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Tips To Protect Your Home From Disasters

Tips To Protect Your Home From Disasters

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There’s never a good time for a disaster to strike your home. You can, however, be prepared for when the unexpected happens. Here are action steps you can take now to better protect your home from disasters.

Routine Maintenance

When it comes to fire damage, most fires are caused by electrical malfunctions. Prevent fires from ever happening by making sure all electrical cords are in excellent condition. This is one thing duct tape can’t fix.  If you have exposed wires, call an electrician to take care of the problem. Additionally, check to make sure all major appliances are plugged directly into wall outlets and not power strips or extension cords. For smaller electronics, invest in power strips that have surge protection.

Get your roof inspected regularly to insure that your roof is in excellent condition before bad weather hits. Keep your trees properly trimmed. Make sure branches are not hanging precariously over your roof.  Keep your gutters clean as they help prevent foundation issues caused by oversaturation.

Regularly check for leaks in your pipes. If there’s a leak, call a plumber to take care of it. A little leak can cause a lot of damage over time. If you will be away from your home for an extended period of time, consider shutting your water off altogether and draining the water present in the pipes. You can also invest in covers for outdoor faucets and tube pipe insulation for exposed pipes inside of the home. Both are handy for preventing pipes from bursting due to frigid conditions.

Be Prepared

No matter how well you maintain your home, disaster can strike. Here are a few supplies and strategies to have on hand when those happen:

  1. Have a water and fire-proof safe for important documents.
  2. Know where the main water valve is for your home and how to properly shut it off.  There’s nothing like coming home to water flowing from a burst pipe. It would be even worse if you didn’t know how to take care of it.
  3. Invest in a wet/dry vacuum. Having one of these on hand in the event of flooding decreases the chance of damage and mold. You’ll want to get to work right away pulling the water out of your home.

No one wants a disaster but there are ways to lessen the effects. If you keep your home properly maintained and have a few tools on hand when disaster comes knocking on your door, you’ll be prepared.

How Insects Could Signal A Leak

How Insects Could Signal A Leak

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When it comes to some insects in your home, you will find that they are a direct result of moisture in your home as well as the mildews and fungi in your home. If you happen to see a lot of insects in your house, then it might be an indication that there is a water leak or some other form of moisture problem inside of your home. Some insects are feeders on mold and mildew, and they typically will require the humid conditions that mildew usually prefer.

If you want to find one of the best ways to look for a leak in your home, you really should keep an eye out to look for insects that might be in your home. If they happen to be the type of insects that gravitate towards water or mildew and mold, then it’s time for you to consider the fact that you might have a problem.

The following are some of the top insects that might spell leak:

The main one is the foreign grain beetle that comes along with a couple other tiny beetles that like to feed mainly on mildew and fungal spores that might occur when you have a leak in your house. Typically, you will find that it is common in new homes because there is mildew on some lumber that has absorbed water and provides a great food source for the insects, resulting in the infestation.

Additionally, there are some other insects that might cause some problems in your house and could indicate a leak such as the merchant and sawtoothed grain beetles and psocids.

Roaches and water bugs also gravitate toward water, so a sudden infestation of those may indicate a leak also.

If you’re wondering how to deal with a problem when it comes to an infestation with these bugs, then you will find that there are some helpful tips you can follow. For starters, ensure that you increase your home or building's ventilation, take measures to reduce the moisture, and have good sanitation at all times. Additionally, you need to understand that weeks and weeks of drying out may be necessary to help stop the infestation so don’t think you will see immediate results when you stop the problem.

As always, if you have excess moisture or a leak and you don’t take care of it, then the problem is just going to persist. Before you try and take care of the infestation, make sure you take care of the leak that led to the infestation, otherwise you will have the same problem in just a few weeks or it might not ever go away.

 

 

Condensation In Your Home May Mean A Leak

Condensation In Your Home May Mean A Leak

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Have you noticed the tell-tale coffee-colored stains on the ceiling of your home? This is usually the first sign of a leak that homeowners see. Once you have spotted this, it is time to give it a closer inspection to determine if it is from condensation or a leak? Both leaks and condensation may stain the same but often you can tell the difference between one and the other by where they are located.

Leak stains have round rings that grow outward in shape from small to large. These stains are located along interior walls or the ceiling of your home. Condensation on the other hand tends to stain along corners and ceilings in the home. The stain from condensation will appear more blotchy than a leak.

Poor ventilation is the primary cause of condensation in a home. Leaks on the other hand can occur due to a wide number of reasons. Both condensation and leaks are issues that you do not want to put off. When you go up into your attic make sure your vents are not blocked and are open. Humid air trapped in your hope will lead to attic condensation.

Check your insulation to ensure that humid air is not reaching the attic. If you have an inadequate thickness or poor quality insulation this can cause several home problems. If the home has poor insulation, consider adding blown water-resistant insulation as a replacement to prevent future condensation from forming. Once you have confirmed that your condensation is not due to ventilation or humidity issues, you need to begin looking for any leaks that you may have.

Leaks are a more immediate problem that you will want to locate quickly. Thankfully, locating a leak in many cases is somewhat predictable. Most leaks will be located uphill from the stain site. From there look around vents, chimneys, skylights, and any other thing that projects out of your roof.

If you still have not found a leak after checking each of these sites. You may want to bring in an professional to assist you. If you decide to continue looking on your own it might be about time to break out the garden house and simulate yourself a shower to assist you. Consider pulling up a few shingles in the location where you think the leak might be at. This will make it much easier to find and assess the extent of the leak and what will need to be done to repair it.

 

 

Here’s Why Water Damage Is Your Home’s Biggest Threat

Here’s Why Water Damage Is Your Home’s Biggest Threat

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Did you know that more than 10,000 gallons of water is wasted each year due to leaks in homes? Or that it leads to rotting wood, rusted metal, delamination of plywood, mold growth and more? You may think of immediate water damage caused by a serious flood, but frequently it is a slow process that may go unnoticed and leads to severe consequences for your property and finances.

How water damage starts

It may start small – a tree that hovers over your house or a vent cap that loses it seal. Other times it is a broken water line or toilet seal, or leaks from a washing machine or dishwasher. Another cause of slow water damage is cracks in pipes. You may not notice the problem until it has become severe.

How water seeps in

Over time with freezing and expansion, the water finds its way in through a crack, and you notice a leak in your ceiling, bubbling under the laminate floor, damp carpeting or raised paint on the wall. In basements or crawl spaces, you may see damp wood, cement or ground.

How water damage progresses to destruction

As the leak continues, it begins to cause damage to the surrounding materials including roof, plywood, insulation, drywall, flooring, supports, and joints. It can even cause cracking in concrete surfaces. As you can tell, there are some serious consequences. Water damage can potentially leave your home unlivable.

What you can do

Be aware of your surroundings. Take a review of your home every quarter to check potential areas for water collection and damage including your roof, vent pipes, water lines, doors, windows, kitchens, bathrooms, utility sinks, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, washing machines and basements. As soon as you notice areas of concern, seal or repair it, or contact a handyman to help.

What to do after water damage

RCS can help you to clean, repair and reconstruct your home or business after water damage. We offer services for mold prevention, mold removal, water extraction, crawlspace cleanup, and reconstruction services. Contact us to discuss how we can help you to get control over water damage.

 

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

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A huge amount of water all over your floor can be a nightmare come to life for any homeowner. This can happen because of a burst water pipe, a malfunctioning hot water heater, a leaking roof or an overflowing washer. Take comfort in the fact that there are several things you can do to limit the water damage between the time of the incident and when a professional arrives to restore your home to pristine condition.

 

Ways to Immediately Limit Water Damage Before Professionals Arrive

 

Shut Off the Power

Shut off the power immediately. If the water gets into electrical appliances or electrical outlets when they are on, it could ruin the electronic circuits. Head to the circuit breaker and flip the switches for the affected areas. Unplug any electronics, including appliances, in the way of the water.

Pull Up Carpets

Pull up any carpets or rugs, and get them out of the way. You can dry them and disinfect them later, but you have to limit the water damage first. Pull up any padding underneath. The carpet may shrink from contact with the water. 

Remove the Water

The only way to stop everything from staying soaked is to get rid of the water. Use mops, buckets and towels. Send all of this water outside into a storm drain or your lawn. If you still have power, you can dry using a wet/dry vacuum, but be very careful not to get the plug or extension cord wet.

Dry Out the Area

Set up fans and open windows to get a breeze going in the affected area. This dries out any remaining water as much as possible. A dehumidifier works well. Drying with air eliminates any last bits of water you can’t reach with a towel.

Disinfect

You must disinfect any permeable surfaces, such as walls and wooden floors, very soon after the water damage occurs. This prevents mold from seeping into drywall and wood. Once mold starts to grow, it is very hard to get rid of, and black mold can cause severe health problems.

Throw Things Away

Salvage what you can, but throw away the rest. Get rid of any items damaged beyond repair. Follow your city’s guidelines for the disposal of electronics because electronics shouldn’t be thrown into a landfill.

In the midst of all of this, you need to call a professional cleaning service with experience in cleaning water damage to assess what needs to happen next. These professionals can mitigate any mold problems, suggest improvements and document precisely what happened. You’ll need this type of documentation for any insurance claims you make on the home itself or for your damaged items.