restoring a home after a chimney fire

If you've looked at the weather forecasts, you know that you should be expecting a very wet rainy season this year. What you might not know is that an overly-active rainy season can spell disaster for your basement, especially if you haven't waterproofed properly. If you haven't had time to waterproof your basement yet, here are four reasons why you should take care of that as soon as possible. Prevents Mold Growth

When a flooding incident or a leak has occurred, it's easy to be primarily concerned about visible damage. But there's another concern that can be more major: mold can easily grow within your home following the accident. Some molds are harmless, but other molds can be toxic enough to be fatal over time.  Stripping Out Carpeting and Padding Carpeting and padding will often remain wet even after they have appeared to have dried.

While mold is far from being a bad thing -- after all, we wouldn't have penicillin without it -- mold that grows aggressively in your home can be a turn-off for potential buyers and a health hazard for those who breathe in the airborne spores on a daily basis. Getting rid of mold effectively and preventing it from growing in the future is a task that the average homeowner can easily equip themselves to deal with, so there's no need to fear that a mold situation gone bad is totally hopeless.

If you have black mold, you very likely also have a moisture problems in your home. Mold grows best in humid areas with little or no ventilation, and it can be harmful to you and your family. The discovery of this growth should trigger some quick eradication measures, which you may be able to do yourself. Read on for tips on dealing with small areas of mold eradication. Cleaning Tips

Water damage can ruin your home. Worse yet, water damage can actually cause mold growth, which can make your living space uninhabitable. There are plenty of ways to clean out your home after it has fallen victim to water damage, but the best thing you can possibly do is take a preventative stance towards water damage and create conditions that decrease the effects of water damage or ensure that it doesn't occur.

Did you know that snow can damage your home's foundation? Some property owners place emphasis on the effects that water can have on their foundations, and they may overlook potential threats that melting snow or accumulated snow and frost can cause. The following points will help you to better understand this serious issue and potential ways to protect your property. Ways That Snow Causes Foundation Damage Sump Pump Freezing - If you have a sump pump on your property, it should direct excess water away from your property.

Water damage is something no homeowner wants to deal with, but if it does happen you will want to take immediate action to prevent the problem from becoming worse. This is the best way to ensure a successful water damage clean up. Here are five tips for cleaning your home on your own before the professionals arrive:  Turn off the Power: Risk of electrocution in a flooded home is high, so you want to be sure that you shut off the power to your home if you can, especially if the water level reaches the electrical outlets.

If you're repainting a room in your pre-1970s home and find yourself unsure about the origins (or composition) of some paint you've discovered a few layers below the surface, you may wonder whether you've just run into an expensive remediation project rather than a remodeling one. With the dangers of lead ingestion at the top of headlines due to the crisis unfolding in Michigan, the prospect of having what is essentially a lead-lined room in your home could be  On the other hand, you could be reluctant to enlist professional help on what was meant to be a small project and may be tempted to simply repaint over the supposed lead paint.