Most people would love to be able to design and have a home built just for them, but not everyone has this opportunity. If you do, though, it would benefit you to do a lot of research beforehand to make sure that you get the right person to do the job.
Something you should understand about hiring a contractor is that the best place to find a good one is not in the phone book. The contractors with the ads that look the best are not always the best people for the job and if you or someone you know has ever had a home built and was dissatisfied, then you probably already know this. Ask your friends and relatives for someone that they can recommend to build your home for you, even if the only work they have had done for them is some small scale remodeling. If the contractor that they hired did a good job, then even if that person does not build entire homes, they can probably point you to someone else who will do similar quality work. Only resort to the phone book if you cannot find anyone through friends or relatives.
Get a few different contractors from any source you like, but be sure to talk with them face to face first. You will have to deal with them for at least a few months of your life, so make sure that you get along. You need to have somewhat of a bond with your contractor so that you can focus on getting the house done right, not arguing.
The contractor you choose should also have all the appropriate insurances and that you can obtain a copy of all of these policies to keep on hand in a job file. Keep a record of every piece of paper concerning the job and the progress of the project, including a payment schedule. You should pay your contractor as the work is done and never let your payments get ahead of the amount of work that has been done on the house.
Mold can also grow on building materials that are stored directly on the ground. Visit the job site regularly to make sure that the contractor is not doing this, especially with drywall. Everything should be stored on tarps and the site should be covered during rain until the roof and walls are put up to protect the interior.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
There are a number of things that you need to do to prepare for the next hurricane if you live on the gulf or Atlantic coast of the United States, but those who have just moved there may not realize just what those things may be or which are the most important.
The thing that you will need to survive the most is clean water. The human body can survive for a week or longer without food, but without water, death will follow in a pretty short time. You may not be able to get to the store and obtain the water that you need, so you should save this up ahead of time. This is easily done if you keep milk jugs and rinse them out. Store these in a closet or other area of your house until the storm is on its way. Fill them up and you should have plenty of clean water to drink and bathe with, depending on how many people are staying with you.
Whatever you do, refrain from drinking water out of the faucet after the storm has already hit. This water could be contaminated with anything, including mud, silt, sewage, chemicals, and sea water. Sea water is dangerous enough by itself, since it can cause you to become extremely dehydrated and can even cause death within a few hours. You should never, ever, under any circumstances, drink sea water. It will kill you.
You will also need a fair supply of food to eat while you are stuck in the house. This should include mainly non-perishable items and foods that do not require cooking, since it is likely that the electricity will go out while you are there.
You should also make sure you have a decent amount of cash on you, in case your local bank and ATM is unavailable for a while after the storm is over.
Special items like medication for the elderly, babies, or those with different medical needs should be gathered up and put into a Ziploc bag or other kind of waterproof case.
You also need a flashlight and some extra batteries. A hand crank radio is also good to have around so you will know what is going on in the outside world even after the electricity goes out.
You will also want to have a rain coat or poncho, some heavy rubber boots, and an umbrella to use in case you have to go out of the house for anything, but you should avoid this if at all possible.
You can also include some water purification tablets in your supply kit. These usually can be bought at outdoor supply stores or at your local department store.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
The thing that you will need to survive the most is clean water. The human body can survive for a week or longer without food, but without water, death will follow in a pretty short time. You may not be able to get to the store and obtain the water that you need, so you should save this up ahead of time. This is easily done if you keep milk jugs and rinse them out. Store these in a closet or other area of your house until the storm is on its way. Fill them up and you should have plenty of clean water to drink and bathe with, depending on how many people are staying with you.
Whatever you do, refrain from drinking water out of the faucet after the storm has already hit. This water could be contaminated with anything, including mud, silt, sewage, chemicals, and sea water. Sea water is dangerous enough by itself, since it can cause you to become extremely dehydrated and can even cause death within a few hours. You should never, ever, under any circumstances, drink sea water. It will kill you.
You will also need a fair supply of food to eat while you are stuck in the house. This should include mainly non-perishable items and foods that do not require cooking, since it is likely that the electricity will go out while you are there.
You should also make sure you have a decent amount of cash on you, in case your local bank and ATM is unavailable for a while after the storm is over.
Special items like medication for the elderly, babies, or those with different medical needs should be gathered up and put into a Ziploc bag or other kind of waterproof case.
You also need a flashlight and some extra batteries. A hand crank radio is also good to have around so you will know what is going on in the outside world even after the electricity goes out.
You will also want to have a rain coat or poncho, some heavy rubber boots, and an umbrella to use in case you have to go out of the house for anything, but you should avoid this if at all possible.
You can also include some water purification tablets in your supply kit. These usually can be bought at outdoor supply stores or at your local department store.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Los Angeles water damage and restoration services and Denver water damage restoration companies.
Storm Survival Necessities
Preparing for a hurricane can be some hectic business, but compiling a list of things that you will need during the storm if you are planning on staying home is the easiest way to sort this mess out.
The most important thing you will need is clean water to drink. You can purchase bottled water at the grocery store if you need to, but a cheaper way to do this is to save old milk jugs and fill them with tap water before the storm begins. As long as you have somewhere to store the milk jugs, you should not have a problem with this method. If you do not have anywhere to store them, you can buy water at the store just before the storm begins, but be aware that they might not be able to meet the demand.
After the storm begins and you are shut up inside your house, you should not drink the tap water or even really bathe in it because of possible contamination. It might be fine to bathe in sea water, but you never know what the local water supply may be contaminated with. It could be sewage, chemicals, soil, or any one of a number of different things. Try to have enough clean water saved up to bathe a little with while the storm passes.
You will also need plenty of non-perishable food to eat. This should include pre-packaged food that does not have to be cooked, since there is a good chance that the electricity will go out, depending on how far you will be from the hurricane’s landfall.
Another item you may want to have on hand is a hand crank radio. This is something else that you will need if the electricity goes out; it will allow you to keep in touch with what is going on in the outside world and if there is anything that you need to know about. It can also help keep you from getting cabin fever, since you may be trapped by the storm in your house for a few days or longer.
Batteries for anything that you may need should also be available, especially for a flashlight.
Having a first aid kit on hand is always a good idea whether a natural disaster is imminent or not.
A rain coat and some heavy rain boots should be kept in case you have to go out for any reason.
You should also make it a point to keep some cash on you, since your local ATMs and banks may not be available for a while.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
The most important thing you will need is clean water to drink. You can purchase bottled water at the grocery store if you need to, but a cheaper way to do this is to save old milk jugs and fill them with tap water before the storm begins. As long as you have somewhere to store the milk jugs, you should not have a problem with this method. If you do not have anywhere to store them, you can buy water at the store just before the storm begins, but be aware that they might not be able to meet the demand.
After the storm begins and you are shut up inside your house, you should not drink the tap water or even really bathe in it because of possible contamination. It might be fine to bathe in sea water, but you never know what the local water supply may be contaminated with. It could be sewage, chemicals, soil, or any one of a number of different things. Try to have enough clean water saved up to bathe a little with while the storm passes.
You will also need plenty of non-perishable food to eat. This should include pre-packaged food that does not have to be cooked, since there is a good chance that the electricity will go out, depending on how far you will be from the hurricane’s landfall.
Another item you may want to have on hand is a hand crank radio. This is something else that you will need if the electricity goes out; it will allow you to keep in touch with what is going on in the outside world and if there is anything that you need to know about. It can also help keep you from getting cabin fever, since you may be trapped by the storm in your house for a few days or longer.
Batteries for anything that you may need should also be available, especially for a flashlight.
Having a first aid kit on hand is always a good idea whether a natural disaster is imminent or not.
A rain coat and some heavy rain boots should be kept in case you have to go out for any reason.
You should also make it a point to keep some cash on you, since your local ATMs and banks may not be available for a while.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Texas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Steps to Prevent a House Fire
Whether you think that it can happen to you or not, a house fire can be one of the most trying experiences that you can have, but the majority of house fires can be prevented simply by paying attention to what you are doing and using the electrical devices in your home the way that they were intended.
When cooking in the kitchen, you should never leave oil or shortening to heat on the stove unattended. This is the cause of more house fires than you can imagine and it is easily avoidable by simply not leaving the room for more than a minute or two (literally). If you have to put out a grease fire, you should know that you cannot do this with water. Use baking soda or your fire extinguisher, depending on the size of the fire. If it is very small, the baking soda should take care of it. If it is larger and threatens to spread beyond the stove, use the fire extinguisher.
The electrical devices most notorious for starting house fires are used during the winter to keep the house or the people in it as warm as possible. Electric blankets have been known to catch beds on fire with people asleep in them and go on to burn the rest of the house to the ground. While you may think that you know how to use an electric blanket, you may want to reconsider leaving it on while you are asleep under it. If you absolutely must leave it on, it should be on a low setting. Never leave it on a high setting, especially when it is underneath other blankets. The other blankets will insulate the heat and make it even more likely to catch on fire. Secondly, do not allow pets or children to walk on the bed while it is on it. Walking on electric blankets can damage the heating elements.
Space heaters are another concern for those of us who cannot afford to pay the extra cost of a gas bill during the winter time to heat the house. These can cause house fires quickly, as well, and should be used with caution. Do not place them in the rooms of small children since they often have a number of plush toys and blankets in the room that can catch on fire. An area of at least 3 to 5 feet or more should be cleared from around the heater so it does not catch anything on fire.
Something else to consider when using devices that emit heat is to never use an extension cord with them unless it is a heavy duty gauge of at least 14. Small cords used with lamps and other devices cannot handle the current needed to provide power to devices that emit heat. They will melt.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
When cooking in the kitchen, you should never leave oil or shortening to heat on the stove unattended. This is the cause of more house fires than you can imagine and it is easily avoidable by simply not leaving the room for more than a minute or two (literally). If you have to put out a grease fire, you should know that you cannot do this with water. Use baking soda or your fire extinguisher, depending on the size of the fire. If it is very small, the baking soda should take care of it. If it is larger and threatens to spread beyond the stove, use the fire extinguisher.
The electrical devices most notorious for starting house fires are used during the winter to keep the house or the people in it as warm as possible. Electric blankets have been known to catch beds on fire with people asleep in them and go on to burn the rest of the house to the ground. While you may think that you know how to use an electric blanket, you may want to reconsider leaving it on while you are asleep under it. If you absolutely must leave it on, it should be on a low setting. Never leave it on a high setting, especially when it is underneath other blankets. The other blankets will insulate the heat and make it even more likely to catch on fire. Secondly, do not allow pets or children to walk on the bed while it is on it. Walking on electric blankets can damage the heating elements.
Space heaters are another concern for those of us who cannot afford to pay the extra cost of a gas bill during the winter time to heat the house. These can cause house fires quickly, as well, and should be used with caution. Do not place them in the rooms of small children since they often have a number of plush toys and blankets in the room that can catch on fire. An area of at least 3 to 5 feet or more should be cleared from around the heater so it does not catch anything on fire.
Something else to consider when using devices that emit heat is to never use an extension cord with them unless it is a heavy duty gauge of at least 14. Small cords used with lamps and other devices cannot handle the current needed to provide power to devices that emit heat. They will melt.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Preventing House Fires
A house fire can be one of the most devastating experiences a homeowner can go through, but there are a number of things that you can do to reduce the chance of this happening. A large number of house fires result from people simply not paying attention to what they are doing, neglecting an electrical device, or using one incorrectly.
Space heaters are used in the winter in many homes that cannot afford to pay the gas bill or the extra electricity cost that it takes to heat their home, but these are the cause of house fires if they are not used properly. The first thing you need to realize about these devices is that you should never use an extension cord with them unless they are heavy duty. The cord should be a gauge 14 at least or else it will melt. The smaller cords simply cannot handle the amount of electricity needed to power these devices and so, they cause fires.
Something else you should be wary of is putting the heater on a carpeted surface. You can do this with heaters that have a good amount of space between the heating element and the floor, but space heaters with short legs should be used only on non-carpeted floors.
Another electrical item that is often misused is the electric blanket. Imagine waking up and the bed being on fire with you in it. That could be mistaken for a nightmare, but it has happened before to people who do not turn their blankets off when they go to sleep. Electric blankets need to be used to warm up the bed only and turned off afterward and they should NEVER be left on their highest setting while you are sleeping under them. You should also not allow pets or children to walk on these, since it can damage the cords inside them and cause them to have shorts.
Any other electrical device that puts out heat should be used very carefully to ensure that a house fire does not break out. It is important to follow the directions of the device to the letter and use the utmost caution if you have to leave it unattended for any amount of time. Try not to leave these items alone for more than a few minutes at a time.
Grease fires are also common in the kitchen. The best way to prevent this is to heat oil or shortening slowly and never leave it unattended.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Space heaters are used in the winter in many homes that cannot afford to pay the gas bill or the extra electricity cost that it takes to heat their home, but these are the cause of house fires if they are not used properly. The first thing you need to realize about these devices is that you should never use an extension cord with them unless they are heavy duty. The cord should be a gauge 14 at least or else it will melt. The smaller cords simply cannot handle the amount of electricity needed to power these devices and so, they cause fires.
Something else you should be wary of is putting the heater on a carpeted surface. You can do this with heaters that have a good amount of space between the heating element and the floor, but space heaters with short legs should be used only on non-carpeted floors.
Another electrical item that is often misused is the electric blanket. Imagine waking up and the bed being on fire with you in it. That could be mistaken for a nightmare, but it has happened before to people who do not turn their blankets off when they go to sleep. Electric blankets need to be used to warm up the bed only and turned off afterward and they should NEVER be left on their highest setting while you are sleeping under them. You should also not allow pets or children to walk on these, since it can damage the cords inside them and cause them to have shorts.
Any other electrical device that puts out heat should be used very carefully to ensure that a house fire does not break out. It is important to follow the directions of the device to the letter and use the utmost caution if you have to leave it unattended for any amount of time. Try not to leave these items alone for more than a few minutes at a time.
Grease fires are also common in the kitchen. The best way to prevent this is to heat oil or shortening slowly and never leave it unattended.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Hurricane Water Sanitation
Hurricanes and typhoons occur in different parts of the world, but the effect of both is typically the same. Flooding, high winds, extremely heavy rain, and often casualties occur during both of these kinds of storms, even though one type occurs in the Atlantic and the other occurs in the Pacific. They are similar in not only this way, but also in the way that you need to prepare for them.
Both of these storms can do serious damage to your local water supply and contaminate it with leaves, sticks, other debris, sewage, and sea water. This means that your local water supply is not safe to drink until your local government says that it is safe to do so after the storm is over. You should never drink the water out of your faucet while the storm is still going on outside and if possible, you should always evacuate your area if you are worried that your home could be flooded by the storm or the collapsing of surrounding dams or levees. The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed what can happen when levees break, so if you live in a similar area and a hurricane comes to town, take whatever you can carry and get out.
If you are not worried about your home flooding during this storm, then you will still need to save up as much water as you can to ride out the storm in your home. As mentioned earlier, drinking your tap water after the storm begins is not an option. You can boil it if you need to, but the bad thing about this is that boiling does not remove any chemicals from the water that it may have been contaminated with. You can purchase bottled water before the storm gets to your house or you can go the cheap way and save tap water in rinsed milk jugs. This is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Consider just how much water you are going to need. This amount will go up with the number of people that will be staying in your house and the amount of time you are expecting to be locked up in it while you are waiting for the storm to end. Each person should have access to one gallon of water for their use per day. The last thing that you want is to run out of drinking water, so if it is looking like your water supply might not last, forego bathing until the storm is over.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Both of these storms can do serious damage to your local water supply and contaminate it with leaves, sticks, other debris, sewage, and sea water. This means that your local water supply is not safe to drink until your local government says that it is safe to do so after the storm is over. You should never drink the water out of your faucet while the storm is still going on outside and if possible, you should always evacuate your area if you are worried that your home could be flooded by the storm or the collapsing of surrounding dams or levees. The catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed what can happen when levees break, so if you live in a similar area and a hurricane comes to town, take whatever you can carry and get out.
If you are not worried about your home flooding during this storm, then you will still need to save up as much water as you can to ride out the storm in your home. As mentioned earlier, drinking your tap water after the storm begins is not an option. You can boil it if you need to, but the bad thing about this is that boiling does not remove any chemicals from the water that it may have been contaminated with. You can purchase bottled water before the storm gets to your house or you can go the cheap way and save tap water in rinsed milk jugs. This is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
Consider just how much water you are going to need. This amount will go up with the number of people that will be staying in your house and the amount of time you are expecting to be locked up in it while you are waiting for the storm to end. Each person should have access to one gallon of water for their use per day. The last thing that you want is to run out of drinking water, so if it is looking like your water supply might not last, forego bathing until the storm is over.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
Floor and Ceiling Water Damage Help
Finding mold or water damage in your bathroom is something that no homeowner wants to deal with, but the fact is that this happens more often than most people realize and that preventing it is much easier than dealing with the discovery later on after you have neglected this very important room of your home. If you are moving into a brand new house, then you are in luck, since there will probably be neither water damage nor mold in the bathroom when you get into it. You are ahead of the game. If you are moving into an old house or have lived in the same home for a number of years, then you might have some issues on your hands, but hopefully the room is not so far gone that you will have to renovate completely to take care of them.
The first thing that you need to look at in your bathroom is the floor. This is what holds up everything else in the room and if it gives way, it does not matter the quality of the craftsmanship in the rest of the room; everything in the room will end up on the ground under the house. So, if the flooring in your bathroom is old or damaged, then you should replace it. Before you put the new flooring down, though, you should take a look at the joists underneath to see if they are water damaged or rotting. If they feel weak in any way, you should find the money to repair it with, since building a new bathroom on top of weak joists makes no sense at all, because weak and rotted joists are what you are trying to prevent in the first place. You should also look for mold under the old flooring, as well, and remove any materials contaminated with it.
After you replace the flooring (if necessary) and put down the new flooring, you need to make sure that the entire floor is water tight to prevent rotting the joists later on. Much more water goes through the bathroom every day than you may realize, so think about this when waterproofing your floor. There should be no missing areas of grout or caulking anywhere in the room.
The next place you need to look is up. Does your ceiling sag at all or is it cracked in any places? Do you have a window in the bathroom or an exhaust vent? Or do you have neither? One of the most important things that you can install in the bathroom to protect it is an exhaust vent. Steam from your shower or bath is absorbed by the ceiling over time if it has nowhere to go, cause mold growth, and the drywall to sag. If enough water is absorbed by the ceiling over the years, it can crack and eventually collapse.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
The first thing that you need to look at in your bathroom is the floor. This is what holds up everything else in the room and if it gives way, it does not matter the quality of the craftsmanship in the rest of the room; everything in the room will end up on the ground under the house. So, if the flooring in your bathroom is old or damaged, then you should replace it. Before you put the new flooring down, though, you should take a look at the joists underneath to see if they are water damaged or rotting. If they feel weak in any way, you should find the money to repair it with, since building a new bathroom on top of weak joists makes no sense at all, because weak and rotted joists are what you are trying to prevent in the first place. You should also look for mold under the old flooring, as well, and remove any materials contaminated with it.
After you replace the flooring (if necessary) and put down the new flooring, you need to make sure that the entire floor is water tight to prevent rotting the joists later on. Much more water goes through the bathroom every day than you may realize, so think about this when waterproofing your floor. There should be no missing areas of grout or caulking anywhere in the room.
The next place you need to look is up. Does your ceiling sag at all or is it cracked in any places? Do you have a window in the bathroom or an exhaust vent? Or do you have neither? One of the most important things that you can install in the bathroom to protect it is an exhaust vent. Steam from your shower or bath is absorbed by the ceiling over time if it has nowhere to go, cause mold growth, and the drywall to sag. If enough water is absorbed by the ceiling over the years, it can crack and eventually collapse.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Bathroom Water Damage and Mold Help
Nobody wants to find mold growing in the bathroom, but you will if you do not take the proper steps to make sure that it is taken care of on a regular basis. There are a number of things that you can do to stop mold from growing in your bathroom and since you will spend a large amount of time in this room over the years, it is suggested that you take these steps no matter what it might cost your wallet. The last thing you want is to need a mold remediation done in the bathroom that could cost you thousands of dollars simply because you did not take the time and effort to care for it.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Bathroom Water Damage and Mold Help
Nobody wants to find mold growing in the bathroom, but you will if you do not take the proper steps to make sure that it is taken care of on a regular basis. There are a number of things that you can do to stop mold from growing in your bathroom and since you will spend a large amount of time in this room over the years, it is suggested that you take these steps no matter what it might cost your wallet. The last thing you want is to need a mold remediation done in the bathroom that could cost you thousands of dollars simply because you did not take the time and effort to care for it.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Nobody wants to find mold growing in the bathroom, but you will if you do not take the proper steps to make sure that it is taken care of on a regular basis. There are a number of things that you can do to stop mold from growing in your bathroom and since you will spend a large amount of time in this room over the years, it is suggested that you take these steps no matter what it might cost your wallet. The last thing you want is to need a mold remediation done in the bathroom that could cost you thousands of dollars simply because you did not take the time and effort to care for it.
One of the most important parts of your bathroom is not the tub, the toilet, or the sink, but the floor. This holds up everything else in the room and if this goes, the entire thing will fall to the ground underneath the house. This happens more often than you think and it is usually due to floors not being properly waterproofed. You can do this by making sure that there are no cracked tiles or cracked portions of linoleum or whatever flooring you have decided to have put down in the bathroom. If the flooring is old and you have not had it replaced since you have lived in the home and it is damaged, you will want to seriously consider having the floor checked out to see if it is water damaged. Mold can also start growing underneath it, so if the bathroom smells musty at all, you may want to have the house checked for this, too.
Another thing that you want to consider adding to the room is an exhaust vent. Exhaust vents are required by many local building codes and you may not really feel like you need it if you have a window, but installing one is a good investment since it is not always a good idea to leave the bathroom window open. The reason for these vents is so steam is not absorbed by the ceiling and upper walls and cause them to become molded over time. Ceilings that absorb water like this will also start to sag and possibly collapse later.
You should also keep an eye on the plumbing underneath the sink and near the toilet. You should not neglect the slow drips that can happen with these pipes and you should get them fixed as soon as possible, no matter how water tight your floor might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Aspergillosis and Its Forms
While some of us might know what causes mold to grow and what it can do to our bodies and buildings, we’re not exactly familiar with the different species of mold that exist in the world. Not all mold species grow effectively indoors, but aspergillus is a genus of mold that does quite well in that area. Depending on the species, some aspergillus molds can be harmful to human beings and some can cause any number of conditions that are collectively known as aspergillosis.
Aspergillosis symptoms can vary depending on the type of infection. In its allergic form, these symptoms can include coughing up blood or brown mucous, weight loss, shortness of breath, coughing, and fever, among others.
Aspergilloma, which are fungus growths in the body that are caused by mold, are typically found growing in the lungs, but can also grow in other parts of the body. They are usually found growing in pre-existing cavities in the lungs or other organs, such as when a person has had lung cancer, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, or other infections that cause them. A lot of the time when a person actually has aspergilloma somewhere in their body, they have no symptoms. When symptoms do finally show up, they sometimes include coughing up blood, fever, weight loss, and shortness of breath. Wheezing can also be heard in some patients. Some tests that can be done to test for aspergilloma are a chest x-ray, a bronchoscopy, or a blood test that can be done to find antibodies to fight off aspergillus mold.
Pulmonary aspergillosis of the invasive type is known to occur in people who have weakened immune systems and the symptoms of this can include blood in the urine, headaches, chest pain, meningitis, sinusitis, and shortness of breath, among others. Chest x-rays, skin tests, and blood counts are a few of the methods that can be used to test for it.
Pulmonary aspergillosis causes some inflammation of the esophagus and the air sacs located within the lungs. Aspergillus mold is a common genus and so infections that are a direct result of touching it or inhaling it are possible, but rare. Some people are hypersensitive to the presence of aspergillus mold and have an allergic reaction and this may imitate such conditions as pneumonia or even asthma because a lot of the time patients that have allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) also have asthma.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Aspergillosis symptoms can vary depending on the type of infection. In its allergic form, these symptoms can include coughing up blood or brown mucous, weight loss, shortness of breath, coughing, and fever, among others.
Aspergilloma, which are fungus growths in the body that are caused by mold, are typically found growing in the lungs, but can also grow in other parts of the body. They are usually found growing in pre-existing cavities in the lungs or other organs, such as when a person has had lung cancer, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, or other infections that cause them. A lot of the time when a person actually has aspergilloma somewhere in their body, they have no symptoms. When symptoms do finally show up, they sometimes include coughing up blood, fever, weight loss, and shortness of breath. Wheezing can also be heard in some patients. Some tests that can be done to test for aspergilloma are a chest x-ray, a bronchoscopy, or a blood test that can be done to find antibodies to fight off aspergillus mold.
Pulmonary aspergillosis of the invasive type is known to occur in people who have weakened immune systems and the symptoms of this can include blood in the urine, headaches, chest pain, meningitis, sinusitis, and shortness of breath, among others. Chest x-rays, skin tests, and blood counts are a few of the methods that can be used to test for it.
Pulmonary aspergillosis causes some inflammation of the esophagus and the air sacs located within the lungs. Aspergillus mold is a common genus and so infections that are a direct result of touching it or inhaling it are possible, but rare. Some people are hypersensitive to the presence of aspergillus mold and have an allergic reaction and this may imitate such conditions as pneumonia or even asthma because a lot of the time patients that have allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) also have asthma.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
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