Lots of people have fireplaces in their homes, but keeping them clean and smoke free takes some maintenance and effort on the part of the homeowner. The fireplace will not maintain itself, even though there are some fireplace cleaning logs on the market these days. These will not completely replace a professional cleaning, though, so you should have one of these done at least every year or two.
You should also have the proper tools stored next to your fireplace and these are available in many different materials and types. Cast iron is a good and durable material, but fireplace tools are also available in brass, pewter, nickel, and etcetera. There is a large selection on the market and you will surely be able to find what you are looking for.
A fireplace blower can help build up the fire and add more heat to it. You have probably seen one of these before and it can be a real help when first starting to build a fire.
Fireplace tongs can be used to move around logs that are obviously too hot to pick up with your hands and this is necessary, since the logs will not always be exactly where you need them to be to get the most heat and longevity out of the fire.
A fireplace poker can be used to stir around coals and spread them so that the heat is more evenly distributed. This helps larger logs catch on fire faster than they normally would.
A shovel is used to clean out the ashes that are left after a fire is out and a small broom is necessary to keep the area immediately outside the fireplace cleaned up.
If you are having problems building a fire that does not spill smoke back into the room, you need to make sure that nothing is blocking the chimney on top of the house. Leaves, bird nests, and sticks can clog it up during the spring, summer, and fall and make it completely unusable.
Using the correct wood is also important; logs that are freshly cut and have a lot of moisture still in them will smoke instead of catch fire. Use logs that are dried out and try to store them in a place where they will not get wet.
Start the fire slowly by building it up with paper and small sticks at first to get the chimney warm. Warming up the chimney is important so that the air inside it becomes warm instead of cold. Cold air pushes the warm air and smoke down and back into the house.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Emergency Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Repairing Tile Grout to Prevent Water Damage
Sometimes the tile on the floor and the walls in our bathrooms can become cracked over time and not only is it unattractive, but when we continue to get water on this tile, it seeps underneath it and damages the wooden floor holding it up. Repairing this damage to the wood underneath your tile can be expensive, since all the tile must be taken up in order to get to it. Repairing tile on your own is not a difficult job to do and if you do it correctly, you can even take up the tile later if it is not to your liking and replace the tile in the entire bathroom. Learning how to repair grout, however, is a first step.
Even if the tile itself is not cracked, sometimes grout will be missing, especially if the home is old. Grout comes in a few different types: sanded, unsanded, acrylic or epoxy. Depending on the type of tile you have in your bathroom, you will want to use one over the other. Sanded grout should not be used with marble tiles, since this will scratch the marble. Acrylic latex grout or unsanded grout should be used. The grout should be mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the area you wish to replace needs to be cleaned out with a mixture of vinegar and water. A grout saw can be used to remove the rest of the damaged or loose grout. Do not chip the tile. The joints should be dampened with water and a paper towel used to remove water puddles in between the tiles. Fill in the joints with the grout completely and the joint’s surface should be smoothed out with a rounded stick. A damp sponge can be used to remove the excess.
The grout should be allowed to set firmly. The instructions on the package should tell you how long this should take. Since this is in a bathroom, a grout sealant should be applied after the grout completely dries.
After it dries and the grout sealant is in place, cleaning it with a damp rag is recommended. A cloudy haze should appear on the tile after it dries again and a dry towel can be used to remove this.
Replacing the grout in between the tile in your bathroom will help prevent water damage from occurring to the floor underneath and save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Hiring a professional is not always necessary and you can save money by learning how to do small home improvement projects like this yourself.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Even if the tile itself is not cracked, sometimes grout will be missing, especially if the home is old. Grout comes in a few different types: sanded, unsanded, acrylic or epoxy. Depending on the type of tile you have in your bathroom, you will want to use one over the other. Sanded grout should not be used with marble tiles, since this will scratch the marble. Acrylic latex grout or unsanded grout should be used. The grout should be mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and the area you wish to replace needs to be cleaned out with a mixture of vinegar and water. A grout saw can be used to remove the rest of the damaged or loose grout. Do not chip the tile. The joints should be dampened with water and a paper towel used to remove water puddles in between the tiles. Fill in the joints with the grout completely and the joint’s surface should be smoothed out with a rounded stick. A damp sponge can be used to remove the excess.
The grout should be allowed to set firmly. The instructions on the package should tell you how long this should take. Since this is in a bathroom, a grout sealant should be applied after the grout completely dries.
After it dries and the grout sealant is in place, cleaning it with a damp rag is recommended. A cloudy haze should appear on the tile after it dries again and a dry towel can be used to remove this.
Replacing the grout in between the tile in your bathroom will help prevent water damage from occurring to the floor underneath and save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Hiring a professional is not always necessary and you can save money by learning how to do small home improvement projects like this yourself.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of
Texas Water Damage Restoration and
Houston Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Repairing Water Damaged Drywall
Water damaged ceilings can definitely be a safety hazard in your home, but not everyone has the money to hire a professional to repair or replace the section of drywall affected. It may just be a badly discolored piece of drywall or it could be that the tape between one section of drywall and another is sagging down. Even worse, the drywall could be weak in the middle and eventually collapse onto someone you care about. Something needs to be done about these water damaged areas of ceiling not only for structural purposes, but also for cosmetic ones, as well.
If the ceiling is only discolored badly with water stains, all you really should have to do is paint over it with primer first and then paint over that with the color of the rest of the ceiling. Your ceiling may be a traditional and ordinary white, but other colors will cover up the stains better, so consider this an opportunity to change the color of your ceiling. You will not have as much trouble covering up the stains with a paint that is not white.
No matter where the damaged piece of drywall is in your home, repairing it should be pretty easy. If it is the tape that is sagging down and coming apart from the drywall, all you need to do is remove the tape. Replace the tape and place joint compound over it. Smooth this out until the tape is not noticeable, paint over it with primer, then with the color of your ceiling.
If the drywall is sagging or cracked in the middle, then it needs to be completely replaced. You need to take out the entire damaged part of the drywall all the way to the joists, because the new piece of drywall needs something solid to hang onto or it will fall. It needs to be cut down the center of a joist in the ceiling so the new piece has something to rest on. Cut the new drywall to fit the part that you removed, screw it in with a drill, and tape over it the seam. Use joint compound over the tape and screws and smooth it out until the seams and screws are not noticeable anymore. Paint over it with primer the same way you would if you were only replacing the tape as mentioned earlier and then paint the color you desire back over it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
If the ceiling is only discolored badly with water stains, all you really should have to do is paint over it with primer first and then paint over that with the color of the rest of the ceiling. Your ceiling may be a traditional and ordinary white, but other colors will cover up the stains better, so consider this an opportunity to change the color of your ceiling. You will not have as much trouble covering up the stains with a paint that is not white.
No matter where the damaged piece of drywall is in your home, repairing it should be pretty easy. If it is the tape that is sagging down and coming apart from the drywall, all you need to do is remove the tape. Replace the tape and place joint compound over it. Smooth this out until the tape is not noticeable, paint over it with primer, then with the color of your ceiling.
If the drywall is sagging or cracked in the middle, then it needs to be completely replaced. You need to take out the entire damaged part of the drywall all the way to the joists, because the new piece of drywall needs something solid to hang onto or it will fall. It needs to be cut down the center of a joist in the ceiling so the new piece has something to rest on. Cut the new drywall to fit the part that you removed, screw it in with a drill, and tape over it the seam. Use joint compound over the tape and screws and smooth it out until the seams and screws are not noticeable anymore. Paint over it with primer the same way you would if you were only replacing the tape as mentioned earlier and then paint the color you desire back over it.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Orlando water damage restoration companies and
Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Standing Water, Water Damage, and Mold
Standing water inside of a home anywhere is a nuisance and most homeowners do not appreciate the liquid’s intrusion. It can happen almost anywhere, but most of the time the leaking of water into your house is completely preventable and the ability to repair it is always there.
Standing water not only causes water damage to the floor and walls, but it can also become a healthy breeding ground for mold. Stachybotrys atra is known for having a love of standing water and this is one of the last molds that you want growing in your house. While this mold is not as common as other genii of mold such as Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, it is not a rare one. It generally appears on items that have a high amount of cellulose content, such as dust, wood, paper on drywall, and etcetera. It requires almost constant moisture for days or weeks in order to start growing.
The health problems caused by Stachybotrys atra can be anything from coughing, runny noses, wheezing, and etcetera all the way to serious respiratory infections, rashes, and other serious health conditions.
Removing standing water from your home should be done as quickly as possible in order to prevent this mold growth and to prevent water damage. There are a few different causes of standing water.
If there is standing water in the basement after a heavy rain, then the cause could be that water is leaking into the basement through the foundation near the surface. This generally happens when water settles in around the base of the home in pockets because the soil is not piled high enough around the house. Water should not be allowed to settle around the house in this manner, so pile soil up around the foundation so that water runs down and away from it. Another good thing to do to keep this from happening is keeping your rain gutters cleared out as often as is necessary to keep them unclogged. Installing downspout extensions can also help run the water away from the home.
A cause of chronic standing water in the basement could be an underground spring leaking through the wall. There may not be much that you can do about this other than to have a drainage system installed. Do not assume that one type of drainage system fits all types of home constructions, because it does not. Talk to a contractor and find out what they recommend.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami water damage restoration companies and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Standing water not only causes water damage to the floor and walls, but it can also become a healthy breeding ground for mold. Stachybotrys atra is known for having a love of standing water and this is one of the last molds that you want growing in your house. While this mold is not as common as other genii of mold such as Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, it is not a rare one. It generally appears on items that have a high amount of cellulose content, such as dust, wood, paper on drywall, and etcetera. It requires almost constant moisture for days or weeks in order to start growing.
The health problems caused by Stachybotrys atra can be anything from coughing, runny noses, wheezing, and etcetera all the way to serious respiratory infections, rashes, and other serious health conditions.
Removing standing water from your home should be done as quickly as possible in order to prevent this mold growth and to prevent water damage. There are a few different causes of standing water.
If there is standing water in the basement after a heavy rain, then the cause could be that water is leaking into the basement through the foundation near the surface. This generally happens when water settles in around the base of the home in pockets because the soil is not piled high enough around the house. Water should not be allowed to settle around the house in this manner, so pile soil up around the foundation so that water runs down and away from it. Another good thing to do to keep this from happening is keeping your rain gutters cleared out as often as is necessary to keep them unclogged. Installing downspout extensions can also help run the water away from the home.
A cause of chronic standing water in the basement could be an underground spring leaking through the wall. There may not be much that you can do about this other than to have a drainage system installed. Do not assume that one type of drainage system fits all types of home constructions, because it does not. Talk to a contractor and find out what they recommend.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami water damage restoration companies and
mold remediation companies across the united states.
Water Damage Prevention: Exhaust Fans
Keeping moisture out of your bathroom can be a big task, but installing an exhaust vent over the bath tub or the shower can be a tremendous help in this endeavor.
The purpose of the unit is to remove the steam from the bathroom so it does not become absorbed by the ceiling and walls in the bathroom and cause water damage. Mold growth is also a typical problem in the bathroom, so the exhaust fan will actually help you fight this second problem.
The quality of the fan is important. The quieter the fan’s operation, the higher the quality is. Some manufacturers do not put a noise rating on the packaging of the product, but most tend to do this to separate their high end exhaust fans from their basic ones. The other determining factor is how much air the exhaust fan will move per minute. The higher quality the fan, the more air it will remove from the room.
Ask yourself whether or not you want a light integrated into the fan unit. If so, then you might need a little bit of knowledge of how the electrical system in your house works. Purchasing a book on the subject is advised if you plan on installing the unit yourself.
If the fan is going to have a light in it, then it is a good idea to use the hole in your ceiling that should already exist from your original overhead light. If this does not exist or you want the fan separate from the light, you will create a hole with the jab saw. The electrical book you should have purchased should lay out the options on the kinds of switches you can use and how each one should be wired so you know you have continuity and that the wiring you install is correct.
After you are done wiring the fan, the exhaust duct kit will be installed next and this should come with instructions. This kit can be purchased at some hardware stores and home improvement stores.
Venting the air to the outside with the hose that came with the duct kit is not that difficult to do. Find the nearest soffit in your attic and cut a hole in it that follows the instructions that came with your duct kit. Attach the hose to it and you should be finished.
You will save a lot of money and time by installing this fan before water damage and mold becomes a problem in the bathroom. The damage caused by either can be quite extensive and expensive to repair.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
The purpose of the unit is to remove the steam from the bathroom so it does not become absorbed by the ceiling and walls in the bathroom and cause water damage. Mold growth is also a typical problem in the bathroom, so the exhaust fan will actually help you fight this second problem.
The quality of the fan is important. The quieter the fan’s operation, the higher the quality is. Some manufacturers do not put a noise rating on the packaging of the product, but most tend to do this to separate their high end exhaust fans from their basic ones. The other determining factor is how much air the exhaust fan will move per minute. The higher quality the fan, the more air it will remove from the room.
Ask yourself whether or not you want a light integrated into the fan unit. If so, then you might need a little bit of knowledge of how the electrical system in your house works. Purchasing a book on the subject is advised if you plan on installing the unit yourself.
If the fan is going to have a light in it, then it is a good idea to use the hole in your ceiling that should already exist from your original overhead light. If this does not exist or you want the fan separate from the light, you will create a hole with the jab saw. The electrical book you should have purchased should lay out the options on the kinds of switches you can use and how each one should be wired so you know you have continuity and that the wiring you install is correct.
After you are done wiring the fan, the exhaust duct kit will be installed next and this should come with instructions. This kit can be purchased at some hardware stores and home improvement stores.
Venting the air to the outside with the hose that came with the duct kit is not that difficult to do. Find the nearest soffit in your attic and cut a hole in it that follows the instructions that came with your duct kit. Attach the hose to it and you should be finished.
You will save a lot of money and time by installing this fan before water damage and mold becomes a problem in the bathroom. The damage caused by either can be quite extensive and expensive to repair.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration> companies across the united states.
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