Waukegan Fire And Smoke Damage Restoration

Is Your Home Safe From Fire?

2008-01-28T21:51:00.003-08:00

Everyone should know how to prevent fires from happening in their home and there are a number of ways that you can increase fire safety. Make sure all members of your home know these guidelines and follow them.

A common item that you can use in the kitchen to put out small fires on the stove is baking soda. Salt can also be used, but baking soda does a little bit better of a job. It might take two or three handfuls of both to put out a small fire, but this is significantly less messy than using a fire extinguisher to do this. Try to use a fire extinguishing method that is proportional to the size of the fire to avoid having a large mess.

Keep at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher in your home at all times, especially in the kitchen. If your home has more than one floor, you will want to have one on each floor, just in case.

If your oven cleans itself and locks the door, do NOT try to force the door open. It is extremely hot inside your oven, hotter than it allows you to cook things in it, and this level of heat is very dangerous. When the oven is cleaning itself, leave it alone.

All items that are labeled as being extremely flammable need to be stored outside in a separate building, if possible. If you do not have a separate building in your yard, you need to at least create an area to put them in that is not near your house.

Do not clean anything in your home with gas or turpentine. The fumes from these chemicals will settle to the floor and a spark from any electronic device could set them off. Clean items in this way outside and away from your house.

Keep combustible materials away from your furnace and other appliances that get hot. This includes space heaters that you use in the winter to keep your house warm. If you can help it, do not place these on carpeted surfaces and never use them to dry socks or gloves wet from snow or water.

Your smoke detector’s batteries need to be checked and changed regularly to make sure they will work when you need them to.

If you have a chimney, it needs to be cleaned and inspected at least once a year.

Is Your Home Safe From Fire?

2008-01-28T21:51:00.002-08:00

Are You Ready To Prevent A House Fire?

2008-01-28T21:51:00.001-08:00

Preventing your house from catching on fire is probably not as difficult as you think it is, even though there are a large number of house fires all around the world every year. These cause an extensive loss of life and loss of property, but knowing a few simple rules and guidelines can save you from most of the risk of this happening to you. After you read this, make sure the rest of your family knows your house fire safety rules and that you are serious about enforcing them.

The first thing that you need is a fire extinguisher on each level of your home and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. It should be at least 5 pounds and there should be one in the kitchen, since this is the main area of the home where fires start. Know that a fire does not always have to be put out with a fire extinguisher, so if you can put out a small fire on the stove that started under the burner with a handful or two of baking soda, go for it. But, do not hesitate to use your fire extinguisher if you think for a minute it is getting out of hand.

All combustible materials need to be kept away from heat sources like furnaces, water heaters, and space heaters.

Space heaters are a problem all to themselves, since their specific purpose is to put out heat and since you have the option of placing them wherever you want them, their level of risk is increased. Never place these items on carpet if you can help it, especially those space heaters that sit low to the floor with short legs. Do not use these to dry any fabric and never use them with extension cords unless the cord is heavy duty. Small extension cords coupled with appliances that use a lot of electricity, especially to produce heat, will melt.

Flammable chemicals need to be kept outside of the house and away from it in a shed, if possible. If you do not have a shed or storage area to put these in, have a neighbor or a friend who does store them for you.

Cleaning items with turpentine or gas should be done outside. The fumes from these chemicals should not be allowed to build up inside the house, since they are heavier than air and will settle on the floor.

Are You Protecting Your Home From Wildfires?

2008-01-28T21:49:00.000-08:00

The damage caused to homes and other property by wildfires every year is extensive, but if you are planning on building a home in a rural area where these fires are a risk, there are a few different things that you can do to help minimize the damage to your home.

Fireproof materials are what should be used in the construction of your new home and the surface of your home that presents the most amount of risk is the roof, because it has the largest amount of surface area of any part of the exterior. Your roof needs to be made of metal, tile, or fiberglass, never oil-based materials like asphalt shingles. Wooden shingles are also a very bad idea. These catch on fire pretty easily and when a wildfire is nearby, small sparks are carried on the wind and will land on your roof, causing it to catch on fire.

You also need to use materials for the exterior of the house like brick, stone, and metal, since these will offer the greatest amount of protection. Vinyl and wood siding will give you very little protection against the elements.

The windows that you have in your home are also going to be very important, since when the windows burst, it will allow the wind and firebrands into the house and everything inside will catch on fire. You should either have small windows or multi-pane windows, because large single pane windows will radiate a lot more heat.

Any trees that are close to your home should be cut down, since having this kind of vegetation near your home in a wildfire prone area is a serious risk. You should also not allow dead organic material like cut grass or dead leaves to pile up anywhere near your house. Keep these things cleared well away from the home as much as possible, but if you have neglected to do this and you have to evacuate your home because a fire is nearby, the best thing you can do is take your garden hose and soak them and the rest of the yard with water. Wetting the roof and the rest of the exterior of your home is also a good idea when a wildfire is nearby and will neutralize the threat of firebrands.

If you do choose to evacuate your home or are made to by local law enforcement, you should only take the most important things with you. Depending on how much time you are given or feel like you have, you can load up whatever valuables you need to in your vehicle, but if you are pressed for time, take money, jewelry, valuables, and etcetera.

Guaranteed To Prevent House Fires

2008-01-28T21:47:00.002-08:00

Even though house fires claim a great many lives around the world and cause billions of dollars in damage to property, there are a lot of things that you can do to reduce the risk that your home or business will catch on fire. Following a few basic guidelines will do this, as long as you make sure the rest of your home follows them, as well.

Store everything that is labeled as flammable outside the house, preferably in a shed of some kind. This includes items like turpentine, gas, paint thinner, propane, and etcetera. The further away from your home these items are, the better.

You should never clean anything with gas or turpentine in your house. Fumes of a lot of flammable chemicals like this are heavier than air and will settle to the floor. All it takes is one spark from a wall outlet and the whole house will go up in flames.

Any time you do work in the garage or outside and you have rags or paper towels that become soaked with flammable chemicals, you should never throw them in the garbage along with other paper materials. The gas needs to evaporate from these items, not insulate so that it becomes heated.

The space heaters in your home that you use in the winter to keep warm should never be placed near combustible materials. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make, along with leaving the home while the heaters are in operation. You should also never use space heaters to dry wet clothes, even a small pair of socks or mittens.

Appliances like space heaters that emit a lot of heat should never be used with extension cords that are not considered heavy duty. A heavy duty cord that is at least a 14 gauge should be used with these or else the cord will melt.

Extension cords should also never be run underneath a rug or carpet, since this will insulate the heat emitted by the cord.

Your smoke detectors should be tested regularly and the batteries replaced.

Finally, most house fires start within the kitchen, even though a large number of them go unreported simply because they did not do any damage extensive enough to warrant an insurance claim. Never leave anything you are cooking unattended.

Here’s How To Prevent House Fires

2008-01-28T21:47:00.001-08:00

There are a large number of house fires every year in this country and around the world, but the damage that they do to homes and families can largely be avoided if you follow a few simple guidelines. These will greatly reduce the amount of risk that your home will catch on fire as long as you are consistent with enforcing them.

The first thing that you need to do is know that most fires start in the kitchen. The largest reason for this is that many people leave things cooking on the stove so they can go to another room of the house and take care of another chore, watch tv, or even leave the house to run an errand. You should never, ever leave your home while something is on the stove unless someone is still there to watch it for you while you are gone. Even clothes dryers need to be turned off if you are planning on leaving the house.

Rags and paper towels soaked with gasoline should never be tossed in the garbage with other combustible items. These items should be laid out flat outside somewhere so the gas will evaporate. Do this somewhere away from heat.

If you clean anything with turpentine or gas, please do it outside. The fumes from both of these items are heavier than air and will sink to the floor. Sparks from electronic items or wall outlets will ignite the fumes, possibly resulting in an explosion.

Space heaters should never be used near combustible items and if you have to use a heater on a carpeted surface, the heat should be emitted from a portion of the heater that is up and away from the floor. Space heaters with short legs that sit low to the floor should not be used on carpet at all. You should also not use these appliances to dry wet items of clothing, even if you are sitting there watching them.

Your chimney needs to be cleaned out every year and the creosote build-up removed. Creosote is a result of burning wood in your fireplace, coats the inside of the chimney, and is extremely flammable.

You should have at least one 5 pound fire extinguisher. If your house only has one floor, the best place for it is in the kitchen and if your home has more than one floor, there should be one on the other floors, as well. This makes sure that the fire does not get out of control while you run to the other end of the house to get the fire extinguisher.

Top Ways To Prevent House Fires

2008-01-28T21:46:00.002-08:00

Fires do extensive damage all across the globe and cause the loss of many lives, but there are a few different guidelines that will help you prevent a fire from happening to your home. Keep in mind that freak accidents will always happen, but following these simple rules and making sure the rest of your family does, as well, will greatly reduce the chance that you will ever have a fire in your home.

Most fires start in the kitchen, so this is the area that you need to take the most caution with. The golden safety rule when you are cooking is to never leave anything unattended, whether it is on the stove or in a deep fryer, or other cooking appliance. Some people leave crock pots on all day while they are gone to work and even though many people do this without trouble, it is still not recommended. Any appliance that emits heat is a risk, but crock pots are less of a risk because they do not put out as much heat as others.

If your home has a chimney, you need to make sure that it gets cleaned thoroughly every year, even if you have to hire someone to do it for you. Creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney and this is very flammable, so getting rid of it is important to prevent a chimney fire. Chimney fires are difficult to put out, so preventing one in the first place is your best bet.

Any ashes that you throw outside from the fireplace should not be put in a combustible container outside the house, such as a cardboard box.

All flammable chemicals should be kept outside and away from the home. If you have an outdoor shed that is not attached to the house that you can put these in, that is wonderful, but not everyone has this opportunity. If you do not have anywhere to store these items outside away from the house, try to reduce the amount of these chemicals that you own or have someone else with a storage shed store them for you.

Be careful with the use of extension cords. Do not use appliances that emit heat like space heaters or electric skillets with extension cords unless you are using a heavy duty cord. Smaller cords will melt pretty quickly and leave the electrical circuitry exposed. Extension cords should also never be run underneath carpet or rugs because this will create insulation for the heat that is emitted.

Getting Mold Off of Fabrics

2008-01-28T21:46:00.001-08:00

Most of us who have lived in a home for a while have collected a large number of fabric items, including clothing, sheets, blankets, and linens, but sometime we run across an old and neglected item that has been in the back of the closet for quite a while and has become molded. If you do happen to find an item like this in your home, it is best that you go wash your hands after handling it as soon as possible, since letting mold come into contact with your bare hands can cause skin rashes and sometimes allergic reactions.

These items can be cleaned most of the time, depending on how advanced the contamination of mold is, but unfortunately, many times it will leave behind stains. Cleaning mold off of white fabric is fairly easy, since bleach can be used to remove stains, but if you are cleaning mold off of colored items, getting rid of the mold stains may be a little more difficult.

Borax laundry detergent can be used to kill and remove the mold, but you should use an old toothbrush to remove any substantial growth. Always wear latex or rubber gloves of some kind before working with these items and you can put a pre-wash stain remover on them to help with the stain removal process. Allow this to soak on it for about 45 minutes before you wash it the first time. Things should usually be washed in borax detergent at least twice and instead of using the electric dryer to dry them out, let them dry naturally outside the house.

A bad thing about mold contaminating items of clothing and furniture is that natural items like leather do not do very well. These items can rarely, if ever, be restored to their original condition. Leather becomes discolored fairly easily and since mold’s job in nature is to decompose organic material, this is to be expected.

Use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter on it to get rid of mold that can collect on drapes and furniture. Using this will collect the majority of mold spores from the air and capture them. When you are emptying the filter, however, do it slowly, so you do not stir the contents back up into the air. If possible, you should do this outside.

Air purifying systems are also available and will help reduce the amount of mold spores in your home, thus reducing the chance that it will build up on your clothing in the closet or in drawers. Purchase one of these that can handle your homes square footage or it will not work as intended.

Ditra and Exhaust Fans Prevent Water Damage

2008-01-28T21:45:00.001-08:00

Even though mold can grow anywhere in your house, there are some rooms that are at risk for developing it more than others and these are generally the places in the home that have a sizeable quantity of water passing through them every day, like the kitchen and the bathroom. These are the two rooms in your home that require the most maintenance and attention in order to keep them in good shape while you are living in your home. However, it really only takes a casual inspection every once in a while to make sure that no problems with mold or water damage are developing.

In the bathroom, the most important surface is the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, so does everything else, so preventing water and mold damage to this surface is extremely important. You can do this by making sure that the floor is completely water tight and there is no way for spilled water to get underneath the flooring installed in the room. If it does, it can cause mold to grow and the subfloor to begin rotting. Installing Schluter-Ditra, a waterproofing membrane, will give you an extra bit of protection against this, so if you are remodeling your bathroom, you really want to consider adding this to the room. Any other room that could have a major spill of water like a laundry room or kitchen could also benefit from this.

The ceiling can be just as important, since allowing it to become soaked with water can lead to sagging, cracking, and eventual collapse of the drywall. This happens when the steam and heat in the room goes up to the ceiling and has nowhere else to go. Most building codes have regulations requiring that a bathroom have at least a window or an exhaust vent, but it is best to have both of these, since leaving the window open might not be practical in all cases. Spending a couple hundred dollars and a few hours installing exhaust vents in the humid rooms of the house can help with the maintenance of them and save you money over time.

Something else that you need to do is make sure that water on the floor stays cleaned up as much as possible and that wet items of clothing get washed and dried as soon as possible instead of being left out or thrown in with dry dirty items.

Exhaust Fans and Ditra Prevent Mold

2008-01-28T21:44:00.000-08:00

Mold can grow all over the house but there are a few rooms that are a bit more at risk for mold growth than all the others and this is usually due to the amount of inherent moisture that passes through them on a day to day basis. You may not realize it if you are just moving into a home of your own after college or getting out of your parents’ house, but the kitchen and the bathroom are the two areas of the home that require the most attention to keep them in tip top shape over the years (or just months) you will be living there.

All surfaces in your bathroom that are porous are in danger of mold growth, which is why you never want to install a porous flooring material in this room. Materials like hardwood or carpet are very bad for this and other wet rooms of the house like the kitchen and laundry room, so installing something like ceramic tile or sealed stone is going to be much better. Even if you install these hard materials, you can still have problems with mold and water damage underneath them if they are not sealed properly. You should check regularly for missing areas of caulking or grout, since this can allow water to get to the wooden subfloor and cause it to rot. You also need to check for this in the kitchen, since the same problem can come up. You can help prevent it, though, by installing Schluter-Ditra before you put the flooring material in. This is a layer of waterproofing material that will give you an added level of protection against water damage and mold growth.

Another problem appears on the ceiling if there is no vent or fan to allow the steam and heat from the room to escape to the exterior of the house. The ceiling will absorb this moisture since it has nowhere to escape to and will become waterlogged. Mold starts to grow on wet surfaces like this in a relatively short period of time, so making sure that the steam created by the bath or shower gets out is very important. This is also a problem in the kitchen when there is no exhaust system over the stove. You can fix this in both of these areas and other areas of the home with high humidity by installing an exhaust fan that will pull it out of the room with the flick of a switch.

Fires Caused By Electric Appliances

2008-01-28T21:43:00.000-08:00

The last thing that anyone who owns a home wants to go through is a house fire, but the fact is that these happen much more often that some people may think and it is generally due to carelessness around the house with heat and electricity. There are a number of appliances in your home that are hazardous and require special attention, but many people tend to disregard some of the warnings and care suggestions that come with these items and they neglect to read the instruction manuals.

One of the most dangerous, yet convenient items that you can have in your home is a space heater. They are wonderful if you cannot afford to have gas heat or the extra expense on the electric bill to heat the house during the winter, but when used incorrectly or in an inappropriate area of the home, they can cause fires extremely quickly. You should always use caution when using space heaters in your home and if possible, do not use them in homes with small children due to the risk of burns.

Space heaters should not be used on carpeted surfaces or on rugs unless the heated part is located at least 6 inches off the floor. This is common with heaters that also have a fan function. The further away the heat is from the floor, the safer the heater will be on a carpeted surface, should you have to use it there.

Space heaters should also not be used at night unless the cold is just unbearable. Use these only when there are people around to watch them closely and turn them off when you leave the house. Many fires occur both at night and when people are out of the house, so turning these off and unplugging them while you are gone is a good idea.

Fires are also caused by electric blankets more often than people might realize. Too many have woken up in the middle of the night with their beds on fire because they left the blanket on while they were asleep and leaving them on like this is a bad idea for that exact reason. You should also never walk on an electric blanket, since the heating cords inside them can be damaged fairly easily. Try to store these in areas where they have no chance of getting wet, as well, such as the top of the closet.

House Fires and Common Appliances

2008-01-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

Some of the most common items that we use during the winter are the things that we tend to feel comfortable using, so we let our guard down and often become victims because of it. Since we feel comfortable using these items and they are familiar to us, we do not usually think that anything can go wrong because we have been using them for so long, but nothing could be further from the truth. Anything electrical, especially if it puts out heat, can cause a house to catch on fire and burn to the ground before you can even blink.

One thing that is commonly used in areas that have cold winters are electric blankets. These cause more fires than some people imagine and there have been many cases where someone has woken up with their bed on fire because they left it on while they were sleeping. You should only use electric blankets to warm up the bed before you get in it and never leave them on their highest setting for long, if you turn it up that high at all. Do not leave these unattended for more than a few minutes and always turn them off if you are leaving the house.

The same can be said for space heaters. These are very convenient to have if you are on a budget and only need to heat a small area of your home during the winter. Like electric blankets, you should not leave these on while you are asleep or not at home, since most house fires happen during these times. They should not be used in the rooms of small children or on carpeted surfaces, if possible. Certain varieties are safer than others and you may want to consider getting one that has a fan function and is raised off the floor by a few inches. These are safer, since they do not heat the carpet around them nearly as much as space heaters with short legs and only heating coils.

Another thing you should be concerned with is grease in the kitchen. Heating grease and leaving it unattended is one of the worst things that you can do. At least one person I personally know of started this process, went to sit down, fell asleep, and burned her entire house to the ground. She was lucky she made it out alive.

You should never neglect these and other electric items in your home, especially if they put out large amounts of heat. It could be one of the worst mistakes you ever make.

Taking Care of a Fireplace

2008-01-28T21:41:00.002-08:00

Lots of people have fireplaces in their homes, but keeping them clean and smoke free takes some maintenance and effort on the part of the homeowner. The fireplace will not maintain itself, even though there are some fireplace cleaning logs on the market these days. These will not completely replace a professional cleaning, though, so you should have one of these done at least every year or two.

You should also have the proper tools stored next to your fireplace and these are available in many different materials and types. Cast iron is a good and durable material, but fireplace tools are also available in brass, pewter, nickel, and etcetera. There is a large selection on the market and you will surely be able to find what you are looking for.

A fireplace blower can help build up the fire and add more heat to it. You have probably seen one of these before and it can be a real help when first starting to build a fire.

Fireplace tongs can be used to move around logs that are obviously too hot to pick up with your hands and this is necessary, since the logs will not always be exactly where you need them to be to get the most heat and longevity out of the fire.

A fireplace poker can be used to stir around coals and spread them so that the heat is more evenly distributed. This helps larger logs catch on fire faster than they normally would.

A shovel is used to clean out the ashes that are left after a fire is out and a small broom is necessary to keep the area immediately outside the fireplace cleaned up.

If you are having problems building a fire that does not spill smoke back into the room, you need to make sure that nothing is blocking the chimney on top of the house. Leaves, bird nests, and sticks can clog it up during the spring, summer, and fall and make it completely unusable.

Using the correct wood is also important; logs that are freshly cut and have a lot of moisture still in them will smoke instead of catch fire. Use logs that are dried out and try to store them in a place where they will not get wet.

Start the fire slowly by building it up with paper and small sticks at first to get the chimney warm. Warming up the chimney is important so that the air inside it becomes warm instead of cold. Cold air pushes the warm air and smoke down and back into the house.

Preventing Damage From Wildfires

2008-01-28T21:41:00.001-08:00

If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, such as certain areas of California, you should do what you can to protect your home from them. While it may seem pretty hopeless once a wildfire is on a path that will go straight through your home, there are some things that you can do to try and minimize the damage.

The first thing that you can do if you own your home is to outfit it with fire resistant materials. The roof is perhaps the most important surface that you should take care of, since it is the largest surface of the home that is exposed to sparks of fire that have become airborne. If there is a wildfire near your house, you should take your water hose and keep the roof wet as much as possible to stop this threat. Fire-resistant roofing materials are large in number and include tile, metal, and fiberglass. Any oil-based roofing material should be replaced and wooden shingles are a disaster waiting to happen.

Fire-resistant materials should also be used to build the walls and windows of the house, since this can impede the spreading of the fire to the interior. Stone, metal, and brick offer a decent amount of protection, but vinyl siding and wood provide extremely little. The windows are important because heat will radiate inside the house and possibly set drapes on fire, so having smaller windows in homes that are at risk is a good idea.

Another thing that you can do to your lawn if a wildfire is nearby is wetting it with the water hose. This can also slow the fire’s spread to your house some. Do not allow dead leaves and other debris to build up in the yard during wildfire season and try to get rid of any tree branches that are hanging over your house. You can even go as far as to have these trees that are close to your home removed, but that is a personal preference. It will help, but some people may not want to sacrifice them.

If you have to evacuate, realize that you cannot take everything with you. Take only the most important valuables and get out as soon as you can. If you have time and are leaving voluntarily, take the opportunity to wet your yard, roof, and the exterior of your house again. This is pretty much all you can do at this point and the rest is in the hands of nature.

Tips To Prevent Wildfire Damage

2008-01-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

Even though wildfires are a part of the natural process of creation and destruction in the environment, the bad thing for people is that sometimes their homes are located directly in the path. A large number of people have to worry every year whether a wildfire will affect their area, but if you own your home and you know what to do, there are things that can protect your home from them. Depending on the circumstances and where your home is located, it may not be enough, but it certainly cannot hurt to try and you may actually end up saving your home.

Using fire-resistant materials on the exterior of your house is essential. The roofing material is the most important, since this has the largest amount of surface area and sparks of fire called firebrands will be picked up by the wind and possibly carried over your house. Having the fire-resistant roofing material such as metal, fiberglass, or tile will slow down the spread of the fire from the roof and it may not even catch on fire at all from one of these small sparks. You do not want to use oil-based roofing materials on a home that is located in a place at risk of wildfires.

Fire-resistant materials on the outer walls of your home will also slow down the spread of the fire, such as stone, metal, or brick, so if you are considering having a home built for you, these are materials you really want to consider. You should also have smaller windows on the exterior of your home, since large windows are more likely to break and allow the hot air and fire sparks from the outside of the house inside, where it will catch curtains and everything else. If you have to have large windows, have multi-pane ones instead of single-pane.

If there is a wildfire close to where you live, wet down the exterior of the house, especially your roof. This will give a little extra protection against firebrands floating by on the wind. Wetting down the yard and vegetation will also help, but you should do this just before you decide to leave the house.

Get rid of any dead vegetation in the yard and do not allow things like dead leaves to build up, since these are easy targets. If you do have a pile of leaves in your yard, the best thing that you can do before you evacuate is soak them down with water.

Here Is How To Prevent House Fires

2008-01-28T21:39:00.002-08:00

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.

Tips On Preventing Wildfire Damage

2008-01-28T21:39:00.001-08:00

While a house fire may be one of the most preventable disasters to happen to a home, a wildfire can be one of the least preventable on a small scale. Prevention of wildfires requires that a large number of people do what they can to make sure that the wildfires that do start are not manmade, but this awareness is only just now starting to catch on. When the fire is creeping toward your home, you are not likely to care what caused it, only what you can do to slow it down and in fact, there are a few different things that you can do to minimize the damage.

You may enjoy living in a more rural area, but you are at a disadvantage when it comes to wildfires because this is where they begin. One of the bad things about living in a rural area is that fire departments are not as prevalent, so the response to your home may not be as quick as you need it to be.

If you are contemplating having a home built for you, have it made of fire-resistant materials. Houses with an exterior made of brick, stone, or even metal will resist catching on fire much more than those that have exteriors made of wood or vinyl siding.

The most important exterior surface of your home is the roof. This is the largest surface area on the exterior of your home and it should be made of fire-resistant materials instead of the traditional wooden or oil-based shingles. Everyone knows that oil catches on fire very easily, so if you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, you may want to have another roofing material put on your home. Something else to do with your roof if a wildfire is nearby is to wet it down with the garden hose. This will give a little extra protection against the firebrands that are being carried in the air by the wind. Wetting the exterior walls of the house and wood decks is also a very good idea.

Do not allow any dead vegetation to build up in the yard. This includes grass cuttings, sticks, dead plants, and leaves. If a wildfire starts before you have a chance to get these dead organic materials cleaned up, all you can do is soak them and the rest of the yard with water via the hose and hope for the best.

Trees should also not be located close to the house, especially if the branches hang over the roof.

Easy Ways To Maintain A Smoke Free Fireplace

2008-01-28T21:38:00.001-08:00

Quite a few homes have fireplaces, but not all of them are fit to be used as they are because they have not been cleaned in so long that when you do try to use them, it fills the house with smoke. This can do a lot of damage to the inside of the home, including ruin the paint on your walls, your curtains, and discolor your carpet. It is also a health risk, since breathing this in is not good for anyone, but the elderly, people with allergies, pets, and children are especially affected. Fortunately, though, in most situations you can make a fire that will not smoke up your house without much trouble as long as you follow a few rules.

The damper of your chimney needs to be open before you do anything. Burn some paper or other easily combustible materials in the fireplace, because you want to warm the chimney up. Cold air in the chimney is will push the warm air down and cause the smoke to fill up the room.

Open up the windows in the house and make sure that there is enough air circulating to ignite the fire. A home that is insulated well might not have enough of a draft to allow the wood to catch on fire.

You should also have some fireplace bricks underneath the grill to add some more air circulation to the process. More draft in the fireplace will make it easier for the fire to ignite.

The top of the fireplace also needs to be cleaned out regularly, since anything that gets stuck in it like leaves, sticks, bird nests can keep the smoke from being able to escape and so it floods back into the house, which is exactly where you do not want it.

You should also have the fireplace cleaned by a professional cleaning service if possible, since a layer of creosote is likely built up on the inside of the chimney. This is a tar-like substance that results from burning wood in the fireplace and if your chimney has not been professionally cleaned before and you have lived in your house for many years, then it is time for it to be. Creosote can catch on fire and cause the whole house to burn down, so having it cleaned out is essential.

To keep your fireplace functioning the way that it should, you need to know how to use it and take care of it and by the time winter gets to you, you will be able to enjoy your fireplace once again.

Easy Ways To Maintain A Smoke Free Fireplace

2008-01-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

Preventing Damage From Wildfires

2007-10-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

The Inhumane Use of Mold Dogs

2007-10-18T11:36:00.002-07:00

You might think that your property has a problem with mold and when you realize that this might be true, you may go out and hire the first mold removal company that you run across in the yellow pages to come and fix the problem, but the trick is knowing whether they are truly a professional company. One good way to tell this is to note whether or not they use dogs to find mold in the building.

The usage of mold dogs is not that widely used except by companies that are exactly what was implied earlier: unprofessional. The use of these dogs is deplorable, since they are trained to do exactly the thing that human beings are told not to do when coming into contact with mold. They are taught to seek out the mold spores and to actively inhale them in large quantities in order to detect the presence of mold growing in a home. This is not only unscientific, but it is also extremely harmful to the health of the dog. There are much more modern methods to use to detect mold in a person’s home or business and the use of a dog will not tell you if the mold is toxic or in what quantity the mold exists. Mycologists are typically employed by mold remediation companies and they fill the role of telling you whether the mold you have in your home is toxic or not.

The health of the dog will deteriorate over time, since animals are no less at risk of developing health complications related to mold than human beings are. They will eventually develop respiratory and skin infections, particularly around the muzzle.

The animal cannot tell a human being that something is wrong with them and the human often does not realize it until it is too late. Any veterinarian will tell you that the usage of dogs to detect mold is an inhumane practice and it is all but the deliberate infection of the animal and an act of pure negligence. Aspergilloma and aspergilliosis are also two conditions that dogs are susceptible to when they are used to detect mold and these often have no symptoms at first. By the time symptoms do develop, it is often too late and the dog has to be put down.

If you are considering hiring a professional company to detect and remove the mold from your home, please refrain from hiring a company that uses dogs. If you discover that the company that you hire does use dogs, decline to use their services and state this as the reason. Please do not support this practice.

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

The Mold Removal Equipment You Need

2007-10-18T11:36:00.001-07:00

Doing a mold remediation project on your own instead of getting a professional to do the work for you can be a hassle, but if you do not have a lot of money, it might be for the best that you take care of a small scale infestation yourself. You should take the safety of your health into account when attempting such a thing, but if you purchase the correct amount and kind of equipment, you should be fine.

The health risks of mold exposure when you are taking on a project such as this are high if you do not take the proper precautions. Respiratory conditions and skin rashes, among other kinds of infections are likely to occur if you do not properly protect yourself. Allergic reactions and even death can result from some mold related disorders, so take extreme care.

If you are having to do invasive procedures such as taking out drywall or tearing up tile to get to the infection underneath, purchasing the maximum amount of equipment is going to be necessary. This will include not only a respirator of some kind from your hardware store, but also some breathable protective clothing and a roll of duct tape to seal up the areas where there are breaks in it, such as the ankles and wrists. A breathable body suit, foot covers, and gloves are necessary.

Purchasing some contractor grade trash bags is also a good idea, since what you are probably going to be doing is something that a contractor would have to do when remodeling a house. You will put mold contaminated materials in these bags.

You will also probably want to have a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter included in it to remove the mold spores and other particle debris from the home after you are done. Since stirring up the mold spores is pretty much unavoidable, this will help you keep the spore count in the air under control. This is important whether you are wearing a respirator or not.

The respirator that you purchase can be one of about three different kinds. One is just a basic one that you can get from your local hardware store and the other two contain HEPA filters on them and come in half-face and full-face forms. A full face mask can be purchased for around $125.

Chemicals that kill mold are also going to be needed. You can find these at most department stores that sell cleaning supplies.

Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.

Allergies and Mold

2007-10-18T11:34:00.002-07:00

Millions of people in the world suffer from all kinds of allergies, whether it is pollen, grass, foods, animals, or mold. Allergy symptoms are mostly seen from the spring to the late fall because of the fact that most of the allergies are due to seasonal plants and molds. Most plants and molds that cause allergies do not thrive during the winter and cannot continue to grow in freezing temperatures. They simply remain dormant and this is true of mold infestations inside homes. While the mold does not continue growing during the winter, it will thaw during the winter and be just as much of an inconvenience as they were before they were frozen.

There are all kinds of allergy symptoms that are associated with mold. The kind of reaction and the severity can vary from person to person, but the usual signs are runny noses, sneezing, watery eyes, and skin rashes. The presence of mold can also cause what is called Perennial allergic rhinitis. The allergy symptoms caused by mold are often aggravated and made worse by eating any food that has been made with mold or any other kind of fungus, like mushrooms. Even bread and beer, which are made with yeast can cause the symptoms to worsen. Cheeses that are made with mold, particularly gorgonzola and blue cheese, can also bring about the onset of these symptoms.

There are a few dozen species of mold that can cause allergic reactions, but most of the species of mold on the planet are not very allergenic. The majority of allergic reactions are caused by molds in the genii of Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Alternaria. The only genus that has a disease and a medicine named after it is Penicillium.

If you have some allergies besides just mold, you should probably keep an eye out for the allergen reports that appear on the news each day at different intervals. If you are a senior citizen or have a young child that is allergic to these things, you need to be careful about yourself or the child going out if the reports indicate a high amount of the allergen in the air. Depending on the severity of your allergy, it could possibly trigger a serious reaction.

If you discover mold in your home and fear that you may be allergic to it, you should have your home tested for mold immediately and if the test returns positive, you should relocate while the problem is being taken care of.

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

Basic Information on Mold

2007-10-18T11:34:00.001-07:00

Mold has been a problem in areas populated by human beings for not only centuries, but as the Bible seems to relate to us, millennia and the effects on the health of human beings has been documented since that time. The scripture calls the mold infestations in homes and business buildings a “leprous plague” that must be dealt with as soon as it is noticed.

The symptoms of excess mold exposure are both many and varied. Allergenic molds cause, as the name implies, aggravation of allergies and respiratory conditions that already exist and can create new allergies that did not exist before the exposure. These symptoms can surface in the form of sneezing, watery eyes, a runny nose, or some quite unsightly skin rashes that are pretty itchy when left untreated. If these symptoms only show up when you are in your home and you do not have them when you are at work or elsewhere, you might want to consider having your home tested for mold.

While some of the most serious infections around the world are caused by mold exposure, one thing that has become a staple in the medical community is penicillin. Penicillin is produced from mold in the genus penicillium and has been used as a cure for all kinds of infections since the early 1900’s. Unfortunately, the penicillium genus also has a serious disease named after it that occurs mostly in HIV and AIDS patients in Southeast Asia.

Mold grows in humid areas of your home and you may not even know it is there if it grows inside your walls. Homes that have been damaged by floods may have mold growing behind the walls and you will not even realize it most of the time. Try to keep the humidity in your home as far down as possible and the temperature somewhere around 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Any moist rooms in the house should have an exhaust vent installed so the steam is allowed to escape. This will include the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and the basement. If you happen to do laundry in the basement and for some reason the dryer does not work or you do not have one, do not hang clothes up to dry down there, since this will create the humidity that you are trying to prevent.

Keep any water spills cleaned up. Whether the bath tub or the kitchen sink or the toilet overflows, cleaning up these spills as soon as they occur is essential to prevent water damage and mold growth in your house. Another important think to realize is that you should never have carpet installed in the bathroom and that cracked tiles need to be replaced as soon as possible.

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.