Smoke in Fire's Wake

Even as the fire is put out and much of your home is saved, disaster tends to leave various traces behind. Take smoke, for instance.

Tips for Cleaning and Drying Out a Water Damaged Building

Floods usually don’t last long, but the water damage they cause inside the building along with all of its contents can present a greater threat in the long run. This makes the procedure of cleaning and drying a home after water damage a very important step to undertake before diving into water damage restoration plans and repairs. Although it might be a time-consuming effort, you can also assess all the damage on the property properly to maximize your time.

 

Health and Safety

Safety always comes first! Before touching anything that is waterlogged or damp, assume that all power lines are live. To ensure your health and well-being, turn off the power of your own house, even if there is no electricity in the neighborhood. This ensures that no accidents will happen to you or a family member during the sweep. Don’t forget that floodwaters might be contaminated with sewage or animal wastes, this could present as a major health hazard. While cleaning up, make sure that you protect your eyes, mouth, and hands. Also take note that after you have gone through the area; always wash your hands with disinfectant. After this, there is not much to do but wait until the interiors dry, but opening up windows will help get rid of some of the unwanted moisture and smell.

 

Documentation

As soon as you have secured the area and are sure that everything is safe, you should begin to document. Having a photographic record before and after the clean up the damage is vital, especially when you are going to contact your insurance company for water damage restoration fees. Don’t forget: if you are not confident in doing the cleanup yourself or if you feel as if there are certain hazards inside your house, do not go inside; contact a professional to make the assessment instead.

Protect Your Home from Water Damage

The existence of mold in American households is a cause for panic, mostly due to it being a possible cause of respiratory infections in otherwise healthy individuals. Molds are fungi that dwell in humid and damp conditions that can be found either inside or outside the house. Furthermore, mold spores have the ability to thrive in harsh environments once they begin to spread.

The best way for mold prevention is effective moisture control, particularly in areas inside the house most prone to mold growth. Moist conditions in showers, basements, and laundry rooms are perfect spots for mold to grow. Families should prevent moisture from settling into these areas through proper cleaning and efficient water systems.

Causes of Mold in the House

While areas such as the shower and basement are most vulnerable to mold, other areas such as ceiling tiles, drywall, roof, and carpets, among others, can also become infested by mold. Mold manifests in certain conditions and factors, and these include lack of sunlight, moisture, warmth, oxygen, mold spores, and food sources. When one or more of these are present, mold will begin to grow in a span of one to two days.

How to Keep Flood Damage to a Minimum

Your home is no match for flooding due to a heavy rainfall or a storm surge--there’s simply nothing you can do to stop it. To reverse the damage, you’ll need to contact some flood damage restoration pros to get things back to normal. You can, however, minimize the damage and keep it on the structural side. Your fixtures, appliances, and other things don’t have to take Mother Nature’s brunt. 

Here are some tips: 

Steps to Take After a Fire

Your humble abode held up against the worst fire in your city in decades. All those years of planning the ideal fireproof home seemed to have paid off, but don't give your home a pat on the back—or in this case, the siding—just yet. In any natural disaster, the danger is only over when authorities say so. You never know when the worst dangers still lie in wait following a fire.

Firefighters will cordon off the entire area to check for immediate safety risks. Once you're clear to return, make sure to do the following: