If you live in an older home or are thinking about buying one, there may not be exhaust fans in the bathrooms. Installing them will probably be in your best interest for quit a few reasons. First of all they help to pull those smelly odors out of the room. Next they stop your mirrors from fogging up so much, but more importantly they go along way towards the prevention of mold growth. All that moisture will eventually lead to the black fuzzy looking stuff setting up housekeeping on your bathroom walls and ceiling. Excessive moisture can damage to your paint or wallpaper and woodwork as well. If left unresolved it can damage sheetrock and cause extensive repairs to have to be made. Mold growing anywhere can be unsightly and not a very healthy situation either.
Installing an exhaust fan now can be a fairly inexpensive solution when compared to the costly consequences of putting it off until later. You can get them at most home improvement stores. They can be purchased with or without lights. If you have a ceiling light fixture in your bathroom already, you can replace it with a fan/light combination. Or add just the fan in another location. Before you go down to pick one out, be sure to know the measurements of your bathroom so you are able to purchase one that will be strong enough for the size of your room. A sales person should be able to help you locate one with the right CFM {cubic feet per minute} That information can be found somewhere on the box..
If your going to attempt the installation yourself, take a good look at the tools you will need and all the necessary steps involved to be sure that you are up to the task. There are several things such as electrical wiring, installing the vent into the ceiling and out of the house through the attic. You might want to consider hiring someone to do it for you. Sometimes this is the best way to go if your not very skilled at do it yourself projects.
Whichever way you decide to go, it will be an inexpensive improvement that will help to dispel a number of things excessive bathroom moisture can cause. It will defiantly be worth the time and money now compared with what it could cost you least on.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Water Underneath Your Home
Unless your have a basement, not many people care much for venturing into that little door that leads underneath your home. The crawl space under there can vary from house to house. If you have ever had the pleasure of going in there, then you know how spooky it can be. It is usually very dark with lots of long ago vacated cobwebs and possibly some more recent occupied ones. It is also a great place for snakes to creep into, as well as mice and small animals.
You might not ever want to go under there, but an occasional look around into the dark depths with a flashlight might be a good thing. Not knowing what is going on under there can result in some bad consequences if left undetected.
If you happen to have central heating and air ductwork running underneath your home, any of the places it may have came loose can cause you to lose heating and cooling efficiency, in turn causing more strain on your unit and your wallet. Brackets holding the duct work off the ground could work loose or rust. It probably won’t happen, but you never know.
A more serious problem can occur if water leakage happens. This can be really bad if it is occurring around the foundation of your home. Over time, it can cause foundation failure. When this happens, the walls inside your home can become affected as well. If you find water under the house it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Water damage in any form is never good.
Leaking pipes can cause water to puddle in spots under the house also. It does not sound too bad unless the leak happens to be wetting the floor joist. Eventually, it will cause rotting and molding to occur. This can lead to floor damage that can be costly and not easy to repair.
Outside water spigots are another thing you do not worry about until you start to use it and have problems. Usually the handle will start to slip and will not shut off completely. This is very easy to notice, but leaks can also develop in the piping behind the foundation walls where you can not see.
So, if you do go under your house just to have a look around, keep these few things in mind to check out while you are there. A little prevention really can go a long way towards saving time and money later on.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
You might not ever want to go under there, but an occasional look around into the dark depths with a flashlight might be a good thing. Not knowing what is going on under there can result in some bad consequences if left undetected.
If you happen to have central heating and air ductwork running underneath your home, any of the places it may have came loose can cause you to lose heating and cooling efficiency, in turn causing more strain on your unit and your wallet. Brackets holding the duct work off the ground could work loose or rust. It probably won’t happen, but you never know.
A more serious problem can occur if water leakage happens. This can be really bad if it is occurring around the foundation of your home. Over time, it can cause foundation failure. When this happens, the walls inside your home can become affected as well. If you find water under the house it needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Water damage in any form is never good.
Leaking pipes can cause water to puddle in spots under the house also. It does not sound too bad unless the leak happens to be wetting the floor joist. Eventually, it will cause rotting and molding to occur. This can lead to floor damage that can be costly and not easy to repair.
Outside water spigots are another thing you do not worry about until you start to use it and have problems. Usually the handle will start to slip and will not shut off completely. This is very easy to notice, but leaks can also develop in the piping behind the foundation walls where you can not see.
So, if you do go under your house just to have a look around, keep these few things in mind to check out while you are there. A little prevention really can go a long way towards saving time and money later on.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut Mold Remediation services and
flood and water damage cleanup companies across the united states.
Water Damage, Mold, and Mildew
One of the worst mistakes that a homeowner can make is ignoring the possibility of water damage to their home. While it may not seem like the steam in your bathroom from your showers or baths can do a lot of damage to the room, over time it can discolor the ceiling and eventually cause the drywall to sag down and possibly even collapse. You can imagine what kind of damage to the value of your home this can do and if you have purchased a home with water damage to the floors or ceiling, you know how much of a headache it can be to remodel it.
The answer to the steam problem is to install a simple exhaust vent in the ceiling over the tub or shower. This allows the steam to escape outside the room and the house and stops it from being absorbed by your ceiling drywall. You can often paint over the discoloration of the drywall after it has been damaged, but if the slab is sagging or cracked in the middle, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for a loved one to be in the bath and the ceiling collapse on them.
Mold is also a threat to this and other moist rooms in the house. Mildew also tends to build up on tile and stone. Mildew and mold are close to the same thing, since they are both fungi, but mold tends to grow on more porous surfaces.
We have all heard horror stories of the bath tub or the toilet falling through the floor and unfortunately, most of the time this is due to the floor boards rotting. Too much water has soaked the floor over the years and has caused the boards to become flimsy. You can prevent this by making sure the floor of your bathroom is a hard, non-porous surface such as tile. The floor should be completely water tight and you may want to even install a drain on the bathroom floor, just to make sure the water goes where it is supposed to.
Even if you have a watertight floor, keeping the bathroom as dry as possible is a good idea. Always dry off the floor and other surfaces in the room after you get done with your shower. This helps lower the humidity in the room and ensures that the person who comes in the room after you does not slip and fall.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.
The answer to the steam problem is to install a simple exhaust vent in the ceiling over the tub or shower. This allows the steam to escape outside the room and the house and stops it from being absorbed by your ceiling drywall. You can often paint over the discoloration of the drywall after it has been damaged, but if the slab is sagging or cracked in the middle, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. The last thing you want is for a loved one to be in the bath and the ceiling collapse on them.
Mold is also a threat to this and other moist rooms in the house. Mildew also tends to build up on tile and stone. Mildew and mold are close to the same thing, since they are both fungi, but mold tends to grow on more porous surfaces.
We have all heard horror stories of the bath tub or the toilet falling through the floor and unfortunately, most of the time this is due to the floor boards rotting. Too much water has soaked the floor over the years and has caused the boards to become flimsy. You can prevent this by making sure the floor of your bathroom is a hard, non-porous surface such as tile. The floor should be completely water tight and you may want to even install a drain on the bathroom floor, just to make sure the water goes where it is supposed to.
Even if you have a watertight floor, keeping the bathroom as dry as possible is a good idea. Always dry off the floor and other surfaces in the room after you get done with your shower. This helps lower the humidity in the room and ensures that the person who comes in the room after you does not slip and fall.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
damage restoration companies and
mold removal companies across the united states.
Venting Is a Good Thing to prevent mold
If you do not have a ceiling exhaust fan installed in your bathrooms, it will not be long before you realize why you need one. There are so many reasons that they are a necessary item. Have you ever tried to blow dry your hair in a steamy bathroom? If you could see yourself in the mirror it might help, but with all that moisture in the air it’s not likely. Then there are also those unspeakable bathroom odors that almost anyone would rather not speak of, but they go along with the natural procession of things and the exhaust fan is a marvelous invention, if only to dispel an unpleasantness that remains even after its last occupant is gone!
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected. A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
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
A bad hair-do will be the least of your worries if the moisture problem is not corrected. A consistently steamy bathroom can result in shrinking the edges of wallpaper and peeling paint. These minor complications are bad enough in themselves, but with prolonged exposure, it can actually cause wooden window frames to swell, preventing them from opening easily, or not at all. Other wood, such as door frames, crown molding, and baseboards can swell and be damaged also, and then there is the scary mold that can grow on the ceiling and walls. It can be much cheaper in the long run to install exhaust fans rather than wait around for more costly repairs to show up later. Rest assured, any unresolved water problems in a home will not result in any thing good.
The exhaust fan is something that is rarely overlooked in newer homes, but not so in older ones. If you are a do it yourselfer, this could be a project you can handle. However, it does involve some electrical wiring, cutting holes through your ceiling and possibly through your outer wall in the attic. Home improvement stores have them with or without lights. If there is any existing light fixture in the ceiling of your bathroom, it is an advantage. If not, it will be a little more involved. In any case, if you are not familiar with electrical wiring and reciprocating saws, then hiring someone to install it for you might be the easiest and safest option. Saving money doing it yourself is great if your work is done properly. Just remember it is only home improvement if you are fixing old problems and not creating new ones!
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
Tips On Preventing Wildfire Damage
While a house fire may be one of the most preventable disasters to happen to a home, a wildfire can be one of the least preventable on a small scale. Prevention of wildfires requires that a large number of people do what they can to make sure that the wildfires that do start are not manmade, but this awareness is only just now starting to catch on. When the fire is creeping toward your home, you are not likely to care what caused it, only what you can do to slow it down and in fact, there are a few different things that you can do to minimize the damage.
You may enjoy living in a more rural area, but you are at a disadvantage when it comes to wildfires because this is where they begin. One of the bad things about living in a rural area is that fire departments are not as prevalent, so the response to your home may not be as quick as you need it to be.
If you are contemplating having a home built for you, have it made of fire-resistant materials. Houses with an exterior made of brick, stone, or even metal will resist catching on fire much more than those that have exteriors made of wood or vinyl siding.
The most important exterior surface of your home is the roof. This is the largest surface area on the exterior of your home and it should be made of fire-resistant materials instead of the traditional wooden or oil-based shingles. Everyone knows that oil catches on fire very easily, so if you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, you may want to have another roofing material put on your home. Something else to do with your roof if a wildfire is nearby is to wet it down with the garden hose. This will give a little extra protection against the firebrands that are being carried in the air by the wind. Wetting the exterior walls of the house and wood decks is also a very good idea.
Do not allow any dead vegetation to build up in the yard. This includes grass cuttings, sticks, dead plants, and leaves. If a wildfire starts before you have a chance to get these dead organic materials cleaned up, all you can do is soak them and the rest of the yard with water via the hose and hope for the best.
Trees should also not be located close to the house, especially if the branches hang over the roof.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
You may enjoy living in a more rural area, but you are at a disadvantage when it comes to wildfires because this is where they begin. One of the bad things about living in a rural area is that fire departments are not as prevalent, so the response to your home may not be as quick as you need it to be.
If you are contemplating having a home built for you, have it made of fire-resistant materials. Houses with an exterior made of brick, stone, or even metal will resist catching on fire much more than those that have exteriors made of wood or vinyl siding.
The most important exterior surface of your home is the roof. This is the largest surface area on the exterior of your home and it should be made of fire-resistant materials instead of the traditional wooden or oil-based shingles. Everyone knows that oil catches on fire very easily, so if you live in an area that is prone to wildfires, you may want to have another roofing material put on your home. Something else to do with your roof if a wildfire is nearby is to wet it down with the garden hose. This will give a little extra protection against the firebrands that are being carried in the air by the wind. Wetting the exterior walls of the house and wood decks is also a very good idea.
Do not allow any dead vegetation to build up in the yard. This includes grass cuttings, sticks, dead plants, and leaves. If a wildfire starts before you have a chance to get these dead organic materials cleaned up, all you can do is soak them and the rest of the yard with water via the hose and hope for the best.
Trees should also not be located close to the house, especially if the branches hang over the roof.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Florida water damage restoration companies and
Miami Water Damage Restoration. contractors
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