Fires happen all over the world, but the fires that happen inside a person’s home are often the most preventable and all it takes is a little diligence and some common sense to discover what the fire hazards in your home are and how to get rid of them when you find them.
It is a fact that most house fires happen in the kitchen. Even though a great number of these small stove fires go unreported because they do not do any damage, you really need to learn what you can do to prevent them from happening in the first place, because it only takes a second or two for a small fire to spread into a much larger one. House fire prevention begins in the kitchen by learning that you should never leave anything on the stove unattended unless it is an emergency and you should never leave the house to go and run errands during this time unless someone is going to be there to keep an eye on the cooking.
You also need to be careful with deep fryers and electric skillets. Any appliance that emits a large amount of heat needs to be monitored consistently to make sure that it does not overheat and catch on fire and you should not ever have to use an extension cord with these. Small extension cords like the ones you would use for lamps will NOT work and will melt. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it is a heavy duty one with a gauge of at least 14.
Heating shortening and oil in the kitchen also poses a significant problem, since it is so flammable. Heat these slowly so that they do not burn and do not catch on fire and if you have to leave the room, turn them off or have someone watch them for you.
Space heaters are also a big problem during the winter time and like with deep fryers and electric skillets, do not use an extension cord with these. Do not place them near drapes or other fabric items and keep children away from them. Also try not to leave them on overnight while you are sleeping unless you absolutely have to and even then, make sure you take the necessary steps to keep flammable items away from them. Do not use these in the bedrooms of small children due to the amount of flammable stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets that are likely to be there.
The worst thing that you can do is let yourself become comfortable with these appliances and allow yourself to think that you know what you are doing and a fire cannot happen to you. Letting your guard down in this manner is what causes a large amount of house fires.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York water damage restoration contractors and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation and water damage restoration companies across the united states.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Which Flooded Items Can I Save?
You may not be very sure what you can save after a flood wreaks havoc on the interior and exterior of your home, but there are some definite things that you can save and things that you will have to throw away.
Certain items that have been soaked in dirty flood water for many hours will probably not be salvageable. Wooden shutters, aluminum, wooden blinds, things made of vinyl, and etcetera can usually not be saved. Metal items will corrode and wooden items tend to warp over time, since it is porous and soaks up water easily.
Any pillows that were in the flood water need to be thrown out, since it will be hard to get rid of all the dirt from the material. It will also be difficult to completely disinfect them.
When you purchase a disinfectant, you should make sure that it is approved by the EPA and that it has a registration number somewhere on the label. This will assure you that the cleaner meets the EPA’s requirements. Having the correct disinfectant for the task at hand is also important. Some disinfectants are only effective on hard surfaces.
Before you begin washing your clothing and other fabrics, you should make sure that the water is safe to use and it not contaminated. If the tap water is safe to drink, it is safe to wash your clothes in. You also might want to make an effort to sanitize your washing machine before you use it. You can do this by running some detergent and bleach through the washer using the most water it can handle.
You can use a water hose to get rid of mud and dirt that is still on the floors of your home and on the furniture. Dried mud and dirt can be scraped and shaken off of most textiles.
When you are dealing with water damaged furniture, you have only a few options. If flood water reached the fabric, it may be stained and if they were in the water for more than a few hours, the silt and dirt that was in the water probably got through both the fabric and the padding. Unfortunately, padding will retain water and allow mold to grow. The majority of the time, your best bet will be to simply discard the upholstered furniture altogether. Restoring this furniture will mean stripping everything down to the frame.
If water gets through the finish on some wood items, it will mildew and the joints in the wooden frame of the item may also become loose.
Mattresses or box springs can be saved if they have come into contact with only a minimum of clean flood water (such as broken water pipes), but mattresses that have been come into contact with dirty flood waters cannot be due to the biological and chemical hazards that exist in them. You should not use a mattress that has a musty odor after it dries, since this means that mold is present. Have this item sanitized by a professional.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood and water damage cleanup and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
Certain items that have been soaked in dirty flood water for many hours will probably not be salvageable. Wooden shutters, aluminum, wooden blinds, things made of vinyl, and etcetera can usually not be saved. Metal items will corrode and wooden items tend to warp over time, since it is porous and soaks up water easily.
Any pillows that were in the flood water need to be thrown out, since it will be hard to get rid of all the dirt from the material. It will also be difficult to completely disinfect them.
When you purchase a disinfectant, you should make sure that it is approved by the EPA and that it has a registration number somewhere on the label. This will assure you that the cleaner meets the EPA’s requirements. Having the correct disinfectant for the task at hand is also important. Some disinfectants are only effective on hard surfaces.
Before you begin washing your clothing and other fabrics, you should make sure that the water is safe to use and it not contaminated. If the tap water is safe to drink, it is safe to wash your clothes in. You also might want to make an effort to sanitize your washing machine before you use it. You can do this by running some detergent and bleach through the washer using the most water it can handle.
You can use a water hose to get rid of mud and dirt that is still on the floors of your home and on the furniture. Dried mud and dirt can be scraped and shaken off of most textiles.
When you are dealing with water damaged furniture, you have only a few options. If flood water reached the fabric, it may be stained and if they were in the water for more than a few hours, the silt and dirt that was in the water probably got through both the fabric and the padding. Unfortunately, padding will retain water and allow mold to grow. The majority of the time, your best bet will be to simply discard the upholstered furniture altogether. Restoring this furniture will mean stripping everything down to the frame.
If water gets through the finish on some wood items, it will mildew and the joints in the wooden frame of the item may also become loose.
Mattresses or box springs can be saved if they have come into contact with only a minimum of clean flood water (such as broken water pipes), but mattresses that have been come into contact with dirty flood waters cannot be due to the biological and chemical hazards that exist in them. You should not use a mattress that has a musty odor after it dries, since this means that mold is present. Have this item sanitized by a professional.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood and water damage cleanup and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
Which Flooded Items You Can Salvage
After your home has been flooded, you might walk around it after the waters have receded and wonder to yourself just what you need to try to save and what you need to get rid of pretty quickly, since you know that contaminated items left in the home can infect everything else.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
One of the first things that you need to know is that porous items, especially those that have a lot of padding, will need to be thrown away. This is because they need to be completely dried out so that mold does not start to grow in them and because these items can be difficult to disinfect, since padding makes it difficult for the disinfectant to get through the entire depth of it. This means that any bed or décor pillows will need to be thrown out, as well as any stuffed animals that you have for your children.
It will also be very hard to save upholstered furniture. The dirt, silt, and chemicals often found in flood waters will get past the outer fabric fairly easily if the item is in the water for more than a couple of hours and the padding inside will soak up quite a bit of it.
Saving your curtains and other fabric items that are exposed like this depends on how much damage was done to them. The dyes in the fabric may have bled or it may have become stained from being left in the water for so long.
Items like table cloths and towels can be saved if they are washed a few times in enough disinfectant, but even items that have not come into contact with the flood water can become molded after a few days if they are left in the house, due to the high humidity.
Any electric blankets that you may have that were exposed to the flood water will need to be completely thrown away. These items could possibly have wiring damage and can malfunction if you try to use them. They are in no way safe to continue using after being submerged in water.
Blankets can be washed, but you will need to do this a few times in hot water. Chlorine bleach can sanitize these items, but you will need to be careful what you use it on, since the dyes may run on some items. Try to find a laundry detergent that disinfects, as well. Borax detergent can be helpful in killing mold.
Wooden items that have had their finishes breached by flood waters may be contaminated and will need to be disinfected thoroughly.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Bathroom Vents, Mold, and Wet Laundry
A good shower or a bath can be quite relaxing, but not so much in a bathroom that is contaminated with mold on the ceilings, floor, or walls. This manifests itself is a somewhat splotchy growth on the wall and it slowly moves from one part of the bathroom to another. Leave it untreated and it will eventually go on to infest the entire bathroom. Any drywall that is contaminated must usually be completely replaced, depending on how far along the growth of the colony is. The mold will be able to seep through the entire depth of the drywall because it is a porous surface and unfortunately, all you can really do is replace it with a new piece.
Some homes these days are taking to putting carpet into the bathroom, but this is a serious mistake. No matter how careful you are, the toilet, bath tub, or sink will eventually overflow and both your carpet and padding will be completely soaked in water. If you do happen to have carpet in your bathroom and have no intentions of removing it, get ready for a mold hazard. If the carpet and padding get wet and are not completely dried as soon as possible, mold will start to grow under it. Once carpet padding gets molded, it has to be thrown away. There is nothing else you can do. The best advice is to take up the carpet and have tile installed. This creates a waterproof barrier over your wooden floor.
Leaving damp rags, towels, or clothing on the floor anywhere is a bad idea and these items need to be washed as soon as you can, since if you leave them unattended for more than 48 hours, mold can start to grow on them. Leaving them on a floor that is carpeted and then covering them up with dry clothes is even worse, since you will probably forget about the wet items and neglect to wash them. This will cause mold to grow on everything in the pile, including the carpet and padding. Clothes should be put into a hamper instead of on the floor and dry clothing should never be put on top of wet.
Keeping the humidity down in the bathroom can also be a big problem, especially if you do not have an exhaust vent installed so that steam can escape. The water vapor adheres to the ceiling and is absorbed by it, causing it to be almost continually moist. This is the perfect environment for mold to grow in and if you do not have an exhaust fan installed, this is something that you should invest in, especially if you are going to remodel the bathroom to remove the infection, anyway.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Some homes these days are taking to putting carpet into the bathroom, but this is a serious mistake. No matter how careful you are, the toilet, bath tub, or sink will eventually overflow and both your carpet and padding will be completely soaked in water. If you do happen to have carpet in your bathroom and have no intentions of removing it, get ready for a mold hazard. If the carpet and padding get wet and are not completely dried as soon as possible, mold will start to grow under it. Once carpet padding gets molded, it has to be thrown away. There is nothing else you can do. The best advice is to take up the carpet and have tile installed. This creates a waterproof barrier over your wooden floor.
Leaving damp rags, towels, or clothing on the floor anywhere is a bad idea and these items need to be washed as soon as you can, since if you leave them unattended for more than 48 hours, mold can start to grow on them. Leaving them on a floor that is carpeted and then covering them up with dry clothes is even worse, since you will probably forget about the wet items and neglect to wash them. This will cause mold to grow on everything in the pile, including the carpet and padding. Clothes should be put into a hamper instead of on the floor and dry clothing should never be put on top of wet.
Keeping the humidity down in the bathroom can also be a big problem, especially if you do not have an exhaust vent installed so that steam can escape. The water vapor adheres to the ceiling and is absorbed by it, causing it to be almost continually moist. This is the perfect environment for mold to grow in and if you do not have an exhaust fan installed, this is something that you should invest in, especially if you are going to remodel the bathroom to remove the infection, anyway.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New York flood water damage restoration and other states and cities such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Cell Phone Water Stickers
While we have to deal with water every single day in some form or another, it can be a nightmare for anyone who has a cell phone or a blackberry. Getting these items wet by rain or dropping them into a sink of dish water is the last thing any owner of one of these wants to do and most of the time, they think that if this happens, they have to get a completely new phone. While this is sometimes the case, it is not always true.
If you have one of the newer cell phones on the market, odds are good that if you get it wet and it stops functioning, your warranty will not cover it and you will not be able to cover up the fact that the phone was in fact damaged by water and not some other means. This is because most cell phones and small electronic devices whose warranties do not cover water damage now come equipped with small stickers on the inside of the phone’s battery compartment that trigger when they get wet. There is a powdered dye on the underside of the sticker and when it gets wet, the dye coats the sticker and changes its color. This is good for the manufacturer to keep people from claiming that there was a problem with the product originally and that it was not submerged in water. This is bad for the consumer, however, because these stickers have been known to trip and change color in areas with high amounts of humidity. This means that if you live in such an area and your phone stops working for some hardware or software-related reason, you cannot get a new phone under your warranty because they will say that the phone was water damaged, often without even doing any real looking at the phone components for signs of it.
If you do drop your phone into water, get it out as quickly as you can. Do not leave it under the water for more than 20 seconds, but if it is plugged into the AC in your house, unplug the adapter from the wall first. Wipe off the exterior, remove the battery, and place both in a bowl of uncooked rice overnight (at least) and wait until the phone is dry before you try to use it again. Try both the AC and the battery; if the battery does not work and the AC does, then you just need a new battery, which can be purchased for a small amount compared to the value of your phone.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
If you have one of the newer cell phones on the market, odds are good that if you get it wet and it stops functioning, your warranty will not cover it and you will not be able to cover up the fact that the phone was in fact damaged by water and not some other means. This is because most cell phones and small electronic devices whose warranties do not cover water damage now come equipped with small stickers on the inside of the phone’s battery compartment that trigger when they get wet. There is a powdered dye on the underside of the sticker and when it gets wet, the dye coats the sticker and changes its color. This is good for the manufacturer to keep people from claiming that there was a problem with the product originally and that it was not submerged in water. This is bad for the consumer, however, because these stickers have been known to trip and change color in areas with high amounts of humidity. This means that if you live in such an area and your phone stops working for some hardware or software-related reason, you cannot get a new phone under your warranty because they will say that the phone was water damaged, often without even doing any real looking at the phone components for signs of it.
If you do drop your phone into water, get it out as quickly as you can. Do not leave it under the water for more than 20 seconds, but if it is plugged into the AC in your house, unplug the adapter from the wall first. Wipe off the exterior, remove the battery, and place both in a bowl of uncooked rice overnight (at least) and wait until the phone is dry before you try to use it again. Try both the AC and the battery; if the battery does not work and the AC does, then you just need a new battery, which can be purchased for a small amount compared to the value of your phone.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
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