Fires happen all over the world, but the fires that happen inside a person’s home are often the most preventable and all it takes is a little diligence and some common sense to discover what the fire hazards in your home are and how to get rid of them when you find them.
It is a fact that most house fires happen in the kitchen. Even though a great number of these small stove fires go unreported because they do not do any damage, you really need to learn what you can do to prevent them from happening in the first place, because it only takes a second or two for a small fire to spread into a much larger one. House fire prevention begins in the kitchen by learning that you should never leave anything on the stove unattended unless it is an emergency and you should never leave the house to go and run errands during this time unless someone is going to be there to keep an eye on the cooking.
You also need to be careful with deep fryers and electric skillets. Any appliance that emits a large amount of heat needs to be monitored consistently to make sure that it does not overheat and catch on fire and you should not ever have to use an extension cord with these. Small extension cords like the ones you would use for lamps will NOT work and will melt. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it is a heavy duty one with a gauge of at least 14.
Heating shortening and oil in the kitchen also poses a significant problem, since it is so flammable. Heat these slowly so that they do not burn and do not catch on fire and if you have to leave the room, turn them off or have someone watch them for you.
Space heaters are also a big problem during the winter time and like with deep fryers and electric skillets, do not use an extension cord with these. Do not place them near drapes or other fabric items and keep children away from them. Also try not to leave them on overnight while you are sleeping unless you absolutely have to and even then, make sure you take the necessary steps to keep flammable items away from them. Do not use these in the bedrooms of small children due to the amount of flammable stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets that are likely to be there.
The worst thing that you can do is let yourself become comfortable with these appliances and allow yourself to think that you know what you are doing and a fire cannot happen to you. Letting your guard down in this manner is what causes a large amount of house fires.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.waterbasementct.info and
http://www.moldrestorationusa.com
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Sewage Cleanup After The Flood
Floods are often some of the most devastating natural events that can hit a home and the cleanup process that needs to begin afterward is one of the most hectic. Biological hazards such as sewage, chemicals, and even decaying bodies have been known to be found in flood waters, as the tragedy that was Hurricane Katrina showed us, and the likelihood of these things lurking in the flood water that has affected your home is fairly prevalent. Cleaning up your home after a flood can be one of the most trying experiences you can have, but if you stay calm and rational, you can get this done without a lot of help.
You need to obtain some protection equipment if you are going to be cleaning and disinfecting your home on your own. Latex gloves and rubber boots are just two of the things that you will need to protect yourself from the bio-hazards that now exist in your home. Make sure you have plenty of antibacterial soap on hand so that you can wash your hands frequently, especially before you eat anything.
Almost anything porous that has been contaminated by the water should be thrown out. Furniture like upholstered couches and chairs should be thrown out because the padding will absorb chemicals, soil, and sewage over the short time that it was in the flood waters and completely disinfecting these items without tearing out the old padding and re-upholstering them is almost impossible. They will still likely smell and eventually become molded. Any toys that your children had such as stuffed animals and even much of their bedding will need to be thrown away. Children should not be let back into the house until the cleaning process is finished.
Cleaning the sewage on the floors and walls will not be that easy. Obtain two buckets and put clean water for rinsing in one and water that has been treated with disinfectant in the other. Wash the floor with a mop, but do not put the dirty mop back into the clean water without rinsing it first. Follow this procedure and make sure you replace your rinse water often.
Depending on the condition of your drywall, you may either need to replace it or just repaint it. It depends on how long the house was under water, the amount of damage that was done and if the drywall appears to be trying to buckle. If discoloration is the only problem, repainting over it is feasible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
You need to obtain some protection equipment if you are going to be cleaning and disinfecting your home on your own. Latex gloves and rubber boots are just two of the things that you will need to protect yourself from the bio-hazards that now exist in your home. Make sure you have plenty of antibacterial soap on hand so that you can wash your hands frequently, especially before you eat anything.
Almost anything porous that has been contaminated by the water should be thrown out. Furniture like upholstered couches and chairs should be thrown out because the padding will absorb chemicals, soil, and sewage over the short time that it was in the flood waters and completely disinfecting these items without tearing out the old padding and re-upholstering them is almost impossible. They will still likely smell and eventually become molded. Any toys that your children had such as stuffed animals and even much of their bedding will need to be thrown away. Children should not be let back into the house until the cleaning process is finished.
Cleaning the sewage on the floors and walls will not be that easy. Obtain two buckets and put clean water for rinsing in one and water that has been treated with disinfectant in the other. Wash the floor with a mop, but do not put the dirty mop back into the clean water without rinsing it first. Follow this procedure and make sure you replace your rinse water often.
Depending on the condition of your drywall, you may either need to replace it or just repaint it. It depends on how long the house was under water, the amount of damage that was done and if the drywall appears to be trying to buckle. If discoloration is the only problem, repainting over it is feasible.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
The Invisible Mold Threat
You might think that you know exactly how to look for mold and what it looks like physically, but you may not realize that you could be missing some serious mold infestations that are right in front of you, but cannot see them. Hidden mold that grows inside your walls is one thing, but there are also molds that grow on your walls that are difficult to see with the naked eye, at least, without some help. There are members of the Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. that can be almost invisible on different surfaces of your home and you can very easily miss them when you are doing a normal inspection. There is a way to detect these growths, but you will need a flashlight and know just how to use it in order to accomplish this.
Detecting molds that are nearly invisible with a simple flashlight might seem like an odd idea, but the way it is done is shining the light along the surface instead of directly against it at a 90 degree angle like most people would. These molds are particularly hard to see on wood paneling and sometimes the appearance of the paneling itself can give away the presence of mold. Paneling that is warped or buckling may indicate that it has been water damaged and that mold may exist on its surface. Paneling is often used as a cheap replacement for drywall that has been flooded, since many people cannot afford to fully replace all the drywall in their homes after such an event.
Not all hidden molds grow behind your drywall or paneling, but they can actually be growing right in front of you and you do not realize it. These molds are very light colored and it is often that deliberately looking for them with a flashlight is the only option to find them.
While these molds can be harmful to your health and you can miss them very easily, there are cosmetic molds, such as Ceratocystis, that are very easily seen, but are almost completely harmless to humans and the homes that they live in. Looks can be deceiving and it is often the threats that we cannot see that are the most dangerous to us. Try not to judge a book by its cover and if you find mold in your home of any kind, consult a professional to determine just what it is and how dangerous it might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
Detecting molds that are nearly invisible with a simple flashlight might seem like an odd idea, but the way it is done is shining the light along the surface instead of directly against it at a 90 degree angle like most people would. These molds are particularly hard to see on wood paneling and sometimes the appearance of the paneling itself can give away the presence of mold. Paneling that is warped or buckling may indicate that it has been water damaged and that mold may exist on its surface. Paneling is often used as a cheap replacement for drywall that has been flooded, since many people cannot afford to fully replace all the drywall in their homes after such an event.
Not all hidden molds grow behind your drywall or paneling, but they can actually be growing right in front of you and you do not realize it. These molds are very light colored and it is often that deliberately looking for them with a flashlight is the only option to find them.
While these molds can be harmful to your health and you can miss them very easily, there are cosmetic molds, such as Ceratocystis, that are very easily seen, but are almost completely harmless to humans and the homes that they live in. Looks can be deceiving and it is often the threats that we cannot see that are the most dangerous to us. Try not to judge a book by its cover and if you find mold in your home of any kind, consult a professional to determine just what it is and how dangerous it might be.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors and
Orlando water Damage companies.
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