Spring home preparation goes beyond just making your house look good for continued occupancy. Instead, take advantage of this perfect weather to prepare and make sure that the rest of the seasons go wonderfully well. You will be surprised at how the things you do for spring can save you tons of money when summer and winter come knocking back again. That being said, following are some tips on how to prepare your home.

HVAC System
This stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning – all of which are terribly important come spring time. Make sure that your HVAC unit is running well with clean air filters to keep those allergens out. Buy as many air filters as you can since there is a good chance you will be replacing that several times through the months.

Roof Check and Repair
Thanks to the beautiful weather, having your roof checked and repaired as the seasons change would be easy. Make sure all your shingles are in perfect order with no leaks where heat and water can pass through. Don’t forget the gutter! These could be clogged, making it hard for water to pass through. Gutter cleaning can be done personally or you can hire a professional for the tough parts.

Water Restoration
The cold weather could have done minor damages in your water pipes. They may be minor now – but they would definitely be a major problem once temperature approaches freezing again. Spring is the perfect time to have those pipes checked and repaired. You will find that doing so now prevents any costly repairs in the future. Structural drying, dehumidification, and sewage cleanup should all be part of your must be done list.

Window Upgrade
At night, you don’t want warm air leaking into your home and making it harder to sleep. Check your windows to make sure that the glass have no cracks and the linings are intact. If you find any, this is an easy fix – just buy sealants or silicone caulking to keep the linings intact.

Mold Remediation
Few people are aware of just how hazardous molds can be. After winter, you want to make sure that your home doesn’t harbor any molds that can pass through the air and make your whole family sick! If it’s just a small patch, cleaning it might not be a problem – however, there are some molds that can be quite hazardous and therefore requires some professional intervention. Typically, molds grow in places that have been exposed to moist for 24 to 48 hours so the bathroom, basement, and the kitchen sink are all places to check!

Get CFL Bulbs!
Not all homeowners realize just how much impact CFL can be for your spring home. Not only do these bulbs burn less energy – allowing you to save on the power bill – but they also give off less heat! This means that you don’t have to worry about the house feeling like a furnace. Also note that during spring, it is usually best to do your heat-intensive cooking outside so that the indoors remain cool and comfortable.

A full home check, repair, and spring home preparation do not have to be expensive! Although you can handle some odds and ends of the job, having experts do the important work is still important. Look for companies affiliated with your insurance provider so you won’t have to worry about large fees. Do this today and you will be able to enjoy spring at its fullest!

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Out of all the water damage restoration jobs today, dealing with mold might be the most dangerous. Studies have shown that some types of mold can cause health problems, some of which include: respiratory problems, sinus congestion, eye irritation, throat irritation, etc.

Typically, mold grows in damp surroundings – which means that if you have a batch of them growing in your basement, then you can be sure that water damage is present. In order to solve this home-disaster, you need to: (1) remove the mold and (2) repair the water damage causing dampness in the house.

DIY Mold Removal

DIY mold removal is typically done using basic anti-mold products bought through hardware stores. These products are sprayed on the mold growth, killing them outright upon which, you can start scrubbing. You can also use household items for the job such as bleach, borax, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia. When removing mold, it is best to wear a mask to avoid inhaling the spores – as well as addressing the cause of moisture so they don’t grow back.

Professional is Better

Small batches of mold growth may be fixed with a DIY removal system but there are instances when the growth is extensive or when the mold is located in a problematic part of the house. However, those are not the only times when professional water damage restoration and mold removal is more idea. Following are some of the advantages of using professional services to get the job done:

• There are literally millions types of molds, each of them responding differently to differently removal techniques. Professionals have the capacity to find out exactly what mold they are dealing with and how to best get rid of the problem.

• Mold removal is also dependent on the place where the mold happens to grow. If it is on wood, you will need to use a specific solvent and if it i on drywall, you will need to use something else. The goal is to kill the mold without ruining the basic structure of the house – something professionals are adept in handling.

• Do not forget the original cause of the mold: water damage. Addressing the mold may be easy, but fixing the water damage would be something else entirely. Professionals are an all-in-one system which means that they will fix the damage and get rid of the mold.

• The spores released by the mold may be invisible, but you can be sure that they are traveling through the air, through the vents, and right inside your lungs. To get rid of them completely, the vents must be cleaned and filters changed.

• Due to safety issues, professionals are better equipped with the tools to take care of the mold depending on the severity of the problem. More often than not, mold removal only takes a day – allowing you to come back to a clean and healthy house immediately.

When it comes to mold caused by water damage, it is not enough to get water damage restoration specialists. You will need professionals that cover the whole lot of house repairs and restoration. This way, you will be able to trust them with the complete project, dealing only with a single set of people and of course, paying a smaller price for the cost of everything.

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Water damage prevention may be the last thing from many homeowners’ minds, but you’ll find that considering this before you move or build can save you thousands in the future. Homes within Northern California or the San Bernardino mountains are often exposed to buckets and rain and snow through the year, making it specifically important for them to arm against the possibility.

What You Can Do
Water damage prevention is possible, but only if you act quickly and address the places that need help. Following are some of the things that can be done:

Pest Damage – damage from rats, termites, and various other pests can cause moisture exposure, slowly but surely damaging the wood. Make sure that all these cracks and dents are covered before snow starts.

Clear Drainage – sometimes, water damage can be prevented by something as simple as keeping the gutters clean. Clogged pipes and drains can cause water to stay in one place for a long time, sometimes spilling to parts that shouldn’t become wet. Make sure your pipes are checked on a routine basis, the gutter cleaned, and the drain cleared of any debris.

Water Bill – pay close attention to your monthly water bill. If it suddenly went up with no apparent explanation, there’s a good chance that you have a leak somewhere. Use the gate valves to determine exactly where the leak happens to be and fix it immediately.

Roof Repair – the roof is one of the most common places where water passes through. Make sure all the shingles are placed tightly together and have replacements done if necessary. Typically, leaks occur in the attic and plumbing vents, but it’s best to cover all concerns as soon as possible.

Appliance Connections – washing machine hoses and various other connections transporting water should be replaced at least once a year. Check to see any leakage or mold growth – this is a sure sign that moisture is somehow escaping from the hose.

Peeling Paint – you’ll often find this near the windows and doors, indicating that water is somehow reaching this part of the house. Swelling is also indicative of moisture.

Finding Damage Restoration Specialists
If water causes damage to your home – it’s not too late yet. There are companies offering water damage restoration that you can turn to for help. Not only are they capable of repairing the damage caused, but they can also prevent further occurrences of the same. Have your house checked out now and prevent further damage from developing.

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If current forecasts are anything to go by, the El Nino is back. It has been predicted that the winter will be wetter in California and other parts of the country. With such predictions, it is important to take precautionary measures and take in to consideration some of the damages that might occur in case of a storm. It helps to fortify and protect the property and all items to the best of the homeowner’s ability. Sometimes however, damages still occur even after taking all measures to prevent them.

Where damages occur it is important to consider storm damage restoration as fast as possible in order to salvage properties and everything therein. This however is a process that should be done right to prevent further losses both in the short term and in the long run.

Here are some steps that make restoration after a storm smooth and stress free for property owners

1. Document the Extent of Damage
This should be the first step towards restoration. Documentation in this case is best done using photos that can show clearly what has been affected by the storm. Interior and exterior photos taken from different angles will provide a clear picture of the extent of damage. This will come in handy when it comes to filling an insurance claim.

2. Contact the Home Insurer
Most properties are covered against such damages by different insurer. One therefore needs to contact their insurer and state the extent of damage. The photos taken immediately after the damage should also be forwarded to the insurer to support the claim.

In order to make a claim, one needs to have an estimate of the total cost of repairs required. Obtaining quotes from reliable service providers will give a rough idea on the costs that will be incurred to take care of the damages.

3. Secure Your Property
This step can be taken before contacting an insurer or right after depending on the prevailing circumstances. The goal here is to protect all items affected in one way or another from further damage either by the storm or other harsh weather conditions.

In some cases, the security of a property can be compromised by the damages, for example where a wall is brought down by the storm. All items in such a house are in danger of being stolen especially if the owners are to move to a safer place as their house is being repaired. It is important to secure such items by transporting them to another place where they are not exposed to thieves. Where the damages affect the room, the floors and the rest of the interior can be secured by covering with tarpaulin or plastic sheets.

4. Repair Damages
This is the most important step where restoration is involved. It therefore requires time and careful consideration to ensure that it is done right. Where damages are minimal, individuals can repair the damages as quickly as possible. With extensive damages however, a licensed contractor is required to the repairs.

Choosing the right contractor can be an uphill task considering the many options available. Property owners need to consider previous work, experience and company insurance before engaging a company to repair the damages. Where possible, this can be done in advance so as to make things easier when it comes to dealing with the damages once they occur.

With extensive damages home owners might need to find another place to stay while their house is being repaired. It is important to consider a place that is as near as possible to the house as this will make supervision during repairs easier for the homeowner.

5. Replace Damaged Items
Not all damaged items can be repaired especially where damages are extensive. Some items for example electronics, carpets and other decor items can only be replaced after extensive damages. Whatever the item being replaced, it is important to keep all receipts issued after purchase for insurance claim purposes. It helps to go a step further, make a copy of the receipts and forward the same to the insurer. This will ease and speed up the insurance claim process.

The five steps for storm damage restoration covers what can be done in an ideal situation. The fact, however, is that it is hard to predict the outcome where such calamities like storms are involved. It therefore helps to be prepared for anything and heed any advice given by the relevant authorities dealing with such situations.

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Two of the worst things that can happen to your house or business are fire and water damage. However, just like all things, life must move on and you must certainly try your best to stand up and begin repairs so that you can get back to your daily life. That is why it is important not to let a bad situation become even worse by choosing to trust the wrong company or people. After this huge trial, it is important that you should hire a good company that can restore your place like brand new. Getting a fire and water damage restoration company should be a very big and pressing choice for you so you should choose wisely. Before choosing what company to hire, you should first know what to look for in a good company. Since you are likely stressed out from what happened, the last thing you would want is to pick the wrong company that does a shoddy job.

Take Care in Choosing
Once the fire or the flood has settled, the first thing most people would do is to look for a damage restoration company and fortunately, most cities have a listing of companies that cater to this particular scenario. If you look carefully, you will discover that there are actually a lot of companies that address this kind of problem. Unfortunately, not all companies are created equal since not everyone who has an advertisement is necessarily qualified to the task at hand. In fact, there is great risk that the company you are calling is, in fact, a group of guys in a small office that hires subcontractors to do the job for them. These types of companies may have little to no disaster relief experience and are only in it since they were the lowest bidder.

Furthermore, as of the moment, there are no federal guidelines outlining who can and cannot do this kind of work. That said, there is no stopping people from packing a few mops and mallets on to the back of a pick-up truck and call themselves as a fire and water damage restoration company.

How to Choose a Good Company

However, you should not feel threatened or scared since it is quite easy to find out which companies are reputable or not. For starters, a good company is always readily available. Look for companies that are open 24/7 for the entire year. Fires or floods do not always happen during business hours so good companies are always ready to go at anytime — even at 3 in the morning.

A good company also has good employees. Even if the company can send over a technician in as little as an hour, it would be useless if the technician does not know how to deal with the situation at once. They should be familiar with most modern tools and equipment used for the job as well as know how to approach various scenarios. Lastly, they should also know how to talk to your insurance provider so that you can get your claim at once. Since you have just experienced something nerve-wracking, you are not expected to be calm and collected enough to do this.

For cases of fires, you should also look and see if the company offers smoke damage repair. You may think that companies who handle fire and water damage also handles this but it is an entirely different thing that, if left unattended, could actually cause more problems as well.

Lastly, you should carefully inspect whether the company that you are calling actually offers reconstruction. Some companies specialize in cleaning debris and damage. However, this means that once they are through, you will be left with a big hole on the wall or the ceiling. Fortunately, companies such as Restoration Solutions provide not only cleaning but reconstruction as well and will try to restore your house or business establishment to like how it was before the accident ever happened.

Floods and fire are probably the worst kinds of accidents that can ever happen since they cause widespread devastation and can happen almost immediately and without notice. Having been experienced those is stressful enough; cut back on your stress and choose a good company to restore you house for you.

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