If your insurance adjuster claims that mold has been around for many years longer than we have and that it does not to the damage that the media and health community say that it does, then perhaps something you should have them read up on is a verse that comes straight out of the Bible and blatantly talks about homes that are diseased.
It is called a “leprous plague” in the scripture Leviticus 14:34; it appears growing on the walls and if a family went to the priest and said “my house is diseased”, it was ordered that the people leave the house so the priest could go in and examine it. If it was determined to be diseased, then the stones of the house were to be removed and taken to a place that was away from town and from where people resided so that others would be safe from the plague. Stones were brought in to replace the ones that were removed and it was watched to see if the mold returned; if it did return, the entire house was torn down and all the debris was taken to where the first stones were dumped.
Mold was serious business in Biblical times just as it is today, but back then there were no formal antibiotics or fungicides to help get rid of the mold either in the body or on a person’s property, so most of the time it simply had to be torn down and replaced. Even the deaths of the firstborns of Egypt are sometimes attributed by scholars to the presence of mold on the food that was stored underground after the locusts came. If the food was contaminated with almost any mold, especially Stachybotrys atra, it is speculated that it would have been what killed all the firstborn children in Egypt at the time because during that period, it was customary for the eldest Egyptian child in a family to receive a second portion of food. Food that has been stored underground, especially if it was stored directly on top of the soil, would have been a perfect food also for mold. The Jews alive at the time would not have suffered from this plague because they ate herbs, lamb, and unleavened bread, which should have been safe from any mold contamination.
So, do not let your insurance adjuster fool you by trying to downplay the seriousness of mold. It was serious over 2,000 years ago and it is just as serious today.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Information on Water Damaged Paper Materials
When you have a large amount of books and papers in your home, knowing how to salvage these items in case of a flood or hurricane is a good idea, especially if these items are old or of any particular sentimental value. Most cellulose-based materials react basically the same way to water: they absorb it. But, depending on what exactly the material is made out of, how old it is, and what condition the paper was in before it was submerged into the water. Knowing as much as you can about your book collection, particularly if it contains antique books or other paper materials, will help you be able to save these items should a catastrophe occur.
Some materials can absorb anywhere from 10 percent all the way up to 200 percent of their original weight in water. Any papers or books that were made before the year 1840 can absorb some fairly large amounts of water, up to around 80 percent. These older materials are also very sensitive to mold growth after they have been under water for some time.
The majority of the damage to books is the block of papers that make up the pages of the book becoming partially or wholly detached from the binding of the book. This happens because the water that was absorbed by the papers and the cardboard binding causes them to swell up and the glue used to bind them together no longer holds the pages in their intended places. This is usually noticed once the materials have already started to dry out by themselves and the humidity in the local environment falls under 70 percent.
If the books that you own are old and are made of leather or vellum, these can usually be salvaged as long as you use some carefully controlled drying techniques. Very old leather and vellum materials should not be mixed up with other newer materials of the same nature, since new leather covered books are usually chemically treated in some way.
When you start trying to dry out your books and papers after a flood is over with, the first thing that you need to do is try to stabilize the area as far as humidity. The humidity should be lowered to around 65 percent and any standing water that still exists in the home should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If the humidity outside is lower than it is inside, opening the doors and windows should also help.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration contractors and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
Some materials can absorb anywhere from 10 percent all the way up to 200 percent of their original weight in water. Any papers or books that were made before the year 1840 can absorb some fairly large amounts of water, up to around 80 percent. These older materials are also very sensitive to mold growth after they have been under water for some time.
The majority of the damage to books is the block of papers that make up the pages of the book becoming partially or wholly detached from the binding of the book. This happens because the water that was absorbed by the papers and the cardboard binding causes them to swell up and the glue used to bind them together no longer holds the pages in their intended places. This is usually noticed once the materials have already started to dry out by themselves and the humidity in the local environment falls under 70 percent.
If the books that you own are old and are made of leather or vellum, these can usually be salvaged as long as you use some carefully controlled drying techniques. Very old leather and vellum materials should not be mixed up with other newer materials of the same nature, since new leather covered books are usually chemically treated in some way.
When you start trying to dry out your books and papers after a flood is over with, the first thing that you need to do is try to stabilize the area as far as humidity. The humidity should be lowered to around 65 percent and any standing water that still exists in the home should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If the humidity outside is lower than it is inside, opening the doors and windows should also help.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration contractors and other states such as
North Carolina mold remediation contractor companies across the united states.
When you have a large amount of books and papers in your home, knowing how to salvage these items in case of a flood or hurricane is a good idea, especially if these items are old or of any particular sentimental value. Most cellulose-based materials react basically the same way to water: they absorb it. But, depending on what exactly the material is made out of, how old it is, and what condition the paper was in before it was submerged into the water. Knowing as much as you can about your book collection, particularly if it contains antique books or other paper materials, will help you be able to save these items should a catastrophe occur.
Some materials can absorb anywhere from 10 percent all the way up to 200 percent of their original weight in water. Any papers or books that were made before the year 1840 can absorb some fairly large amounts of water, up to around 80 percent. These older materials are also very sensitive to mold growth after they have been under water for some time.
The majority of the damage to books is the block of papers that make up the pages of the book becoming partially or wholly detached from the binding of the book. This happens because the water that was absorbed by the papers and the cardboard binding causes them to swell up and the glue used to bind them together no longer holds the pages in their intended places. This is usually noticed once the materials have already started to dry out by themselves and the humidity in the local environment falls under 70 percent.
If the books that you own are old and are made of leather or vellum, these can usually be salvaged as long as you use some carefully controlled drying techniques. Very old leather and vellum materials should not be mixed up with other newer materials of the same nature, since new leather covered books are usually chemically treated in some way.
When you start trying to dry out your books and papers after a flood is over with, the first thing that you need to do is try to stabilize the area as far as humidity. The humidity should be lowered to around 65 percent and any standing water that still exists in the home should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If the humidity outside is lower than it is inside, opening the doors and windows should also help.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Mold Remediation and other states such as
New Jersey Sewage Damage Cleanup companies across the united states.
Some materials can absorb anywhere from 10 percent all the way up to 200 percent of their original weight in water. Any papers or books that were made before the year 1840 can absorb some fairly large amounts of water, up to around 80 percent. These older materials are also very sensitive to mold growth after they have been under water for some time.
The majority of the damage to books is the block of papers that make up the pages of the book becoming partially or wholly detached from the binding of the book. This happens because the water that was absorbed by the papers and the cardboard binding causes them to swell up and the glue used to bind them together no longer holds the pages in their intended places. This is usually noticed once the materials have already started to dry out by themselves and the humidity in the local environment falls under 70 percent.
If the books that you own are old and are made of leather or vellum, these can usually be salvaged as long as you use some carefully controlled drying techniques. Very old leather and vellum materials should not be mixed up with other newer materials of the same nature, since new leather covered books are usually chemically treated in some way.
When you start trying to dry out your books and papers after a flood is over with, the first thing that you need to do is try to stabilize the area as far as humidity. The humidity should be lowered to around 65 percent and any standing water that still exists in the home should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If the humidity outside is lower than it is inside, opening the doors and windows should also help.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Mold Remediation and other states such as
New Jersey Sewage Damage Cleanup companies across the united states.
Hiring a Contractor to Build Your House
When you want to build a new home, you have to go through quite a few things to get it just right. You have to find the property that you want the home built on, find out what the cost of running electricity and water to the property will cost, as well as telephone lines, among other costs. Figuring out just what kind of home you want to build is also a problem, particularly if you are not the only one that is going to be living in the home. After you do all that, the next step is hiring the right contractor and determining what kind of materials you want the home built out of.
Select at least a few different licensed contractors to choose from first and get three or more different bids. This will give you a few options and will give you a general idea of how much it will cost to build your home. Make sure that the contractor’s license is current and that there has not been any claims filed against it. Get a list of references from each of the contractors you are considering and call as many of them as you can. Visit their homes and ask if you can view the property and determine the quality of the work. You should not worry about this too much, since most new homeowners really enjoy showing off their new home. Ask if they have had any problems with mold or water damage due to faulty construction and factor this into your decision on whether to choose that contractor.
When asking for a bid on a building project, you should give every contractor that you are considering the exact same set of building plans and materials. Giving them different sets of plans will be pretty pointless, since you only have the money to build one home (we assume).
When you finally do choose a contractor, you need to ask when they will be able to start and about how long it will take them to complete the project. Also obtain copies of any insurance policies that they have (and they should have them, if not, do not hire them) and store them in a job folder that you will use to keep track of payments and other important project-related information, such as a copy of your contract.
The bid on the project should be broken down to each specific aspect of the building of the home, such as the framing of it, the electric system, the plumbing, installation of drywall, molding, and etcetera.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Select at least a few different licensed contractors to choose from first and get three or more different bids. This will give you a few options and will give you a general idea of how much it will cost to build your home. Make sure that the contractor’s license is current and that there has not been any claims filed against it. Get a list of references from each of the contractors you are considering and call as many of them as you can. Visit their homes and ask if you can view the property and determine the quality of the work. You should not worry about this too much, since most new homeowners really enjoy showing off their new home. Ask if they have had any problems with mold or water damage due to faulty construction and factor this into your decision on whether to choose that contractor.
When asking for a bid on a building project, you should give every contractor that you are considering the exact same set of building plans and materials. Giving them different sets of plans will be pretty pointless, since you only have the money to build one home (we assume).
When you finally do choose a contractor, you need to ask when they will be able to start and about how long it will take them to complete the project. Also obtain copies of any insurance policies that they have (and they should have them, if not, do not hire them) and store them in a job folder that you will use to keep track of payments and other important project-related information, such as a copy of your contract.
The bid on the project should be broken down to each specific aspect of the building of the home, such as the framing of it, the electric system, the plumbing, installation of drywall, molding, and etcetera.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Wet Basement Tips
Maybe you use your basement for storage or maybe it is used as a family recreation area or even perhaps contains an extra bedroom. No matter what you use your basement for, what you really do not want is to have leaks in it. It usually creates an odor or causes mold to grow on some of the property that you may have down there and most of us are aware that any mold growing in our homes is undesirable. There are quite a few things that you can do to waterproof your basement, though, and most of them are pretty easy.
Basements are most likely to leak around the joints where the wall and the floor meet up and this is especially true after a heavy rain or when a heavy blanket of snow starts to melt around your home. This makes up about 90 percent of all the leaks that occur in basements. What happens here is that the surface water, like rain or melting snow, collects and builds up around the foundation of the home. This is forced through the joint where the wall and the floor come together. One of the best ways to prevent this is to make sure that the ground on the outside of your home slopes away from it, so that water is directed out toward the outer edges of your lawn instead of toward your basement. The slope should be extended for at least ten feet and up about one inch per foot.
Downspout extensions can also be installed for the same purpose of taking water away from your foundation. Rain gutters also need to be cleaned out regularly. If you do not have rain gutters, you should install some. This prevents water from falling off your roof and directly to the base of your home.
The windows to your basement also need protected. Installing windows that are properly sealed and installing window wells will prevent this.
Stopping water from condensing around the pipes and other cold surfaces in your basement can be done by insulating the pipes and also by controlling the ventilation in the room. Humidity should also be lowered if you are experiencing condensation build-up on windows.
Something that should never be done is hanging up wet laundry in the basement to dry. This will build up the humidity that you are trying to get rid of.
Any plumbing that is leaking should be repaired immediately and if necessary, a dehumidifier should be installed in the basement to lower the moisture content of the air. This should help keep your basement feeling dry.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Basements are most likely to leak around the joints where the wall and the floor meet up and this is especially true after a heavy rain or when a heavy blanket of snow starts to melt around your home. This makes up about 90 percent of all the leaks that occur in basements. What happens here is that the surface water, like rain or melting snow, collects and builds up around the foundation of the home. This is forced through the joint where the wall and the floor come together. One of the best ways to prevent this is to make sure that the ground on the outside of your home slopes away from it, so that water is directed out toward the outer edges of your lawn instead of toward your basement. The slope should be extended for at least ten feet and up about one inch per foot.
Downspout extensions can also be installed for the same purpose of taking water away from your foundation. Rain gutters also need to be cleaned out regularly. If you do not have rain gutters, you should install some. This prevents water from falling off your roof and directly to the base of your home.
The windows to your basement also need protected. Installing windows that are properly sealed and installing window wells will prevent this.
Stopping water from condensing around the pipes and other cold surfaces in your basement can be done by insulating the pipes and also by controlling the ventilation in the room. Humidity should also be lowered if you are experiencing condensation build-up on windows.
Something that should never be done is hanging up wet laundry in the basement to dry. This will build up the humidity that you are trying to get rid of.
Any plumbing that is leaking should be repaired immediately and if necessary, a dehumidifier should be installed in the basement to lower the moisture content of the air. This should help keep your basement feeling dry.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Waterproofing Your Basement
No matter what you use the basement of your home for, odds are pretty good that a leak would be a sizeable issue for you. You might have old furniture or other belongings down there or you might use it as a guest bedroom or just a playroom for the kids. Getting rid of the leak should be the first thing on your mind, but preventing future leaks should be a close second and there are a few different ways that you can do this.
Leaking plumbing needs to be replaced as soon as possible and the pipes need to be insulated to prevent condensation from building up on them and dripping onto the floor.
Wet basements are usually caused by water leaking in around the corners. This happens mostly after there has been a heavy rain or a heavy snowfall that starts to melt. This water will collect around the foundation of the home and causes pressure on the walls and as the walls give, the water is forced through that joint.
Finding out if the problem comes from the outside or the inside is not difficult to do. To determine which it is, you need to duct tape a piece of aluminum foil to the wall in your basement that is most prone to being wet and you should make sure that this is as airtight as possible. Wait a few days and check which side of the foil is wet. If it is the inside, then the problem is coming from the outside and if it is the outside, then your problem lies with condensation. Check out getting a dehumidifier to help fix this problem and do your best to lower the humidity in your basement. Install a vent so steam from a dryer or a shower that you may have down there will have a place to go. You should also never hang clothes up to dry in your basement.
Something else that you can do is install downspout extensions to help the water flow away from your home instead of settling down around the foundation in a pocket that will cause the aforementioned seepage.
Waterproofing paint or other compounds can be applied to areas of the home where occasional seepage occurs and it will be enough to keep the area dry. Determine the limitations of the waterproofing product that you choose and know just what you can.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
Leaking plumbing needs to be replaced as soon as possible and the pipes need to be insulated to prevent condensation from building up on them and dripping onto the floor.
Wet basements are usually caused by water leaking in around the corners. This happens mostly after there has been a heavy rain or a heavy snowfall that starts to melt. This water will collect around the foundation of the home and causes pressure on the walls and as the walls give, the water is forced through that joint.
Finding out if the problem comes from the outside or the inside is not difficult to do. To determine which it is, you need to duct tape a piece of aluminum foil to the wall in your basement that is most prone to being wet and you should make sure that this is as airtight as possible. Wait a few days and check which side of the foil is wet. If it is the inside, then the problem is coming from the outside and if it is the outside, then your problem lies with condensation. Check out getting a dehumidifier to help fix this problem and do your best to lower the humidity in your basement. Install a vent so steam from a dryer or a shower that you may have down there will have a place to go. You should also never hang clothes up to dry in your basement.
Something else that you can do is install downspout extensions to help the water flow away from your home instead of settling down around the foundation in a pocket that will cause the aforementioned seepage.
Waterproofing paint or other compounds can be applied to areas of the home where occasional seepage occurs and it will be enough to keep the area dry. Determine the limitations of the waterproofing product that you choose and know just what you can.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
Taking Care of Water Damaged Documents
After you find that it is safe to return to your home after a hurricane or a flood, one of the first things you are going to want to do is find all the legal papers and other important paper items in your home that you need to salvage. This can include all kinds of things that might be valuable to you, such as an only copy of a writer’s manuscript or anything else that may hold monetary or sentimental value.
As soon as you get back to the home, you need to be careful about the electrical hazards that may exist since there is probably still standing water somewhere in the home. The carpet is probably soaked and hardwood floors are likely to be, as well, so you need to make sure that the electricity to your home is completely off before you re-enter. After you do that, find whatever documents you need to find and lift them very carefully out of any water they may be in. The documents that are the highest priority to you should be removed and taken care of first. Put them onto a flat surface of some kind for drying and hope that you got to them before the mold did. As long as you remove your papers from water within 48 hours, they should be safe from mold contamination. Once mold starts to grow on papers like these, they usually cannot be saved.
The standing water in the house needs to be removed as soon as possible and in different seasons, the humidity needs to be adjusted a certain way. In the winter, the heat should be turned off to reduce indoor humidity and in the summer the air conditioning needs to be turned down to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some documents that have been in the water for a long time will need to be freeze dried in order to save them. If you have some money on your hands, this is not usually a big problem. Purchasing some freezer paper and finding a strong cardboard box to put them in is the first step to this. Wrap your documents in the freezer paper to stop them from sticking together and put them in the box. One of the most important things is to try and keep like-sized items packed together. Books on books and single papers on single papers should work just fine. Label the outside of it with your contact information and a list of the contents.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
As soon as you get back to the home, you need to be careful about the electrical hazards that may exist since there is probably still standing water somewhere in the home. The carpet is probably soaked and hardwood floors are likely to be, as well, so you need to make sure that the electricity to your home is completely off before you re-enter. After you do that, find whatever documents you need to find and lift them very carefully out of any water they may be in. The documents that are the highest priority to you should be removed and taken care of first. Put them onto a flat surface of some kind for drying and hope that you got to them before the mold did. As long as you remove your papers from water within 48 hours, they should be safe from mold contamination. Once mold starts to grow on papers like these, they usually cannot be saved.
The standing water in the house needs to be removed as soon as possible and in different seasons, the humidity needs to be adjusted a certain way. In the winter, the heat should be turned off to reduce indoor humidity and in the summer the air conditioning needs to be turned down to around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some documents that have been in the water for a long time will need to be freeze dried in order to save them. If you have some money on your hands, this is not usually a big problem. Purchasing some freezer paper and finding a strong cardboard box to put them in is the first step to this. Wrap your documents in the freezer paper to stop them from sticking together and put them in the box. One of the most important things is to try and keep like-sized items packed together. Books on books and single papers on single papers should work just fine. Label the outside of it with your contact information and a list of the contents.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration companies and
Dallas Residential Water Damage Restoration Contractors.
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