Adding Up the Costs of Black Mold Removal
March 31, 2010
Having black mold in one’s home is a serious problem. Unfortunately some people still don’t realize how great a problem it actually is and they find it hard to pay a mold removal specialist to take care of it. Certainly getting rid of black mold can be costly, especially if one is dealing with structural components. Here’s some ways that the cost of black mold removal can add up.
Wood:
Black mold flourishes the more porous the material on which it’s growing, and there’s very little than be worse in this respect than wood. Mold can literally break down the structure of the wood, expanding existing cracks and making new ones. This might not be as big a problem with superficial structures but replacing beams and similar structures can take a lot of time and is rarely inexpensive.
Concrete:
Don’t think that one will get away if dealing with concrete instead of wood. While it’s true that the black mold will have a tough time breaking down concrete, that doesn’t mean that it still can’t get into the structure. After all, concrete is still porous. Since the foundation of the home is made from concrete, one will definitely want to avoid letting mold get that deep. Paying to remove the mold will be cheaper than having to dig up the concrete and lay the foundation again.
Drywall:
Basements are notorious for springing leaks and collecting moisture, thereby creating an ideal breeding ground for black mold. This is exacerbated by the fact that basements aren’t exactly the most popular room in the home and problems often take a long time to be located. The very nature of drywall, with which most basements are covered, make it susceptible to black mold. Should it become infested, there’s no way to clean it and it will have to be replaced.
These certainly sound expensive, but there are two things that one needs to remember. The first is that not everything listed here will need to be done. It depends on the extent of the black mold problem and it may as simple as wiping down and removing some carpets. The second is that there’s one very important detail that hasn’t been mentioned yet, and that’s the effect that black mold has on human health. It has been proven to be linked to respiratory difficulties and can even cause such acute symptoms as coughing up blood. There’s no price that one can put on keeping one’s family safe. It’s better to pay a mold removal specialist than to have to pay medical bills.
The Best Way to Prevent Water Entering your Basement
March 29, 2010
You are almost certain to have heard the wise proverb, ‘prevention is better than cure’. This is certainly true when it comes to protecting your basement from flooding. You may not be able to do enough to completely eliminate your risk of water entering your basement but there is certainly a lot you can do to reduce the risk of this happening. Here are just some ideas about how to go about it.
One of the first things you should do is assess your basement for any leaks. This means examining every inch of the area for any leaks or dampness. A single damp patch on your basement roof does not necessarily mean you should begin building an ark, but it should be investigated. In many instances the cause of dampness in a basement is due to poor air circulation and the build-up of condensation. Other times though it can be the sign that water is getting in from outside. Once you have established the presence of leaks then you should do all that is needed to remedy the situation before the floods come.
Understanding the drainage system near your basement can be a great help; don’t worry, you won’t be required to have a degree in plumbing to do this. Just know where the drains are and if there is a risk of them leading to flooding in your basement. What would happen if they were to block? In some instances you may decide that the drains will need to be directed elsewhere; always get a professional opinion on this or you could end up flooding the whole neighborhood.
Waterproofing your basement can be a wise move if you want to avoid flooding. Remember that water can enter your basement from the roof, the walls, and the floor. You should pay attention to all of these areas if you want to do what you can to waterproof this area of the home.
Many people like to use their basement as a place to keep their washing machine and freezers. If this describes your situation then keep in mind the risk of flooding that is associated with these devices.
One final note, to those hoping to prevent flooding in their basement, is to make regular visits to this area of the house and examine for any signs of dampness. Spotting a problem early enough can prevent a whole lot of grief.
Think Your Home is Immune To Flooding? Think Again!
March 24, 2010
During the springtime, frozen land stops melting snow or rainfall from seeping into the ground. Every square yard of compact snow contains gallons of water. Once the warm weather sets in and the sun begins to melt the snow, the water can quickly overflow rivers and lakes of all sizes. Add several inches of new rainwater into the mix and the result is often quite dramatic. The fact is, and always has been, that spring flooding threatens a countless number of homes all across the United States, even if your property is not in Iowa or Fargo, traditionally the largest flooding problem areas in the U.S.
Flooding can occur nearly everywhere. Floods are not limited to coastlines or to only areas that have cold winters with spring thaws. They happen more often and in more areas than many of us think. Floods are, as a matter of fact, the most common natural disaster in the United States. If you live in America’s heartland, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota or anywhere that is close to the Mississippi river, the chances are good that your area experiences several inches or even feet of snowfall a year. In the spring, when the snow begins to melt quickly while the ground is still frozen, the snow melt becomes a slow flood. Your home and other buildings on your property could easily become filled with flood water.
People who live in a desert region are not immune to flooding either. When a heavy downpour of rain occurs on bone dry land that has not received any rainfall for weeks or months on end, the results can be a flash flood that carries everything in sight away. This water cannot be absorbed into hard, dried out land, so it rushes into garages, basements and other buildings-causing a great deal of unexpected damage. Flash floods can roll huge boulders down the street, tear entire trees out of the ground and can destroy buildings and bridges.
In suburban areas, relatively new homes can fall victim to quick flooding if they are located near newly development areas. Heavy rainfall can quickly pool up when there is no place for it to go as new construction and development can alter natural drainage and create flood risks. Although this type of flooding is short term, the results are very devastating to homeowners who suddenly find a few inches of muddy rainwater standing in their basements.
These are just a sampling of a few scenarios which makes hundreds of thousands of homes across the United States vulnerable to spring flooding. Have you done all you can to protect your home and belongings from the possibility of spring flooding?
The Hazards of Black Mold
March 19, 2010
With all the home repair shows on television today, it’s hard to believe that there could still be anyone who isn’t acquainted with at least the basics of black mold. Sadly, there are those who remain ignorant. It’s not a topic that anyone should take lightly, especially if one owns a home. The problem is that many people still cannot take the threat of mold seriously. After all, it’s just some fungus. What could it possibly do? It can do a lot. While it’s true that some types of mold have beneficial medical properties, black mold is not one of them. On the contrary, it can get a person very sick. Here are some of the conditions it can be responsible for:
• Respiratory infections that could lead to bleeding in the lungs in extreme cases (people have been known to cough up blood)
• Allergic reactions, especially to those who have exhibited previous allergies to other types of mold/fungi
• Build up of mucus in the mouth, throat and lungs
• Headaches, chronic fatigue and watery eyes
The problem with black mold, or any toxic variety, is that it’s sometimes very difficult to find. It thrives in wet, dark environments, which happens to be just the type that people tend to ignore. Where can black mold be found?
• Black mold loves the back of drywall because this is often cool and dark. Drywall is also very porous so the mold will be able to get a supply of moisture, especially if the drywall is exposed to the elements or located in a humid place.
• Basements are one of the most common places to find black mold because of the moisture level. This is especially dangerous since the basement tends to either house or be close to structural elements of the home.
• Any room in the home which is very humid will attract black mold. One danger spot is behind the kitchen sink and even the tiniest leak can provide all it needs to grow and will very likely go unnoticed.
Mold exists in some form in practically every household. There are a number of types of mold which are dark in color and not all of them are toxic. Black mold will have a powdery texture but it’s not exactly a good idea to go playing with the thing to see what it feels like. If one finds some evidence of mold, and suspects that it is the dreaded black mold, call in an expert. They’ll be able to determine what it is and give advice accordingly.
Many east coast cities in a state of emergency including Boston and Wayne
March 17, 2010
The recent extreme, wet weather in the Boston area has left behind a path of destruction that will take local businesses and homeowners weeks to clean up after. Local train tracks experienced sink holes between the Chestnut Hill and Newton Center stations which shut done the D train on the Green Line. Bus service has replaced the trains as a result and repairs are expected to take several days.
The several day-long rain storms have created chaos all across the Eastern Seaboard. Flooded roadways and city streets and overflowing rivers as well as perilous ocean waters has seen the better part of Boston Massachusetts facing devastation. Dozens of towns and cities in the eastern portion of the state have roadways completely shut down as a result of heavy flooding. Some of the worst hit areas experienced downed trees and power lines and had local residents scrambling to deal with water-filled basements. There were live reports on television of some locals who were actually forced to swim away from their homes due to rapid water rushing in.
In Waltham, Mass, the Moody Street dam was in danger of breaching, putting locals on edge as strong currents washed away nearby roads and ditches. Some residents were evacuated as streets faced the threat of collapse. The several days of heavy rain has resulted in a release of raw sewage into the harbor in Boston, as sewage treatment facilities were left to carry on business at or past their maximum capacity. Heavy equipment such as front loaders were actually being used in Boston to help with evacuations-carrying terrified residents clutching a few possessions to dry land. In Quincy, neighbors used row boats to assist others in recovering dry items from their homes.
Now that the rains have subsided, the good people of Massachusetts are left to clean up the mess. Homeowners are scrambling to remove soaked furniture and belongings from basements and are deciding what to do with muddy, wet carpeting and damaged food, clothing and linens. Local cleanup companies are experiencing a surge in desperate phone calls from residents needing help clearing trees and restoring order to storm ravaged yards, driveways and surrounding areas. This was indeed a spring storm of epic proportions for this area of the United States. Hopefully most businesses and homes suffering the worst carried appropriate flood damage insurance to help them with repairs and replacing items lost to the torrential rains that made history on the eastern portion of the U.S.
Boston Massachusetts flooded under, rescue crews being deployed
March 16, 2010
Boston Massachusetts is burried under flooding water thanks in large part to one of the worst rain storms of the last twenty years. The entire Atlantic coast has been getting soaked with rain water over the past forty eight hours, but without a doubt one of the worst hit areas has been in Boston and Cambridge Massachusetts. The accumulation of over eight inches of rain water has placed the Massachusetts in a state of emergency along with New Jersey and Connecticut. The port authority was forced to open up the sewage drainage system into the Boston Harbor as rain waters have over run the cities infrastructure.
Large accumulations of rain water have shut down many of the airports in the Northeast region and forced many communities to issue evacuation warnings. The weekend storm has lingered over the Boston and Connecticut areas for most of the day on Monday, further challenging cleanup efforts. The dramatic rain water also carried hurricane like winds that rose above seventy miles per hour in some areas of the Northeast. The hurricane force winds have quickly destroyed many trees and power lines, forcing hundreds of thousands of customers to lose power in the region and causing work crews to put in around the clock shifts to try and restore electricity services. The storm was so dramatic that the emergency services division of New York City fielded more phone calls than during the 911 tragedy.
The long road to cleaning and repairing the storm damaged areas will likely begin on Tuesday and could last for week or months depending on the extent of property damages. Emergency service contractors in the area are certainly going to be busy over the upcoming weeks as they work to help property owners recover from the latest disaster to hit the region. The property damages are so extensive that crews emergency service crews from Illinois, Michigan and Iowa could be called in to help with the cleanup efforts. Water damage could quickly escalate into the billions of dollars and numerous communties are likely to gain designation of a FEMA declared disaster zone following the storm damage assesment. Property owners who have significant damages should avoid returning into their homes until their properties have been thoroughly inspected by a professional restoration contractor. Property owners who have minimal water damage to their property can likely utilize a wet dry vaccuum from a local hardware store and a dehumidifier to begin the initial cleanup process. Extensive water damages should be referred out to a professional restortation firm to ensure proper cleaning and prevention of mold growth.
Flooding rampant in parts of New York and New Jersey
March 15, 2010
Severe storms have been battering the east coast of the United States for the past two months. Following two record snow storms earlier this year, the east coast has now been soaked with up to six inches worth of rain in some parts. The latest sever weather has taken its toll on communities up and down the Atlantic coast, causing sever flooding in many communities. The large rain storm began on Friday of last week and is likely to last at least another forty eight hours. The heavy rainfall has been assisted by wind gusts up to sixty miles per hour in some areas, quickly causing large amounts of property damages for many homeowners and businesses in the area.
Major airports such as JFK in New York have been cancelling and delaying flights for the past 48 hours as weary travelers are struggling to get out of the rain soaked area. It was estimated that during the severe weather storm that over half a million homes lost power, adding to the recipe for disaster to begin. Many homeowners rely on electricity to keep their sump pumps going and basements dry. With such a large amount of rain arriving in a short period of time, one thing is for certain, early next week insurance companies are going to be receiving calls from many customers inquiring about their options from drying out from this recent flood.
Communities as far north as Boston were under flood watch advisory following this weekends storm. Most meteorologist concur that the worst of the storm has passed, but rain is still in the forcast until late Monday evening. Cleaning and repairing from the flooding could take weeks as many local roads were completely under water, delaying the possibility for work crews to begin extracting water and addressing property repairs. Homeowners are cautioned to keep an eye out for down electrical lines and be certain to avoid mixing water and electricity.
Major Storms and Their Aftermath
March 12, 2010
The large storms that barreled across the eastern portion of the United States earlier this year included heavy wet snow and high winds that toppled trees and power lines. Schools closed down across numerous states and utility companies were busy at work restoring power to hundreds of thousands of residents throughout the storm-tattered region.
Parts of the country received two feet of snow or more, which quickly began to melt. Major roads were closed in flood prone towns and cities in states such as Maine and New Hampshire and residents were told to prepare to evacuate along quick-rising rivers. When it was all said and done, many people returned home to find wet basements that required quick action.
This type of storm can wreck havoc on entire communities and on structures standing in its path. Large snowstorms are all too often followed by a quick rise in temperatures which results in the massive amount of snow melting far faster than what the ground is able to absorb. It is very important for any homeowner whose home has been damaged by flood water, to quickly remove any the standing water and dry out the area. Harmful mold and mildew can begin to develop in as little as 24 to 48 hours, and if not dealt with promptly, could result in families being forced to move out of the home so that the mold can be eradicated.
If you have experienced water damage following a large storm, be sure to bring in a sump pump as quickly as possible to remove any standing water from the affected area. Unplug all electrical cords, turn off the power and set appliances up on blocks while the area is being cleaned up. If you do not have access to a sump pump and would rather have someone else do the work, then contact a flood clean-up team to come and do the work for you. These professionals have heavy-duty pumps, de-humidifiers and blowers which are designed to dry the area quickly and efficiently.
Of course, you should contact your insurance company soon after you have discovered the damage to see if you are covered by flood insurance. If you rent and some of your personal items have been soaked, contact the landlord to inquire about the type of coverage he/she has on the structure. It is always disheartening and shocking to discover that unwanted water has entered your living space, and even though it may look hopeless at the time, rest assured that flooded homes and apartments can be cleaned and returned to normal within just a few short days.
Flooding and Insurance Coverage-What You Need to Know
March 7, 2010
As a homeowner, you should get a good understanding of your flood insurance policy regarding what is covered under your policy and and what is not covered and how items are valued when you have suffered a loss. Generally speaking there are two different types of flood insurance coverages available to homeowners: Building property insurance and personal property (contents) insurance. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the United States encourages homeowners to buy both. Your mortgage lender may ask you to have a certain amount of flood insurance coverage so be sure to know what rules pertain to you at the time of taking out a mortgage.
Flood insurance covers losses you suffer at the hands of a flood. Simply put, a flood is an excessive amount of water on normally dry land. Water that enters your dwelling due to inland water overflow, land collapses and an unusual accumulation or run-off of surface water coming from any source define flood damage. A basic flood insurance policy pays for direct damage done to your possessions up to the actual cash value. Coverage for the contents of your home must be purchased separately. It is important that you select the proper amount for your deductibles. The same rules apply with flood coverage that pertain to your auto or homeowners insurance-choosing a high deductible will decrease the amount your premiums but will also reduce the amount of money you receive on a claim.
Any physical damage done to your home or personal property that is directly caused by a flood is covered by you flood insurance. You can expect compensation for your electrical and plumbing systems, refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers, permanent carpeting, paneling, bookcases and window blinds under building property coverage. Under personal property coverage things such as your furniture, clothing, curtains, small appliances, microwave ovens, portable air conditioners, original art work, freezers and the food in them are covered. Items that are not insured by either building property or personal property coverage include items damaged by mold and mildew (as this is considered to be preventable), valuable papers, coins and other precious metals.
The amount you are paid for the loss of your personal property in a flood is based on the Actual Cash Value or ACV. This is a set amount that is determined at the time of your loss, minus the value of an item’s depreciation. Take wall-to-wall carpeting for example. It loses about 13% of its value each year so this depreciation will be factored into the adjustment. Personal property is valued at the actual cash value when it comes to flood insurance. RCV is also used for determining your building damage compensation, but depreciation is not a factor.
East coast tries to unbury from snow storms
March 3, 2010
The east coast of the United States has been battered this year with a record amount of snowfall. Massive amounts of snow buried areas such as Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey with up to forty inches of snow. All this snow may cause problems for homes in these areas as springs warmer weather comes into effect. If you have experienced this snowfall like this you may want to take some safety precautions to protect your property.
Keeping your home’s interior and exterior safe can help save you from costly repairs. There are steps you can take before the winter seasons hits to ensure the safety of your home. Making sure gutter systems are cleared of leaves, branches and other debris can make the difference in maintaining a long lasting roof. Having properly insulated roofs can play a key role in keeping your home dry from melting snow. If roofs are not properly insulated there is a risk of ice dams forming. The formation of ice dams can lead to water damages in the attic and interior of the home. Whenever there is water damages comes the risk of mold forming. Mold can form and spread within forty-eight hours of water damages. It is important to clean and disinfect any problem areas as soon as possible. After making sure that water can flow freely through drainage systems, next make sure that the water is being diverted away from the homes foundation. Puddles around the homes foundation can lead to flooded basements and other damages. When temperatures get in the freezing ranges it’s important to keep your pipes safe. Cold weather can result in pipes to burst or crack. This can lead to flooded basement, damaged interior walls, collapse ceilings, and damaged furniture. Leaving a faucet on with a slight trickle can help stop pipes from freezing. The constant flow of water cannot freeze which in return can help safe your piping .Insulating pipes or just keeping the home at a minimum sixty-five degrees can keep pipes safe.
Snow buildup on trees and power lines can also pose a threat to your home. The excessive amounts of snow can lead to branches and power lines to fall onto homes, vehicles, and garages. If you notice that these things are threatening your property do not hesitate to contact a professional to address the situation. Stocking up on food and water before a storm hits is a good idea incase road conditions leave it difficult to get to the store. During bad weather there is always the chance of power failure. Having a backup generator can help keep your family warm in emergency situations.
The weather elements cannot be controlled and sometime be worse than expected. To keep you and your family safe take precautions and the necessary steps to insure their safety. Make sure during a storm to keep updated on changes in the weather by television or radio.
