due to the floor boards rotting. Too much water has soaked the floor over the years and has caused the boards to become flimsy. You can prevent this by making sure the floor of your bathroom is a hard, non-porous surface such as tile. The floor should be completely water tight and you may want to even install a drain on the bathroom floor, just to make sure the water goes where it is supposed to.
Even if you have a watertight floor, keeping the bathroom as dry as possible is a good idea. Always dry off the floor and other surfaces in the room after you get done with your shower. This helps lower the humidity in the room and ensures that the person who comes in the room after you does not slip and fall.
The answer to the steam problem is to install a simple exhaust vent in the ceiling over the tub or shower. This allows the steam to escape outside the room and the house and stops it from being absorbed by your ceiling drywall. You can often paint over the discoloration of the drywall after it has been damaged, but if the slab is sagging or cracked in the middle, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for a loved one to be in the bath and the ceiling collapse on them.
Mold is also a threat to this and other moist rooms in the house. Mildew also tends to build up on tile and stone. Mildew and mold are close to the same thing, since they are both fungi, but mold tends to grow on more porous surfaces.
We have all heard horror stories of the bath tub or the toilet falling through the floor and unfortunately, most of the time this is due to the floor boards rotting. Too much water has soaked the floor over the years and has caused the boards to become flimsy. You can prevent this by making sure the floor of your bathroom is a hard, non-porous surface such as tile. The floor should be completely water tight and you may want to even install a drain on the bathroom floor, just to make sure the water goes where it is supposed to.
Even if you have a watertight floor, keeping the bathroom as dry as possible is a good idea. Always dry off the floor and other surfaces in the room after you get done with your shower. This helps lower the humidity in the room and ensures that the person who comes in the room after you does not slip and fall.
Venting Is a Good Thing to prevent mold
If you do not have a ceiling exhaust fan installed in your bathrooms, it will not be long before you realize why you need one. There are so many reasons that they are a necessary item. Have you ever tried to blow dry your hair in a steamy bathroom? If you could see yourself in the mirror it might help, but with all that moisture in the air it’s not likely. Then there are also those unspeakable bathroom odors that almost anyone would rather not speak of, but they go along with the natural procession of things and the exhaust fan is a marvelous invention, if only to dispel an unpleasantness that remains even after its last occupant is gone!
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected. A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected. A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
House Renovating Woes
Buying a new house can be a headache all by itself, but if you are wanting to purchase a fixer upper, then you have a lot more on your plate than most people do. House flipping is a popular way to make some quick money, but it is not usually as easy as television shows and magazines make it out to be. It is not only difficult because of the construction costs, but also because of the physical and emotional strength you have to have to get through the process. Carrying the loan or loans that you may have to get to be able to afford the property is something else. If you are unmarried and already have an apartment or mortgage to pay for, then carrying another mortgage until the home is fixed up and finally sold can be a little scary.
One thing that you need to be careful about if you are planning on renovating on a budget is taking on tasks that you have no experience in. You may be able to paint the interior on your own, but cutting your new granite countertops may be something you want to leave to the professionals. This can be very complicated and can most of the time only be done once. Mess up the granite slab and you will have to buy another to replace it and this can punch a huge hole in your budget. When in doubt, leave something to the professionals and do not cut corners by taking on projects you are not sure that you can do to professional quality.
Always check for water and mold damage to the property before signing any papers. You want to know just what you are getting yourself into and these two problems cropping up in the middle of your renovation can sink you further into debt than you intended to go. Repairing these problems can sometimes cost thousands of dollars and most of the time, mold cannot be gotten rid of without removing all of the building materials affected by it. It can be scrubbed off of drywall sometimes, but if the growth is heavy on the surface, you should throw it away instead. Cleaners cannot get into the porous drywall far enough to completely kill it and it will return.
The most moist areas of the home are often the most likely to be structurally damaged and there have been many stories of toilets and bath tubs falling through the floor due to rotted supports. This is usually because the floor has been soaked with water on a regular basis for a long time and unfortunately, this can be a real pain. If you are remodeling the floor with new tile, you may want to go ahead and check for this kind of damage underneath it, just to be sure you do not have to go back and do all this again.
One thing that you need to be careful about if you are planning on renovating on a budget is taking on tasks that you have no experience in. You may be able to paint the interior on your own, but cutting your new granite countertops may be something you want to leave to the professionals. This can be very complicated and can most of the time only be done once. Mess up the granite slab and you will have to buy another to replace it and this can punch a huge hole in your budget. When in doubt, leave something to the professionals and do not cut corners by taking on projects you are not sure that you can do to professional quality.
Always check for water and mold damage to the property before signing any papers. You want to know just what you are getting yourself into and these two problems cropping up in the middle of your renovation can sink you further into debt than you intended to go. Repairing these problems can sometimes cost thousands of dollars and most of the time, mold cannot be gotten rid of without removing all of the building materials affected by it. It can be scrubbed off of drywall sometimes, but if the growth is heavy on the surface, you should throw it away instead. Cleaners cannot get into the porous drywall far enough to completely kill it and it will return.
The most moist areas of the home are often the most likely to be structurally damaged and there have been many stories of toilets and bath tubs falling through the floor due to rotted supports. This is usually because the floor has been soaked with water on a regular basis for a long time and unfortunately, this can be a real pain. If you are remodeling the floor with new tile, you may want to go ahead and check for this kind of damage underneath it, just to be sure you do not have to go back and do all this again.
Getting Rid of the Mold
Even if you manage to kill the mold that exists in your house, your job is not over. When people discover there is mold in their homes, the first thing they usually want to know is the best way to kill it. This is the wrong way to approach the problem, because even though the mold is dead, it can still cause you health problems. The spores cannot cause yeast infections because they are dead and can no longer grow, but your body still recognizes them as something to be fought against, so you will experience allergy symptoms or even sometimes severe reactions to them. About one third of the population has mold allergies of some kind, so this is something that you want to consider.
Most of the time, removing the mold from the property completely is the only way to get rid of the allergy symptoms you or your loved ones may experience. This will probably mean opening up walls and removing drywall or even sometimes lumber from the home and replacing them with new material. You can sometimes wash mold off of the surface of drywall slabs, but if the growth is thick and heavily covers the surface, then it may be embedded into it and removal will be necessary. Mold killing chemicals cannot penetrate far enough into the drywall to kill the contamination and so it will only return, no matter how much scrubbing you do.
You can save clothes that have become molded sometimes, but unfortunately clothes that have been left molded for a long period of time can be so stained that it can never be taken out. Outside in the natural environment, the job of mold is to help with the decomposition of organic materials and it tends to do this fairly well, which is why you need to worry about it in your house. Lumber is organic, of course, and certain kinds of mold will cause it to rot completely.
Regularly check your house for water damage. If there is water damage, you can be sure that mold will start to grow there eventually if it is not taken care of. Moist areas in the home are the most at risk for mold growth and if you do not take care of them, you may end up having to do some heavy remodeling in the future to take care of the problem.
Most of the time, removing the mold from the property completely is the only way to get rid of the allergy symptoms you or your loved ones may experience. This will probably mean opening up walls and removing drywall or even sometimes lumber from the home and replacing them with new material. You can sometimes wash mold off of the surface of drywall slabs, but if the growth is thick and heavily covers the surface, then it may be embedded into it and removal will be necessary. Mold killing chemicals cannot penetrate far enough into the drywall to kill the contamination and so it will only return, no matter how much scrubbing you do.
You can save clothes that have become molded sometimes, but unfortunately clothes that have been left molded for a long period of time can be so stained that it can never be taken out. Outside in the natural environment, the job of mold is to help with the decomposition of organic materials and it tends to do this fairly well, which is why you need to worry about it in your house. Lumber is organic, of course, and certain kinds of mold will cause it to rot completely.
Regularly check your house for water damage. If there is water damage, you can be sure that mold will start to grow there eventually if it is not taken care of. Moist areas in the home are the most at risk for mold growth and if you do not take care of them, you may end up having to do some heavy remodeling in the future to take care of the problem.
Exhaust Fans Help Prevent Bathroom Mold
If you live in an older home or are thinking about buying one, there may not be exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Installing them will probably be in your best interest for quit a few reasons. First of all they help to pull those smelly odors out of the room. Next they stop your mirrors from fogging up so much, but more importantly they go along way towards the prevention of mold growth. All that moisture will eventually lead to the black fuzzy looking stuff setting up housekeeping on your bathroom walls and ceiling. Excessive moisture can damage to your paint or wallpaper and woodwork as well. If left unresolved it can damage sheetrock and cause extensive repairs to have to be made. Mold growing anywhere can be unsightly and not a very healthy situation either.
Installing an exhaust fan now can be a fairly inexpensive solution when compared to the costly consequences of putting it off until later. You can get them at most home improvement stores. They can be purchased with or without lights. If you have a ceiling light fixture in your bathroom already, you can replace it with a fan/light combination. Or add just the fan in another location. Before you go down to pick one out, be sure to know the measurements of your bathroom so you are able to purchase one that will be strong enough for the size of your room. A sales person should be able to help you locate one with the right CFM {cubic feet per minute} That information can be found somewhere on the box..
If your going to attempt the installation yourself, take a good look at the tools you will need and all the necessary steps involved to be sure that you are up to the task. There are several things such as electrical wiring, installing the vent into the ceiling and out of the house through the attic. You might want to consider hiring someone to do it for you. Sometimes this is the best way to go if your not very skilled at do it yourself projects.
Whichever way you decide to go, it will be an inexpensive improvement that will help to dispel a number of things excessive bathroom moisture can cause. It will defiantly be worth the time and money now compared with what it could cost you least on.
Installing an exhaust fan now can be a fairly inexpensive solution when compared to the costly consequences of putting it off until later. You can get them at most home improvement stores. They can be purchased with or without lights. If you have a ceiling light fixture in your bathroom already, you can replace it with a fan/light combination. Or add just the fan in another location. Before you go down to pick one out, be sure to know the measurements of your bathroom so you are able to purchase one that will be strong enough for the size of your room. A sales person should be able to help you locate one with the right CFM {cubic feet per minute} That information can be found somewhere on the box..
If your going to attempt the installation yourself, take a good look at the tools you will need and all the necessary steps involved to be sure that you are up to the task. There are several things such as electrical wiring, installing the vent into the ceiling and out of the house through the attic. You might want to consider hiring someone to do it for you. Sometimes this is the best way to go if your not very skilled at do it yourself projects.
Whichever way you decide to go, it will be an inexpensive improvement that will help to dispel a number of things excessive bathroom moisture can cause. It will defiantly be worth the time and money now compared with what it could cost you least on.
Areas At Risk For Mold
If you own a home, then you have probably gone through your home looking for mold on at least one occasion and if you have not, then you really should think about doing this sometime soon. We have all heard about toxic mold on the news in one form or another and how harmful it can be to our health, but this is not the only issue with mold. Even if you manage to kill it, it can still cause allergic reactions in some people because the spores are still airborne and our bodies still recognize them as something they need to defend themselves against. Taking some antihistamine medication can help, but no one wants to take allergy medicine all the time if you really do not have to.
There are a number of signs that will show you that you should look for mold in different areas of your house, but you may not exactly know what you are supposed to be looking for. Go around your house and any room that is inherently moist should be scrutinized closely. Unless you have done a remodeling job recently and you have completely waterproofed the bathroom, then you should consider it as a possible breeding ground for mold. Other rooms that are inherently moist are the kitchen, laundry room, and the basement.
You should look for signs of moisture in the laundry room since it is likely to stay humid due to the amount of wet clothing and evaporating of water that stays in there all the time. Your dryer needs to be properly vented to the outside if it is not already, unless it is a ventless model. Always wash wet clothes as soon as possible and do not put dry clothes on top of them. You will most likely forget about them and they will mold after about 48 hours.
Your kitchen is another area that you should be concerned with. Areas around the sink and floor that are not waterproofed and even the ceiling should be suspect. The steam that comes off the stove when you cook damages the ceiling and can discolor it over time, so you should have an exhaust fan installed over the stove to help prevent this. These fans should also be put in other moist rooms of the house, especially the bathroom. This will keep you from having to repaint the ceiling as often as you would normally have to and even keep you from having to replace drywall.
mold, water, damage, restoration, sids, home, improvement, travel
There are a number of signs that will show you that you should look for mold in different areas of your house, but you may not exactly know what you are supposed to be looking for. Go around your house and any room that is inherently moist should be scrutinized closely. Unless you have done a remodeling job recently and you have completely waterproofed the bathroom, then you should consider it as a possible breeding ground for mold. Other rooms that are inherently moist are the kitchen, laundry room, and the basement.
You should look for signs of moisture in the laundry room since it is likely to stay humid due to the amount of wet clothing and evaporating of water that stays in there all the time. Your dryer needs to be properly vented to the outside if it is not already, unless it is a ventless model. Always wash wet clothes as soon as possible and do not put dry clothes on top of them. You will most likely forget about them and they will mold after about 48 hours.
Your kitchen is another area that you should be concerned with. Areas around the sink and floor that are not waterproofed and even the ceiling should be suspect. The steam that comes off the stove when you cook damages the ceiling and can discolor it over time, so you should have an exhaust fan installed over the stove to help prevent this. These fans should also be put in other moist rooms of the house, especially the bathroom. This will keep you from having to repaint the ceiling as often as you would normally have to and even keep you from having to replace drywall.
mold, water, damage, restoration, sids, home, improvement, travel
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