Friday, September 28, 2007

Water Damaged Consumer Electronics

Spilling water or any other liquid onto a laptop or a cell phone is one of the last things most owners of these items would like to do, but a lot of times this cannot really be avoided. Whether it is a cup of coffee, soda, or just plain water, most people think that if they spill this onto any electronic item that they own, the item is irreparable. Most assume that the item is completely dead and just needs to be replaced. This is not usually the case, even if the object becomes completely submerged in water.

If the device does not have electricity running to it at the time, even if it is completely submerged in water, it can usually be saved as long as you let it dry completely before you try to use it again. The only real thing that you have to worry about when you submerge something electronic in water while it is on is just how long it stays under the water. Over 20 seconds can usually cause irreparable damage, but as long as you can get the item out in less than this time, it should be able to be repaired.

As soon as the devices comes into contact with water or another liquid while it is turned on, you need to get rid of the power source immediately. If the device is connected to a wall outlet or a car plug, unplug it from the source of the power first and DO NOT reach into the liquid to obtain the item. React quickly, but try to hold onto common sense at the same time. After you do that, dry off the surface with a paper towel and put the item into a bowl of uncooked rice or something else that will draw out the moisture. Leave it in the bowl for a day or two to be sure it is completely dry.

If you have an item that has been submerged in flood water, you might need to consult a professional on this one. Mud, silt, and other particle debris may have gotten inside the system, so even if it dries out completely, more damage can happen if you try to use it. Flood water or not, do not turn the device on before it is completely dry. This is the worst mistake that you could make while it is still wet.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Mold Remediation and other states such as
New Jersey Sewage Damage Cleanup companies across the united states.

Mold and A Few Prevention Steps

Unfortunately for us, mold and its spores happen to be just about everywhere we are and there is not much that we can do to escape it, short of living in an environment where the air supply is strictly controlled. Not many people want to live out the rest of their lives in a laboratory or the most clean areas of a hospital.

Most people are aware of mold’s existence, but not many people know exactly what it is. Some people do not even realize that mold is a fungus just like mushrooms are, only that it can do us harm if left growing unchecked in large amounts. These fungi grow in almost any color that you can think of and even though some of them are fairly toxic and can cause you significant harm, most of them are harmless. Not only can they cause significant health problems, but they are also fairly unpleasant to look at and this is generally an important factor when you are selling a home that is contaminated with it.

Some molds are allergenic and they can cause not only aggravation of existing allergies or respiratory conditions, but they can also cause the onset of completely new allergies that did not exist prior to exposure.

Mold typically grows in homes that have moisture problems. This not only includes water seeping into the house at some point, but also having a high amount of humidity indoors. This can be controlled somewhat by putting the temperature in your home at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can help with the humidity in certain rooms of your home that are exposed to moisture every day such as the bathroom, laundry room, basement, and kitchen by installing exhaust fans in their ceilings. This will help remove the excess moisture and warm air from the room.

Another way to prevent mold is to clean up any water spills as soon as possible. Water damaged surfaces are common to have mold growing on them, since when something organic stays wet or in a humid environment for more than 48 hours, mold will start to grow on it. Try to keep water spills cleaned up and dry them as quickly as you can.

Mold also grows on wet items in the laundry room or the bathroom that have been forgotten about. Unfortunately, most people add to the problem simply by throwing dry clothing on top of them before they become moldy and making the problem worse.

Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.

Keep Mold Off Your Things

Unfortunately for us, where there is organic matter such as plants and animals, mold is also there in the form of spores or colonies. It is on the ground we walk on and in the air that we breathe, so there is not that much that we can do to totally escape it unless you live in a home with an air supply that is very strictly controlled. Aside from living in a clean area of a hospital or a laboratory, getting away from mold completely is not really an option.

Keeping mold off of your belongings probably does not seem like a difficult thing to do if you have never had to deal with mold on anything that you own before, but if you have, then there might be a few things that you are not doing that you should be.

For example, wet clothing or towels should be washed as soon as possible, preferably within about 2 days to prevent mold from starting to grow on them. Whatever you do, do not throw these items on your floor or in a laundry basket anywhere and just leave them there. Even worse, do not cover them up with dry clothing and forget that the wet ones are underneath, since this will mold the entire batch. While that is bad, there is something else that you can do that is even worse: putting wet clothes on the floor of a bathroom closet that has carpet on it. The clothes and carpet will both mold and you will end up having to take the carpet up to get rid of it.

Try not to pack your clothing into your closet so tight that air cannot circulate in it. This is a problem mostly for people that have large amounts of clothing that they do not wear, but refuse to throw away or take to the thrift store. Your clothes need to breathe to keep from being contaminated with mold, since mold likes to grow on dust as much as anything else.

Strangely shaped baby bottles and other items in our kitchen cabinets can also become moldy if we have a hard time getting them completely dry. This happens most often when someone does not have a dishwasher with a dry cycle or when the item is just washed in the sink. To keep these items from molding on the inside, especially the ever important baby bottles, put them inside the freezer for storage until you need them again.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.

Flooded Vehicle Facts

When you go to buy a used vehicle, the last thing on your mind is whether or not the car has been submerged in water before. This is not as rare as you might think that it is and a used car dealer or an individual defrauding a buyer is not uncommon, either. In order to protect yourself from flooded vehicles that you may not know how to look for correctly, there are a few things that you can do.

The first thing that you need to realize is that not all vehicle history reports are created equal. These reports do not list all of the damage done to a vehicle or all the work that has been done on it simply because these things are only listed if the person who owns the vehicle makes a claim on it with their insurance company. If a vehicle is flooded and the owner does not file an insurance claim, then the damage is not recorded as ever having happened at all. Vehicle history reports are useful, but you should realize that not all damage may be included.

Look around the trunk and glove box of the car and see if you can find any signs of rusting, sand, or silt. These are signs of being exposed to water. Also look for these signs under the seats and in any nooks and crannies that these things may settle into.

While you are in there, inhale deeply and notice what the car smells like. If there is a musty smell, then this is probably due to the presence of mold growing either in the carpeting or the upholstery. If there is an air freshener smell, then you may be dealing with someone who is trying to cover up another odor of some kind. Be wary of air freshened vehicles.

All electronic components need to be checked. Be sure that they are in working order before purchasing. Some electronic items are expendable to some vehicle owners, but if many of them are not working, consider it a possibility that the vehicle has been submerged. Test the turn signals, windshield wipers, and etcetera.

Look around under the dashboard and see if any of the wires appear to be brittle or cracked. If they are or they crack when you try to flex them, then they have probably been exposed to water.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
Connecticut water damage restoration companies across the united states.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Inspecting the House For Mold

Going through your house and looking for mold is something that every homeowner should do at least two or three times a year, especially since mold can start growing in as little as 48 hours after the spores land on something they like. Killing the mold is not the only problem you will have to deal with if you find it; removing the mold from the property is something else to be concerned with, since dead mold spores can still cause allergic reactions in some people. Depending on the severity of the allergy, these reactions can be a simple case of sneezing or as severe as requiring hospitalization. You can take antihistamines to help combat this, but no one should take medication if they do not have to.

There are a few places in your house that you need to inspect regularly for mold growth. These are areas of the house that naturally have a lot of moisture and these include the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and the basement.

The basement is somewhat humid because of its underground location, but there are things that you can do to add unnecessary humidity to it. Some people use the basement as a laundry room as well and this is fine, but you need to make sure that the dryer is properly vented to the outside of the house. Having an exhaust fan in the room will also help get rid of some of the excess moisture. One thing that you should really avoid doing at all costs is hanging up laundry to dry without proper ventilation.

The bathroom is one of the worst areas for mold in the house and this is generally due to flawed waterproofing. This could be cracked tiles on the floor, missing areas of grout or caulking, or mold growing on the ceiling because the humidity in the room is too high. This can be corrected by having an exhaust fan installed, just like in the basement. In fact, having these fans in all moist rooms of the home is recommended and the chances for mold growth will be greatly reduced.

Something to avoid having in the bathroom or another moist area of the home is carpet. Mold loves to grow in carpet and once the padding underneath it is contaminated, it has to be taken up and thrown away, because it cannot be cleaned.

The kitchen is another area where the floor and ceiling are the most at risk. Try to seal up and cracks in the flooring and make sure there is an exhaust system over the stove to get rid of steam before it hits the ceiling.


Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.

Hardwood Deck Waterproofing

Every homeowner who has the space to build one in would love to have a fresh hardwood porch or one in the back to barbecue on, but those of us who already have one want to do whatever we can to protect it from the elements. Over the years your deck will suffer from different forms of precipitation and natural damage and protecting it from these is a little more difficult than from the regular wear and tear of feet running across it. Rain will cause the deck to crack and warp over time, but sealing it water tight with a chemical that can be purchased at almost any hardware or home improvement store will protect it for years to come.

The easiest way to protect your deck is by waterproofing it with a deck sealant, but you can do this yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Doing it yourself is not very difficult and you should be able to manage fine, so this is great for anyone who is on a budget, but if money is not a concern to you and your time is, hiring someone else may be the way to go.

If your deck is newly constructed, then you will want to wait at least 30 days before doing anything like this to the surface of it, since new lumber needs time to adjust to your climate and get rid of any oils and moisture that may already be inside it. If you want to put a stain on the deck, this is probably a good time to do it, since the sealant will prevent the deck from soaking up most liquids.

Clean everything off of the deck and scrub it before you do anything else, whether it’s applying the stain or the sealant. It needs to be as free of furniture, dirt, and other debris as possible. You can purchase a deck cleaning solution from your local hardware, home improvement, or department store and apply it yourself with a pump sprayer. Scrub it with a stiff bristled brush to get it as clean as you can and rinse it off with your water hose when you get finished. It is starting to look better already!

Follow the instructions on the deck sealant and this should include using a sprayer or a roller to apply it to the surface of the wood. You need to let it dry for a few days before walking on it, so start from the end of the deck furthest from a good entrance and work your way back.

Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Do It Yourself Books

Today’s homeowners can have a much easier time doing those repairs that used to require calling a plumber, a carpenter, or electrician. Basic tips and instructions from minor to major undertakings can be found in a wide variety of do it yourself books. Every home should have at least one good one that deals with a range of subjects. They can help you learn to do the small things that can go wrong in the home before they can turn into bigger problems.

For example, a small leak from a bathroom pipe. Usually they start out small and progressively worsen. A drip around a toilet valve can eventually cause enough water damage to rot the flooring around the entire toilet. It will cause it to become unstable and slowly sink into the floor. This can be avoided if you know how to fix the problem immediately. Sometimes tightening a loose fitting or replacing a deteriorated washer will do the trick, but if not, even replacing an entire toilet is really not that difficult if you know how.

Do it yourself books tell you exactly what you will be getting yourself into before you start a repair. They will show in detail how difficult it will be and the tools you will need to do the job right. This will help you decide if it is something you are brave enough to take on yourself or if you would be better off to hire a professional.

Other than just small home repairs, these books can show you how to make improvements that will add to the value of your home. Things like adding exhaust fans to help prevent mold and moisture damage in your bathrooms. You can add sprinklers and soaker hoses to your lawn and plant beds. A deck or patio are very beneficial things that will allow you to enjoy them now while you live there and get additional pay offs if you sell your home later.

All in all you can not go wrong when you buy one or more of these great books. Whether for small repairs or some creative projects, they can be a small investment that can save you time and money in the long run, add beauty and value to your home and give your ego a little boost from just knowing that you really did it yourself!

Texas Water Damage Restoration
Emergency Water Damage Restoration

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.

Water Damage Restoration Discussion Group
Corpus Christy Water Damage Restoration

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!

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Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration
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