Protect Yourself from Property Damage during Hurricane or Tropical Storms
September 28, 2010
Hurricanes are the most devastating of tropical storms that affects places like South-east coast of America, the Caribbean and Central America. It is single-handedly responsible for destroying millions worth of property annually and can even claim lives. It is very essential to both survive and also minimize the losses to your hard-earned property. Here is how you can do so:
Invest in window shutters: Hurricane window shutters, as they are called, are an important investment in such a scenario. You can ask for licensed help to install steel panels; a preferable choice compared to aluminum panels. You can also go for high quality strong plywood to cover the windows. Impact-resistant window shutters that protect the window glass from breaking during the tropical storm are one of the wisest things that you can do.
Protecting doors: Just like the windows; your doors should be protected; because if the storm breaks the door down; the damage can be extensive. Make sure that the entry doors have a dead bolt security lock and three hinges minimum. Sliding glass doors are vulnerable; go for impact-resistant door systems that are made of a combination of plastic and glass, or laminated glass. You can protect the patio door with plywood shutters.
If you have a garage door, you have reason to worry because it is vulnerable to wind onslaught. You can ask a qualified inspector to replace the door with an impact resistant door system. One good to do is to install metal stiffeners or permanent wood. You can also get in touch with the door manufacturer for temporary center supports that can be used, and removed easily.
Protecting your yard and garden:
If you are in a hurricane prone area, you should not plant large trees near your home. Falling branches can lead to breaking windows or even breaking of a roof. When you know about an impending hurricane, just have a look outside, at your yard and see which things can be uprooted easily and cause damage to your home. Get lawn decorations like statues, feeders, birdbaths etc inside the house. You can also secure or get in garden play equipment, potted plant, patio furniture. If you have pets, transport them to a friend who lives in an area where there is no storm issue, keep them at a kennel or send them to the vet’s office where there is a special provision to keep your pets temporarily.
Review your homeowners’ insurance policy
You must review your homeowners’ insurance policy from time to time with your insurance company representative to make sure that you are adequately covered for hurricane damage. In the emergency kit that includes three days’ food supply, prescription medicine, portable radio etc; make sure you also carry cash, credit cards and insurance policy documents; when you are taking refuge in a room that protects you from the hurricane attack. After the storm has waned, make sure that you report the property damage reported immediately
Tips for water damage clean up
September 14, 2010
Water damage is every home and business owner’s worst nightmare. Discovering that your property has been soaked with water, whether it be from faulty plumbing, a storm or the aftermath of a fire, the shocking scene you encounter is enough to make you break down in tears.
Obviously, the first thing that must be done is to locate the source of the water. If you happened to have left a faucet running or have had heavy rains fill your basement with water, it is quite easy to determine the source. However, if you cannot figure out where the water came from you will need to have your plumbing inspected because you need to stop more water from entering the premises as quickly as possible. If you discover a broken pipe, turn off the supply of water and if it is a leaky roof that is the culprit, place a tarp over the area that has been breached. If you had a fire and the water is left from the fire hoses, then you will need to get busy pumping the water out of the affected areas. This task should be done anytime you have more than an inch of standing water.
The next important task to undertake is to get some fresh air inside the building. Open windows and turn on fans. Next, use a dehumidifier to help take the moisture out of the air. If you do not own own, they can be rented at many hardware, home improvement and rental center stores and outlets. Do not forget to check the tank and empty it often as it will quickly fill, causing it to turn off. Continue running the dehumidifier until everything is completely dried so that you avoid having to deal with the onslaught of damaging mold and mildew.
Now it is time to pick up papers, books etc. If they are damaged, throw them away. If they are very important documents and books, you can make photocopies before tossing them out. Use a wet-dry vac to suck up any water that is on tile or wood floors, furniture or carpets. Use a mild detergent to clean treated wood, tabletops, cupboards, drawers, etc.
Any water-soaked drywall should be inspected to see if it can be repaired. Sometimes you are able to dry it using a fan as long as it has not swollen up or if the seams have not split apart. If swelling is present and it pulls apart at the seams, it will need to be replaced. Any wet ceiling tiles will need replacing as they generally cannot be saved.
While water damage is an awful thing to deal with, it can be handled if you have the correct knowledge, a good deal of will-power and a few essential tools and equipment handy. In extreme cases of extensive water damage you should call in a professional water damage repair company to assure that the area is completely dried out and sanitized properly.
Riding out a hurricane, disaster preperation tips for survival
September 10, 2010
When tropical storms or a potential large hurricanes loom, it can seem like no amount of preparation could ever be enough. While it’s true that there’s little that can be done to physically stop waters rising in times of flood, too many people realize too late that a little preparation could have saved a lot of damage and heartache. With a view to preparing for natural disasters there are some key areas to concentrate on in order to minimize damage to property and safeguard lives.
Talk About The Risks
It’s very wise to discuss as a family what is going to happen in the event of a serious storm or flood. Listing the types of disasters that could befall your home is a very good idea. Know the risks posed by extreme winds and flooding, and make sure everyone in the household is aware that the possibilities are real. Decide on a designated ‘safe’ room for if a disaster occurs, and think about the fact that the safest place to be together when a storm strikes may not be in your own home but elsewhere in the community. Know the best routes to take should you be forced to travel when floods strike. Be sure that all family members have someone to contact who lives outside your area, so that they can act as a point of contact should the need arise through separation.
Prepare For The Worst
First aid classes are always a good idea, as the training you receive could well prove vital. Children should be aware of how and when to call 911. Think about family pets when discussing what to do in an emergency when evacuation could become a necessity. Keep an emergency supply kit in the home as part of being prepared, and think carefully about what it needs to contain in terms of essential medicines and long-lasting food supplies. Importantly, make sure you have the necessary insurance to cover the cost of damage floods and storms can cause; losing property and sustaining damage to a home is traumatic even when you know that things can be replaced.
Anyone who watches the television news will be aware that storms and natural disasters are occurring regularly in different parts of the world. Anyone who finds they’ve been affected by a natural disaster will look back on hindsight on what they did to prepare, so do what you can!
Mold Cleanup tips after a flooding disaster in your home or business
September 3, 2010
The steps suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take after a flood caused by a natural disaster are as follows:
The first thing to do is to dry out your house; the CDC recommend you do this within 24 to 48 hours of the water subsiding. They also state that if your home has been immersed for more than 24 hours, then assume a mold infestation has begun. According to their guidelines, you should open all the windows to air the house for at least 30 minutes, before spending any time in the building. Switch off the electricity supply and get the wiring checked out by a professional before restoring the power.
The CDC further recommends that you use a ‘wet-dry’ vacuum or a carpet steam cleaner. Any standing water needs to be removed by the use of sump pumps. You will need to use fans and dehumidifiers to reduce the moisture in the air and the fans should be placed by doors or windows to blow the air outdoors, preventing the spread of airborne spores within the building. If the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) has been flooded, then it needs to be checked by a qualified technician, and any mold growth dealt with before switching it on. Again, this is to prevent the spread of spores.
If you need to use a gasoline powered generator, then to prevent a buildup of dangerous carbon monoxide levels, it must be placed outdoors, as must any soft furnishings like sofas, rugs and carpets. These most likely will need to be disposed of, since their decontamination is likely to be more expensive than the cost of their replacement. Once the affected areas are cleared and dried, it’s time to remove the mold.
The CDC guidelines on the use of bleach to remove mold suggest that a mixture no stronger than 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water and care must be taken to avoid mixing ammonia based products with the bleach dilution, since this will produce toxic fumes. The person responsible for the cleaning must also wear waterproof gloves and suitable protective clothing as well as goggles to protect their eyes. The CDC guidelines go on to state that if the area to be cleaned exceeds 10 square feet, the Environmental Protection Agency guide ‘Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings’ should be consulted.
