Any excess amount of water coming into contact with the foundation or the inside of your home can be structurally damaging and if you own the home you’re currently living in, one of the best things that you can do to prevent this damage is to learn how to direct runoff water away from your home.
If you live in a rainy climate or even a snowy one (even snow melts eventually in most places), you should take special care to protect the structural integrity of your home. This is best done by making sure that you have good surface drainage outside of your home and this involves your roof, gutters, and downspouts. Downspout extensions also need to be paid attention to and you need to make sure that they direct water as far as possible from your home’s foundation.
Making sure your roof is properly angled according to where you live. Roofs with higher pitches are the most common in areas where snow tends to be heavy because snow can easily slide off the roof instead of being allowed to sit there and not only stress your roof because of the weight, but when it starts to melt, it will cause the water damage you’re trying to avoid. Water shouldn’t be allowed to accumulate on your roof for any period of time and this is why your roof should be angled so the water will run into the gutters.
The gutters to your home should be large enough to handle heavy amounts of rainfall, especially if you live in an area where heavy rain is common. They should also be cleaned out on a regular basis and be free of clogs of any kind. It might not be a fun home improvement activity for you or anyone you hire to do it for you, but doing this as opposed to having to repair water damage to your home will save you money in the long run.
The downspouts that are connected to your gutters are what direct the water from the gutters and down to the ground where a downspout extension should be located to make sure the water from your roof doesn’t collect around your foundation. These are normally located around the corners of the home, but can be found in other areas. The easier it is for water to get away from your home, the more money you’ll end up saving in the future.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage contractors and other states and cities such as
Chicago mold remediation companies across the united states.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Different Types of Dehumidifiers
You might have used a humidifier in your room or your child’s room during sickness at one time, but what exactly does a dehumidifier do and in what circumstances do you need to have one in your home?
Dehumidifiers are often used in damp areas of the home to keep the humidity down; this reduces the chances that mold will begin to grow in that area of the house.
There are a few different kinds of dehumidifiers and if you are intending on purchasing one, them you might want to familiarize yourself with each kind and purchase one depending on your own situation. These types include chemical absorbent dehumidifiers, dehumidifying ventilators, and heat pump dehumidifiers.
A heat pump dehumidifier extracts water from the air utilizing a heat pump. This is somewhat similar to the pump that you find in an air conditioner. The fan inside the dehumidifier brings the air inside the unit and a coil inside it is kept very cold so that the moisture in the air being drawn across it condenses. This water drops into a bucket that fits into the bottom of it. A second coil that is heated brings the cold air back up to room temperature and pushed back out into the home. This is the most efficient type of dehumidifier for use in private residences.
The type that works the best in warm climates is the chemical absorbent type. This kind of dehumidifier uses a desiccant (a drying chemical) to absorb the water from the air that is pulled inside the humidifier by a fan. It is also expensive to operate and so this kind of dehumidifier is much more efficient for large business buildings and industry complexes. Homeowners should not purchase one of these.
A dehumidifying ventilator has what is called a sensor controller and what most other humidifiers have, an exhaust fan. What the sensor controller does is turn the unit on when the humidity in the home or office building reaches a certain level. These are not very efficient in homes that are located in humid environments because they bring air from outside the house to the inside. These are most often used in basements and cellars. Unfortunately, these can also depressurize whatever room they are located in and this can cause the spilling of gas. Any gas furnaces near by should be properly vented.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Dehumidifiers are often used in damp areas of the home to keep the humidity down; this reduces the chances that mold will begin to grow in that area of the house.
There are a few different kinds of dehumidifiers and if you are intending on purchasing one, them you might want to familiarize yourself with each kind and purchase one depending on your own situation. These types include chemical absorbent dehumidifiers, dehumidifying ventilators, and heat pump dehumidifiers.
A heat pump dehumidifier extracts water from the air utilizing a heat pump. This is somewhat similar to the pump that you find in an air conditioner. The fan inside the dehumidifier brings the air inside the unit and a coil inside it is kept very cold so that the moisture in the air being drawn across it condenses. This water drops into a bucket that fits into the bottom of it. A second coil that is heated brings the cold air back up to room temperature and pushed back out into the home. This is the most efficient type of dehumidifier for use in private residences.
The type that works the best in warm climates is the chemical absorbent type. This kind of dehumidifier uses a desiccant (a drying chemical) to absorb the water from the air that is pulled inside the humidifier by a fan. It is also expensive to operate and so this kind of dehumidifier is much more efficient for large business buildings and industry complexes. Homeowners should not purchase one of these.
A dehumidifying ventilator has what is called a sensor controller and what most other humidifiers have, an exhaust fan. What the sensor controller does is turn the unit on when the humidity in the home or office building reaches a certain level. These are not very efficient in homes that are located in humid environments because they bring air from outside the house to the inside. These are most often used in basements and cellars. Unfortunately, these can also depressurize whatever room they are located in and this can cause the spilling of gas. Any gas furnaces near by should be properly vented.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Dealing With Storm Damage
A hurricane or a flood can be a devastating experience for home and other property.owners and cleaning up after the fact can be a daunting task, especially if it is the first time that you have to deal with a problem such as this. If it is your first home that is affected, you might not have a good understanding of where to go after the waters and storm clouds have receded off into the distance. Sometimes hiring a professional to deal with extensive damage is often one of the best and safest things that you can do, but not everyone can afford a professional.
One thing that you should be very concerned about is downed power lines. If you have a downed power line on your property, ALWAYS assume that the downed line is a live one. Do not allow anyone to touch it or, if it lies across your driveway or the street where you live, drive over it. Not even an experienced electrician can tell you if a line is live just by taking a look at it.
After the storm is gone and the electricity has been returned to your home, the first thing that you want to do is turned the electricity to your home OFF so that you can take care of getting rid of the standing water that may exist in your home. This is especially important after a hurricane or a flood when there is likely to be standing water. Do what you can to get things dry as soon as possible without using an artificial heat source to do so. Remove wet furniture from the house and put them outside to dry.
Water damage is a serious risk during these times and during a hurricane, there is likely to be some kind of debris on the roof if your home. Remove this debris and check for any holes that might have been made in your roof during the storm. If there are holes, cover them up with tarp the best that you can, especially if you are expecting more rain. After you do that, go into the attic and assess just how much water has leaked into it. Insulation that has gotten wet should be removed immediately. It is no longer any good and only creates excess weight on your ceiling.
If you prepared for the hurricane before it reached your city or town, then odds are that you will not have many windows that have been blown out due to high winds. If you did not have time to prepare properly, however, you might have quite a bit of glass to clean up. If you are not expecting more rain, leave them uncovered to help dry the house out after you get rid of the broken glass.
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.localrestoration.com and
http://www.moldrestorationusa.com
One thing that you should be very concerned about is downed power lines. If you have a downed power line on your property, ALWAYS assume that the downed line is a live one. Do not allow anyone to touch it or, if it lies across your driveway or the street where you live, drive over it. Not even an experienced electrician can tell you if a line is live just by taking a look at it.
After the storm is gone and the electricity has been returned to your home, the first thing that you want to do is turned the electricity to your home OFF so that you can take care of getting rid of the standing water that may exist in your home. This is especially important after a hurricane or a flood when there is likely to be standing water. Do what you can to get things dry as soon as possible without using an artificial heat source to do so. Remove wet furniture from the house and put them outside to dry.
Water damage is a serious risk during these times and during a hurricane, there is likely to be some kind of debris on the roof if your home. Remove this debris and check for any holes that might have been made in your roof during the storm. If there are holes, cover them up with tarp the best that you can, especially if you are expecting more rain. After you do that, go into the attic and assess just how much water has leaked into it. Insulation that has gotten wet should be removed immediately. It is no longer any good and only creates excess weight on your ceiling.
If you prepared for the hurricane before it reached your city or town, then odds are that you will not have many windows that have been blown out due to high winds. If you did not have time to prepare properly, however, you might have quite a bit of glass to clean up. If you are not expecting more rain, leave them uncovered to help dry the house out after you get rid of the broken glass.
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.localrestoration.com and
http://www.moldrestorationusa.com
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