One of the first things that should be on your mind after a flood or a hurricane is the important papers and other documents that are in your home inside dressers, desks, and on tables. Sometimes these are the only copies in existence and if you lose them, you might be facing a little bit of inconvenience or you could possibly be facing some legal trouble. Protecting these documents should be one of the first things that you think about when a storm is about to hit and after it is over, you also need to be concerned about how to restore them should they become damaged.
Purchasing a waterproof and fireproof safe is a very good idea if you have any important documents and since most people do, this should apply to you. Whether it is a marriage certificate, birth certificate, warranty on your newly constructed home or large appliance, or any other paper that could have legal significance, you should do your best to make sure that these documents are in a safe place. A waterproof and fireproof safe will help keep these documents protected during times of tragedy striking your house.
Documents should be taken out of standing water before 2 days is up, since mold will start to grow sometime closely afterward. Mold eats organically based items such as paper and wood, so making sure that these items do not become molded is very important. Dry a flat surface to lay these documents onto and open the windows and doors in the home to allow for ventilation. This will help dry the papers out faster.
Any standing water that still exists in your home should be removed, as well. The humidity needs to be lowered as much as you can and the temperature should be put at near 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Items that need to be taken to a freeze dry facility for restoration should be packed in freezer wrap. Pack these only as tightly as you need to in order to prevent them from sticking to each other in the box. Books should be packed with other like-sized items and papers should be packed in a separate box with other papers. Put your name, address, phone number, and content list on the box and transport it to the facility of your choosing.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
New Jersey mold damage restoration and other states and cities such as
Connecticut mold remediation companies across the united states.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Repairing Wet Basement Concrete
Water leaking into the basement through concrete walls is something of a nuisance if it does not cause structural damage and if it does, well, then it is a much bigger problem that needs to be dealt with. Whether you use your basement for storage or for an extra bedroom or an entertainment area, having a wet basement tends to create an uncomfortable atmosphere. Musty smells from mold growth will result, especially if there are things in the basement for the mold to feed on, such as paper or furniture. Not only is the smell quite repulsive, but the mold also creates a health risk for anyone living in the house. Mold often gets transferred from room to room by people and pets, so the infestation being mainly in the basement will not stop it from getting to other areas of your house.
So, what can you do to waterproof your basement walls? If there are already cracks in them, particularly in the middle of the wall, then sealing up the cracks is a fairly easy job to do. The only thing that you need to really do is determine what kind of material that you need to fill in the cracks with.
Caulking the crack shut does not work because it does not bond to the concrete and water will eventually cause it to come loose and just fall out. Cement does not work, either, since it is rigid and concrete is always moving, expanding, and shrinking.
Using a low-pressure injection of concrete is one of the best things that you can do to correct this problem. While it used to be expensive and need a heavy amount of equipment to accomplish, you can do it these days with a normal caulking gun.
Expandable polyurethane is one material that you can use to fill in cracks allowing water into the house. While it does not give the concrete any added strength, it does create a waterproof barrier. The polyurethane will bond to the crack whether water is seeping in through it at the time or not.
Go around the exterior of the house and find where water could be seeping inside. This could be around the foundation where water settles into pockets because the soil is not piled high enough around the house. You can fix this by getting soil from another area of your yard, if possible, or purchasing some and packing it in these pockets around the house.
If the problem is ground water, one of the only things that you can do about this is to install a drain system in the yard so the soil does not get oversaturated.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
So, what can you do to waterproof your basement walls? If there are already cracks in them, particularly in the middle of the wall, then sealing up the cracks is a fairly easy job to do. The only thing that you need to really do is determine what kind of material that you need to fill in the cracks with.
Caulking the crack shut does not work because it does not bond to the concrete and water will eventually cause it to come loose and just fall out. Cement does not work, either, since it is rigid and concrete is always moving, expanding, and shrinking.
Using a low-pressure injection of concrete is one of the best things that you can do to correct this problem. While it used to be expensive and need a heavy amount of equipment to accomplish, you can do it these days with a normal caulking gun.
Expandable polyurethane is one material that you can use to fill in cracks allowing water into the house. While it does not give the concrete any added strength, it does create a waterproof barrier. The polyurethane will bond to the crack whether water is seeping in through it at the time or not.
Go around the exterior of the house and find where water could be seeping inside. This could be around the foundation where water settles into pockets because the soil is not piled high enough around the house. You can fix this by getting soil from another area of your yard, if possible, or purchasing some and packing it in these pockets around the house.
If the problem is ground water, one of the only things that you can do about this is to install a drain system in the yard so the soil does not get oversaturated.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration chicago and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
Repairing Tile Grout Helps Stop Water Damage
When the grout between the tile in our bathrooms becomes cracked, loose, or missing, water is allowed to get underneath the tile and damage the wooden floor underneath it. This damage can eventually become structural and cause the need for replacement of the entire floor or at least a sizeable portion of it. This will not only cost you quite a bit of money, but will also cause the loss of at least a day or two in repairing it. Not many people want to have to tear up the tile on the floor in the bathroom or on the walls of the shower and then tear up the floor, too. Repairing grout is not a difficult job to do and it is something that you can do yourself to keep your floor waterproofed.
There are a few different kinds of grout that you can use to repair the cracked or missing grout in your bathroom. There is unsanded, sanded, epoxy, or acrylic grout and depending on the kind of tile that you will use the grout between, you will need to use one instead of the other. If you have marble tiles, you should not use sanded grout, since this will etch the marble irreparably. Use acrylic or unsanded grout on marble tiles.
Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions and before you go to replace the grout, the area should be cleaned with a mixture of water and vinegar. Use a grout saw to take out the damaged and loose grout, but be careful not to chip the tile. Dampen the joints with water and use a paper towel to soak up the water. The joints need to be filled up and the surface should be rounded out with a stick. Use a damp sponge to get rid of the excess.
Allow the grout to set firmly in the joints and the directions on the grout package should tell you how long this is going to take. A grout sealant should be applied over the grout after it dries, since this grout is going in an area that is going to be wet.
Clean the tile with a damp rag after the sealant dries and allow it to dry again. After the cloudy haze starts to appear on the tile, use a dry towel to polish this off.
You do not need to hire a professional to do these small home improvement jobs. Most of the time jobs of this size can be done by you and you will save a significant amount of money doing them on your own.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
There are a few different kinds of grout that you can use to repair the cracked or missing grout in your bathroom. There is unsanded, sanded, epoxy, or acrylic grout and depending on the kind of tile that you will use the grout between, you will need to use one instead of the other. If you have marble tiles, you should not use sanded grout, since this will etch the marble irreparably. Use acrylic or unsanded grout on marble tiles.
Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions and before you go to replace the grout, the area should be cleaned with a mixture of water and vinegar. Use a grout saw to take out the damaged and loose grout, but be careful not to chip the tile. Dampen the joints with water and use a paper towel to soak up the water. The joints need to be filled up and the surface should be rounded out with a stick. Use a damp sponge to get rid of the excess.
Allow the grout to set firmly in the joints and the directions on the grout package should tell you how long this is going to take. A grout sealant should be applied over the grout after it dries, since this grout is going in an area that is going to be wet.
Clean the tile with a damp rag after the sealant dries and allow it to dry again. After the cloudy haze starts to appear on the tile, use a dry towel to polish this off.
You do not need to hire a professional to do these small home improvement jobs. Most of the time jobs of this size can be done by you and you will save a significant amount of money doing them on your own.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Sewage Damage Cleanup and other states such as
South Carolina mold remediation companies across the united states.
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