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Archive for May 7th, 2010

Dealing With Mold In Your House

May 7th, 2010 No comments

Types Of Mold – There are many molds that have the potential to cause health problems which include: Alternaria, Aspergillus, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys. These types of molds, while only a few of over 100,000 different types of molds, are not all black molds. Also, the color of the mold does not specify the toxicity of the mold nor does it specify the type of mold.

Causes Of Mold, With a sufficient amount of moisture mold can grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Long term leaks, especially leaky pipes inside wall cavities, often cause mold problems if the water issues have not been corrected in a timely manner. Flooding, such as during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans where the water damage could not be restored within 24 hours, caused irreparable damage to the sheet rock and building materials. In these instances, the damaged materials must be removed before the water damaged materials can cause mold growth. Build up of humidity can also cause mold problems. The humidity level in a household should be kept below 50% to reduce possible mold problems. Condensation noticed on windows is a good way to notice that the relative humidity levels are too high inside the dwelling.

Attic Mold- has become increasingly more common. Homes built within the past thirty years have been constructed more energy efficient and “air tight”, thus creating ventilation problems. Instead of the old “plank board” construction for roof decking, houses are built with OSB plywood. Soffits are usually blocked with insulation and not ventilated. Roofing peaks are often not ventilated with Cobra Vent or Omnivent. Humidifiers, such are often connected with furnaces and adjusted too high, causing too much humidity, which rises to the attic. Roof leaks go frequently unnoticed due to poor maintenance. These problems, often a number of them happening at once, can cause problems leading to attic mold.

Basement Mold – One of the leading areas that generate mold in a home and one that comes to mind when thinking of where mold would grow is the basement. Over time, the moisture from the outside water table seeps through the porous concrete block causing mold growth on the paint surfaces and finished areas of the basement. The basement or any below ground level space have multiple ways to cause mold growth. Moisture issues in the basement are the leading cause for mold growth at that level in a home or other type of building. Basement walls in homes were originally waterproofed with a tar based method. This method, just like the blacktop for your driveway, begins to crack and disintegrate after 18 months. basement mold can be stopped with practical methods and modern age water proofing methods. These basement waterproofing methods don’t work for a number of reasons: 1. The tar based method is actually considered a water-dampening method as this method only slows down the water to the basement and does not actually fully seal the water such as a thick poly membrane. 2. The drain pipe that may have been placed on the outside wall for drainage is usually made of clay tile, which cracks over time and gets clogged with debris. 3. The sill plate that rests upon the top core of foundation block usually was not placed the entire width of the block, meaning it is not a full 6″ width but rather a standard 2″x4″ width. This causes undue pressure on the outside area of the cinder block wall which eventually leads to bowing.

Health Effects of Mold – Mold has the ability to cause various degrees of adverse health effects. The negative health effects that occur depend on the type, toxicity, and quantity of the mold, the amount of time the occupant encountered the mold, and the health of the individual. The health effects that are most commonly associated with mold are: 1. coughing 2. irritation associated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 3. invasive disease, 4. mycotoxicosis. 5. noses, 6. itchy-watery eyes, 7. allergic reactions, 8. sneezing, and throat irritation 9. sinusitis and asthma 10. headaches, 11. decreased attention span, 12. difficulty in concentration, and dizziness.

Isaiah Brewer is operations manager for A & I Health Solutions. His website has information on asbestos removal Cleveland Isaiah also wrote an article on Attic Mold

The Example Of How To Unblock Gutters And Downpipes Safely

May 7th, 2010 1 comment

Every home owner wants to save some money. There are a lot of things that you can do on your own that can help you save that money of yours. One of them things is your gutters and downpipes how to clean and unblock them safely. If you know how to do this, you can save bundles of money.

There are a few things that you will need. The first thing that you will need is a sturdy ladder. Don’t go out to find a cheap second hand ladder, you do not know its history. Have a ladder that is stable, you might also need some gloves as you never know if something sharp will cut you whilst cleaning. Then you will need somewhere to put the debris.

Position the ladder so that it is sitting flat. If it’s slick outside, have someone who can hold the ladder for you. This way the ladder won’t move around on you. You would not believe how many ladders fall each year and how many people get seriously hurt falling from height whilst trying to do such tasks as cleaning gutters.

To clean gutters safely you should start of with some basics like wearing a good quality pair of gloves. You might have to take off the gloves in order to really dig in on occasions, but the gloves will offer some protection. Lord knows what you may find in your gutters. There may be twigs and many more things of that nature that can be found in there.

From there, all you need to do is keep one hand on the ladder and allow the other to clear away all the debris. It might sound easy, but you have to make sure that you keep your balance. This is essential. Trust us. We know how it goes.

Much of the water that comes from rain and melting snow will now have a place to go without causing damage to your property. Birds won’t find a reason to build a nest there either.

There are many things that you can do to save money. One of them things is calling in a gutter repair company to do your gutter cleaning safely. You can save bundles of money, not to mention accidents.

Telescopic Ladders – What You Should Know

May 7th, 2010 No comments

Anyone who is keen on purchasing a telescopic loft ladder needs to search up the various sorts of products that are offered online. If you are doing your homework you’ll be able to find a top quality product that can work for your needs. Analysis is very important when it comes to finding a solid product for you to use.

When it comes to ladders it is important to find something that will give you the best results. There are many different sizes and shapes of ladders that are available on the web. It is important for you to find a ladder that will offer you feature that you can use.

The telescopic ladder is one of the better ladders in terms of size and function. Most people have a difficult time trying to store the ladders that they have available. A proper telescopic ladder can be compressed into smaller size, allowing you to transport the ladder with your vehicle.

Anytime you are looking to purchase a ladder on the web, the height of the ladder is very important. You should ensure that your ladder size will be the appropriate height. Always ensure that you find a ladder that will work for your specific project.

Using the web you can find a variety of different models of ladders that are available. An example of this would be the roof ladders that are sold online. These roof ladders are specifically designed to give people easy access when they climb onto or exit their roof.

You might also find that you are interested in a multipurpose ladder that is available. These ladders are great because they provide people with the opportunity to have a variety of different ladders into a single unit. This is a great option for people who are looking to find a good ladder to purchase online.

The best way to get a good telescopic ladder that can work for your needs is to look up the various retailers that are available. By looking through the retailers you can find a ladder that will offer you the best results. Compare prices to get something that is right for you.

If you’re looking to buy telescopic ladder it’s necessary that you do your research and look around at the different products that are available. Another product that you might want to have a look at when you are looking around are electric hoist. You’ll find that most online retailers offer various products.