Carpet Drying And Water Damage

Carpets are common accoutrements in most homes today. They come in all sorts of colors and patterns. They add beauty and color to a home, as well as a feeling of comfort. However, they are extremely prone to water damage and as such can be a source of headaches when accidents do occur. Wet or flooded carpets require major undertakings and as such a prompt response is crucial. It is important to begin the carpet drying process as soon as possible.

Carpet drying is the process of restoring a wet carpet to its previous dry state. When carpets get wet, water seeps through the carpet padding and into the floor, causing even further damage (warping, cracking). Mold and mildew growth can also occur.  Mold is dangerous. It grows quickly and spreads rapidly. It can prove very difficult to deal with if given time to grow.

The carpet drying process aims to ensure that none of the above mentioned effects get to occur. A rapid response is necessary.  The carpet drying process takes a number of steps to achieve best results. These are

1.         Assess the damage

Consider the cause of the wet carpet, assess the carpet and its surrounding area to get a feel of what you are dealing with. Get the carpet out of the way of other items and away from the water damaged area. Also ensure it is placed where there is minimal foot traffic.

2.         Vacuum the affected areas

Use shop-vacs and or gas powered pumps and vacuum cleaners to remove the water from the carpet. This will make the carpet less heavy and thus easier to lift. The choice of vacuuming equipment depends on the depth and severity of the spill.

3.         Use other drying equipment

Apart from the vacuum cleaners used in the stage before, you can also use electric fans and dehumidifiers. These suck out the moisture and allow the water to evaporate. Carpet drying equipment can also be sought from the local appliance store.

4.         Drying the carpet

At this point the carpet is still wet and is now taken outside to dry. Lay it somewhere to dry and 

air. A spot with good air circulation is important to allow all the remaining water to dry up. Fans and blowers may also be used. Lay the carpet flat so that it may retain its’ shape and make re-installation easier.

5.         Clean and disinfect the affected area

Carpet drying process also focuses on the area on which the carpet may have caused damage. Repair the flooring if warping or cracking has occurred. If the damage cannot be repaired, replacement is the next best thing. The flooring should be dried, treated, cleaned and disinfected. Make sure it is well dried before putting the carpet back on.

The carpet padding should be removed and replaced.

6.         Be safe

Carpet drying may involve getting rid of mold and mildew from the carpet and as such you should always be safe. Some types of mold are toxic and can pose a health risk. Germs and bacteria are also common in wet carpets. Wear hand gloves and face masks if necessary.

Carpet drying professionals can also be contacted to help deal with the problem. 

Camden New Jersey Library Closed Due To Water Problems....

The Camden County Library System has temporarily closed its Haddon Twp. Branch in Westmont due to water damage in several areas of the building.  A malfunctioning sump pump in the library’s boiler room sprung a leak, resulting in damage to carpeting, flooring, and drywall.

The problem was first identified on Sunday, and police were notified, which prevented more serious damage from occurring.  Damaged was kept to a minimum with only 10 books being affected, and library officials say repairs should be completed by Friday. 

The library plans to reopen to the public on Saturday, May 7, depending on the progress of cleanup efforts.  Staff will be able to return to work on Friday, May 6.

Due dates will be extended to compensate for the closure, and fines will be waived on overdue items during the same period.  Customers can return books at any of the library system’s other six branches.

The library system plans to post updates on the cleanup process on their website at www.camden library.org throughout the week.

The damage to the Haddon Twp. Library is a prime example of what can happen when proper measures aren’t followed to prevent water damage or flooding.  Sump pumps are fine and can do much to cut down on the likelihood of a major water related incident.  They can break down however, and it is important to keep up proper maintenance and ensure that the pumps are always in good operating condition. 

Of course you should always unplug your sump pump before conducting and type of maintenance work on the unit, primarily for your safety.

Sump pumps should always be kept clean, as clogging is the chief culprit in sump pump malfunctions.  The inlet screen may be blocked by dirt or the buildup of any kind of debris.  This screen is designed to remove small waste particles from the water, but it can be easily overrun.  You should use gloves and remove all the debris from the pump, then use a garden hose to fill the pump with water, causing it to start functioning again.  If the pump fails to start on its own, consult your manual.

Don’t forget to inspect your “check” valve.  Sometimes, the check valve can be improperly installed. The check valves are set up so that when the sump pump shuts off, no water will go back into the sump pump. The check valve’s arrow should not be pointing toward the sump pump.

Some pumps will have what is commonly known as a weep hole, usually between the sump pump and the check valve. You can clean this weep hole out with a toothpick or other tiny object. Be careful not to break anything into the weep hole.

You may also have to deal with unpleasant odors coming from the sump pump.  This is caused from the sump pump trap. The trap will have water that stay s there, but when it hasn’t had any water for a while, an odor starts to form. This is from a gas that is created from sewage water. You can check on this and keep a little bit of water in it, and you can eliminate the odor by using a bleach-water mixture to cleanse the basin. One part bleach to 5 parts water is good. You can fill the basin until the sump pump turns on, too, and this will help with eliminating the odor better.

You may also want to consider purchasing a generator with your sump pump.  This way, you have adequate power to keep it operational in the event of a power outage.  It may be an additional expense now, but far less than the cost of repairs following a sump pump failure or malfunction. 

If the problem is beyond your ability to handle, contact your local IICRC certified water restoration professionals.

Water Removal Basics

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery....found this online today and it so obviously used to be one of mine.....minus the talent....and the charm.....

Water removal is the physical extraction of water from a home, business or property to reduce damage caused by flooding or other water related problems. Water is one of the most damaging natural elements. It is much harder to deal with than fire. With fire you know what is going to come after, that is not the case with water. Given the choice, most people would much rather deal with fire than water related damage.

Water gets into areas of your home where you would not think to look. This would make long term problems such as rotting of wood and rust more feasible. This affects the support and foundation of your home or business.

Water removal can be necessitated by causes such as floods (it’s the most severe and damaging cause), overflowing tubs, broken pipes, leaking roofs etc.

Immediate action is required to restore your property to its previous, good condition. The longer you wait, the more difficult it is to repair the damage. Water removal should be handled by professional crews. They are much better equipped to handle the damage.

Water removal process follows a few steps:

1.         Inspection and assessment

This step involves assessing the damage caused and the scope of the damage. Levels of contamination can be established to ease in the analyzing.

2.         Water removal

Water removal is the most critical step. This is done by use of submersible pumps, vacuum units, blowers and dehumidifiers. Once all water has been removed, all the surfaces are dried, cleaned, and disinfected. If mold is present, the proper mold removal techniques will be applied.

3.         Damage assessment

After the water has been extracted, an assessment is carried out of the actual damage done. The professionals should come up with a plan on how to carry on after this step has been done. This plan of the drying and restoration process should cover all the items damaged.

4.         Cleanup

Experts in water removal can now embark on cleaning and disinfecting all wet and damp areas. All small spaces are also checked to ensure no patches of mold are left behind.

 5.         Drying

At this point, the home is left to dry. Dehumidifiers are used as well as other powerful drying equipment. This step can take several days, but should not be rushed to ensure mold re-growth does not occur.

6.         Restoration

After all items are dry, restoration process begins. This ensures that items around the house are restored to their previous condition. Water removal techniques may have left an item in a bad state and as such it is discarded.

Water removal and restoration is important to deal with water related accidents. Remember that fast reaction to the problem is essential to deal with the resulting problems.

Companies involved in water removal will use a variety of techniques and tools to accomplish the daunting task. You can also undertake some steps to reduce the chances of intentional water damage slim. Removal of standing water around the house, fixing of faulty plumbing and leaking pipes is also advised. Use professionally approved plumbing materials when fixing your home.

FEMA On The Ground Following NC Tornadoes...

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in central and eastern North Carolina are continuing inspections of homes damaged in tornadoes that swept across the state on April 16.

Estimates are complete for about 90 percent of the storm victims that had registered for federal aid, with some 3000 homes involved in the inspection process.  31 inspectors have been on the ground in the last two weeks performing the home inspections. 

Tornadoes left behind not only wind damage, but also water damage as a result of the homes being opened to the elements.  Floors, ceilings, insulation, and furniture suffered damaged as a result.

In order to get federal assistance through FEMA, homeowners like Sorensen must submit to an inspection that assesses damage and the livability of a home.

"We look for things such as health hazards, structural damages, foundation damages, roof damages, those types of things," said FEMA inspector Doug Huddleston.

The storms of the last month have demonstrated just how important it is to have a provider in place who can work on your home in the event of damage related to severe weather.  Unfortunately, since there are no government regulations in place to govern who can and cannot do this sort of work, communities are filled with damage restoration companies, many of which are unqualified to work on your home or business.

Hiring the wrong company may actually make your situation worse, easily doubling or even tripling your repair bills before it’s over.  So how do you know if the company you are hiring is reputable?

Fortunately, the water damage restoration industry has done a remarkable job of policing itself with the formation of two unofficial governing bodies, namely the Institute for Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC), and the Restoration Industry Association (RIA).  These agencies set in place standards of care, accepted procedures, as well as offering certification in any number of water damage related services for those companies who wish to be credible authorities on the subject.

Hiring a certified company means you get 24/7/365 service, a trained, professional staff, the latest in equipment and procedures, as well as a full range of services from water extraction and drying, to carpet cleaning and mold removal, and structural repair, reconstruction, and restoration. 

Look for the IICRC or RIA seal of approval before hiring any flood damage or water damage restoration expert.  

Bin Laden Killed By US Navy SEALs....

After nearly a decade on the run and presumed hiding in caves throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan, the violent and blood drenched career of Al-Quaida leader Osama Bin Laden came to an end on Sunday, May 1, 2011.  In an operation lasting no more than 40 minutes, US troops swooped down on a heavily fortified million dollar mansion just outside of Pakistan’s capital, engaging in a brief firefight which left Bin Laden, one of his sons, and several other unidentified people dead.

Bin Laden’s body was identified through DNA testing and later buried at sea in accordance with Islamic law requiring that burial take place within 24 hours.

The military action was the result of months of covert intelligence operations that led military officials to conclude that a “high value target” was positioned in the mansion located in Abbottabad.  It was carried out without the knowledge or consent of Pakistani authorities. 

The assault involved two helicopters that landed in the compound, with US Navy SEALS engaging Bin Laden and his people in a firefight that lasted no more than 40 minutes.   There are reports that Bin Laden was given the chance to surrender but refused, choosing instead to use a woman as a human shield.  The woman was among those killed in the melee.

Bin Laden’s DNA was compared against DNA taken from his dead sister to make the final identification possible. 

In the aftermath of his death, celebrations took place both at Ground Zero in New York City and in front of the White House, where President Barack Obama made the announcement to the American people late Sunday night.  At the same time, the State Department issued a worldwide caution for Americans traveling abroad, with concern that they may be the target of retaliatory strikes.  U.S. Diplomatic facilities were also placed on high alert.

Water Removal

Repairing Damaged Credit...

This week's guest blogger is Kazim.....

With the economic recession, one thing has become very certain: bad credit is a possibility in America as of today. Bad credit makes a person’s life really difficult and makes the standard of living an expensive affair. For instance, most of the insurance companies usually charge a higher interest rate for individuals who are known to have bad credit scores. In case you are getting new utilities turned on in your name, then the company will certainly consider your credit so that you may have to pay a security deposit.  Banks are also strict about your credit history and do check your credit scores before they approve a loan or credit card. Once the economic situation worsened, most of the companies started checking credit scores.

Why Go for Credit Repair?

Bad credit actually shows that you are incapable of handling money in the right sense and thus you end up paying more for insurance, loans and credit cards and that is the reason it becomes really important to look into credit repair. There is no doubt that a better credit score is bound to help you with new employment opportunities; it also aids in promotions and raises from your existing employer. If you would like to start your own business then you should certainly start clearing your credit as soon as possible.

Do it Yourself Credit Repair

You may have seen numerous advertisements regarding people who will be able to help you in repairing your credit. Don’t fall in the trap of these people and you should also come out of the assumption that you need a professional’s help to repair your credit. Always remember that it is only you who can repair your own credit and trusting this on others’ expertise is not going to help. 

You can save money by taking up the job of repairing your credit all by yourself and you will find out that this is not a huge task as it seems to be.  The following steps will aid each of us in our attempt to repair our credit.

1)         Get the latest copy of your credit report – The first step in repairing your credit is to get your credit report in hand which can show all the mistakes which you have committed that led to bad credit. By getting access to your credit report, you can check out the negative items in it that affect your credit score. You can approach any of the three credit bureaus for a free credit report. In case, you have already used up your free credit reports for the year, then you can get your credit report from the credit bureau for a fee.

2)         Reading your Credit Report – It is important that you read through your credit report several times so that you can get familiar with the details in it. In order to start repair, you should first identify, incorrect information that includes accounts which are not yours, past due accounts which were either late or charged off, or maxed out accounts that has gone over the credit limit.

3)         In any case of sorting out disputes on credit repair, you should try to dispute through online means for faster and easier resolution.

Methods Of Mold Removal....

No one would want mold to hang around in their home or surrounding area. Molds easily develop in areas with wet or contaminated water. Your house can be full of molds if there are caving and cracks in the basement walls, windows and floors. Mold removal is very dangerous if the mold spores are inhaled especially when affected objects are scrubbed and brushed off. It is advisable to hire the experts to salvage your property from the effects of molds. These pathogens can spread all over the entire house so long as there is moisture and water.

Mold removal in our homes helps in removing all possible microscopic organisms like the viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Mold is a fungus and its presence in our homes is a threat to our health. Mold spores are invisible to the naked eye and are commonly found in the flooded basements, kitchens, attics and laundry rooms. In order to avoid contracting diseases caused by these microscopic organisms, it is advisable to put on protective masks. These keeps you safe from falling sick due to allergies, sinus problems, asthma among other respiratory infections. Mold removal by reputable companies is therefore essential since they have all the required tools and equipment to fight the existence of molds.

A lot of caution needs to be maintained during fungal removal. This is because the fungus may invade and settle in the air ducts in our rooms. They can spread very fast whenever air conditioner and the heaters are turned on. This is evident when you start smelling a musty odor all over the room. An expert in mold removal should be hired to survey the house and provide effective methods of clearing the molds. It is therefore imperative to conduct mold removal as fast as possible before huge damage is caused. However all infected and potentials persons should seek medical attention for any mold infection.

The process of mold removal may be hazardous to the homeowners and for those who do the cleaning on their own need to consider certain important facts. Basically, all the leaks in the basement must be repaired. This involves new roofing, plumbing and purchase of new items such as the mattresses and clothes. Begin mold removal only if everybody is safe and no one needs medical care due to fungal poisoning. Upholding the safety of everybody’s life, appropriate and powerful detergents and disinfectants with protective tools must be applied during the remediation process. It is further advisable to dispose of infected items made from absorbent or porous materials like clothing and mattresses. Respirators are also important in preventing the spread of mold spores.

Fungal removal can be difficult especially if they breed in accumulated water in the basement. Although this can be avoided, just employ a professional mold inspector to investigate the spread and proliferation of fungi. The inspector will easily identify the infected areas for clean up and carry the sample for check up. Molds breed in areas that have leaks and are susceptible to the accumulation of moisture. All of these areas must be checked properly to avoid moisture build up.

For best results, contact your local water restoration company.