Christmas Tree Fire Safety

Keeping fires during the year is a relatively simple task, but during the holidays, it gets a little tricky. With a large tree covered in lights and near heat sources, it can easily catch fire.

If you decide to go the artificial route, make sure the brand is clearly labeled as fire-retardant. Just because it isn’t a real tree doesn’t mean it can’t catch fire.

For more traditional celebrators, a live tree should be fresh. It doesn’t have to be chopped down by you, but buying from a reputable seller will help. Needles should stay in place and not fall when being touched or moved.

When placing your tree, stand it three or more feet away from any heat source (no fireplaces, candles, vents, radiators) or blocking an exit. To keep the tree fresh and less flammable, daily hydration is key.

When wrapping the tree with twinkle lights, make sure they have been tested and are strictly for indoor use. Any lights with broken or worn cords should be replaced. When connecting different sets of lights, three should be the max and they should always be turned off before bed.

When the new year rolls around and you’re ready to send your tree to the curb, local recycling programs will help dispose of the remnants.

If a fire does occur, PuroClean of South Charlotte can help fix the damage.

Top 3 Reasons for Fires

Fire departments responded to an estimated 1,240,000 fires in 2013 alone. The leading causes might not be surprising, but they keep renters and homeowners alike privy to important information on their personal safety and well-being.

Cooking Equipment - The leading cause of home fires (43%) is attributed to unwatched cooking and/or cooking equipment. Most civilian injuries occur when civilians attempt to fight the fire themselves instead of calling the fire department.

Heating - One out of five home fires are caused by heating equipment - fixed (and portable) space heaters and wood stoves cause more fires than central heating equipment. Heating equipment causes more civilian deaths than cooking equipment while being less likely to occur.

Arson - The most surprising of all - the third leading cause of fires in the U.S. are set intentionally with a 13% rate of civilian death. Two out of every five arsonist was under the age of eighteen while 20% of business structure fires are intentionally set.

Fire damage is preventable, but when it occurs, calling PuroClean of Metro Charlotte will help put your home back into it’s rightful place.

How to Prevent a Chimney Fire

Now that summer is over and fall is in full swing with winter right around the corner, you might be making use of your fireplace. While newer homes may have the simplicity of a light-switch fireplace, owners of older homes need to be aware that a chimney is not maintenance free. It needs to be regularly checked and cleaned so chimney fires do not destroy your home.

The consequence of an uncleaned chimney means creosote will build up and catch fire. A regular chimney cleaning by a professional  chimney sweep will prevent this build up. After the fire has been put out, PuroClean of South Charlotte knows how to help clean up the damage.

There are two different kinds of chimney fires - slow burning and free burning. A slow burning chimney fire burns at a slower pace and can cause more structural damage to your chimney and home while a free burning chimney fire is impossible to go unnoticed. Massive amounts of smoke and noise (some say like a freight train or airplane) will come from your chimney.

To prevent these from happening, regularly check your chimney and have the creosote removed. Dried and/or seasoned wood are the only thing that should be burned in your chimney. No kerosene or gasoline, cardboard boxes, or wrapping paper should be used either. Dry kindling or clean newspaper are the safer option to ignite your fires.

If chimney fire happens in your home, PuroClean of South Charlotte will help reduce the damage the fire may have caused.

Simple Tips for Cleaning a Small Mold Infestation

Small mold infestation may not be a homeowners biggest concerns, but they are nothing to scoff at or ignore. They may not even require PuroClean of South Charlotte’s help...if they’re small enough.

For homeowners with asthma, allergies or respiratory issues, calling a professional is recommended. If you decide to clean the area yourself, be sure to take the proper safety precautions. This includes wearing non-porous (nylon or latex) gloves and a N95 dust mask during clean up. This will help to prevent contamination and the inhalation of mold spores.

Non-porous surfaces can be cleaned using a combination of liquid dishwashing detergent (i.e. Joy or Dawn), warm water and a terry cloth rag. Mix the detergent with the warm water and wet the the terry cloth rag. The rag should be damp, not saturated. Then wipe down the affected surfaces. The dishwashing detergent has a surface abrasive (surfactant) that will help remove the mold’s hypae (root structure) during the cleaning process.

If the mold has grown on porous surfaces such as linen or fabric materials, it probably can’t be saved. In many cases, the best option for mold-infested porous material is to discard it. Light surface growth on drywall can be cleaned; however, heavier growth often requires the removal of the affected material. Any implements used during clean-up (i.e. rags and gloves) should be properly disposed.

If you encounter an infestation of mold in your home that requires professional assistance, be sure to call PuroClean of South Charlotte.

Steps to Take When Cleaning Up After a Flood

If your neighborhood has been hit by a flash flood and you are one of the unfortunate few that experiences flood damage, don’t panic! There are steps you can take to ease the process of cleaning up your home before we arrive.

Be aware that you only have 24 to 36 hours to stop the threat of mold and bacteria from growing in your home.

First off, call PuroClean of South Charlotte and your insurance agent as soon as possible. While you wait for them to arrive and give you more instruction and advice, unplug and salvage whatever electronics, furniture, rugs, carpets, etc, you can before the removal of the water. Be sure to take precautions and wear protective gear to protect yourself from contaminants.

Whether your basement has been flooded with three feet of water or your living room in an inch, use whatever you can - mops, buckets, water pumps - to drain your home excessive amounts of water. During this process, take pictures of all damage.

Next, remove all of your valuables. Don’t throw anything away before your insurance representative has arrived. Once they have been contacted, start the drying out process. Use what you can - fans, dehumidifiers, open the windows (if whether is permitting) - to ventilate your home and dry out any moisture you can.

When PuroClean of South Charlotte arrives, they will take it from there to check your home for mold and quickly remove signs of damage to keep you and your family safe.

The Cost of a Mold Cleanup

Dealing with the fallout from a mold infestation is something homeowners prefer to avoid. But when it happens, it needs to be dealt with in a timely manner so the health of your family isn’t affected. The cost of mold remediation can be intimidating for homeowners, but PuroClean of South Charlotte will help ease the potential sticker shock of your mold remediation.

The first thing taken into consideration is the extent and amount of mold in your home. A small amount may only run you a few hundred dollars, but a large contamination can be costly. The mold cost and cleanup is broken up into three parts - inspection and testing by a professional, remediation, and final inspection and testing.

Areas in which mold commonly emerges - attics, basements, crawl spaces, etc - are checked thoroughly to gauge the full extent of mold damage. Most initial consultations are free and will estimate the total cost of the remediation. Mold can be tested, depending on the severity of the infestation.

The cost of the remediation covers things like the extent of the damage, whether or not building materials such as drywall or lumber need to be replaced. The infestation could possibly be superficial and might easily be cleaned via HEPA vacuuming and cleaning with an antimicrobial agent. Larger contaminations often require the removal of mold-affected materials (such as drywall, carpeting, etc) and the use of HEPA vacuums and HEPA air scrubbers to filter the air and capture the spores.

After the elimination of all mold, a final inspection by PuroClean of South Charlotte may be conducted if the infestation was severe enough.

Not All Water Damage is Created Equal

Nobody wants to deal with water damage, especially when it can be detrimental to your health.

Water damage can be broken up into three categories, cleverly called Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3 water damage. PuroClean of South Charlotte deals with all three.

The first two (Category 1 and 2) deal with more minor contaminations. Category 1 damage is the safest of the three - the contamination doesn't pose a serious threat to health, but the water in this category can change to a higher level due to contact with things like soil or building materials. This kind of water usually comes from a clean source, such as a broken pipe or the ice-maker line to the refrigerator.

Category 2, mildly contaminated water, such as discharge from a washing machine, has more potential for more minor health risks because it contains more notable contamination in comparison to Category 1. Both Category 1 and 2, after a period of time (usually 48-72 hours) can escalate into a Category 3 situation if not addressed quickly.

Of all three categories, the most dangerous is Category 3 “Black Water” damage, which includes sewage and stormwater runoff that enters the home. This damage can contain harmful pathogenic or toxigenic agents. If exposed to or ingested, Category 3 water damage can cause serious discomfort and sickness.

At PuroClean of South Charlotte, we will work to evaporate any excess black water, dehumidification and temperature control followed by precise monitoring of the structure in question. Every aspect will be inspected - the level of obvious damage, the integrity of the floors along with the potential health risks - to make sure you and your family are safe from contaminated water damage.

Tips to Remember When Grilling

Even though Labor Day has officially signaled end of summer, families are still utilizing grills as the warm weather lingers for one last hurrah. Grilling all summer long may have left you or someone you know with a false sense of grill safety whether you’ve cooked a single chicken or hosted a barbecue every weekend.

It’s always important to remember these basic grilling safety tips:

• Grilling should only take place outdoors and in a cleared space. Grilling in an enclosed space such as your home or garage can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning which may potentially be deadly.
• Be aware that just because you’re outside, you’re not necessarily safe. Grilling should take place at least 10-feet from your home with no dry brush or leaves nearby that may catch fire.
• Keep your distance while grilling by using long-handled tongs or grill forks. Never squirt an accelerant directly onto the grill and always keep clothing tucked away.
• Grills should never be left unattended when lit. Always be prepared to put out a fire with a nearby garden hose or a fire extinguisher, and be sure no unattended children are left near the grill.
• The most common cause of grilling injuries is the fuel line. Whether it’s broken, contains faulty hoses, or unbalanced venturi tubes, an unchecked fuel line can be dangerous.

Keeping these points in mind for the last few weeks of the grilling season will help you avoid the most common causes of grilling accidents. If your home has recently been damaged by a grilling accident or other fire-related disaster, contact PuroClean of South Charlotte at (704) 644-8686 or visit www.puroclean911.com immediately.

Biohazard Cleanup of a Hoarder Home

You may know someone who is a bit of a pack-rat or have even seen the television show, “Hoarders,” but cleaning up a biohazardous hoarder home is a necessity in order to avoid dangerous illnesses and make the home suitable for human habitation.

We’ve seen incidents of hoarding lead to dangerous quarantines due to the possibility of contracting a deadly virus, like when crew members of the TLC television show, “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” showed signs of having the Hantavirus after cleaning biohazardous material in a home. Other cases such as being buried alive under mountains of trash can happen; an elderly couple in Chicago died under mounds of garbage that had accumulated and overtaken the space in their home. However, these were extreme cases. Yes, they do happen. And yes, PuroClean of South Charlotte will be there to help sanitize and deodorize once the clutter has been removed.

If things like animal feces or bodily fluids are present in the home, you simply cannot hose it down and assume it is clean. It needs to be handled delicately and by a professional biohazard specialist who has the correct equipment and chemicals to properly sanitize the home.

It is recommended that carpets that are clearly damaged beyond repair be removed prior to cleaning the home. Any furniture, trash or contents of the hoard that cannot be salvaged must go. Using an enzyme based cleaner to deodorize the home in full protective equipment gear is necessary to stop the possible spread of diseases like the Hantavirus, staph viruses like MRSA and Hepatitis or HIV.

Using cleaners like hydroxyls will help clean the air, but it should be made clear that even if we properly sanitize the home, the odor may persist. That being said, we will make sure everything is sanitized so that people may safely inhabit the home. For more information on biohazard cleaning, contact PuroClean of South Charlotte at (704) 644-8686 or visit our website at www.puroclean911.com

My Dinner Caused a “Protein” Fire - Now What?

Your extended family is coming over for Sunday dinner and they’re expecting a delicious oven roasted chicken that you have never attempted to cook before. With all of the commotion with company in your home, you lose track of time. The chicken starts to burn.

A distinct, putrid smell now reeks from the charred lump that was was supposed to be a delicious dinner. There was no black smoke residue or actual flames, but the smell is overwhelming. What happened and how do you get rid of the smell?

This is considered a “protein fire” or smoke damage from the severe burning of meat. This kind of damage cannot be treated the same as regular smoke damage - that’s where PuroClean of South Charlotte comes in. Although the damage of a protein fire doesn’t look as bad as the standard fare, they tend to be worse to clean up after for the average home owner.

Protein fires typically occur in the contained space of the kitchen and, in such a limited area, can
cause the odors to be pushed into cracks in the walls, floorboards, electrical outlets, or behind kitchen cabinets. This means your home could have lingering odor even after a protein fire. PuroClean of South Charlotte is an expert in fire damage and would know how to clean every nook and cranny of that protein fire.

The residue left behind by low level burning is often more of a mist than smoke. It is sticky and not easily washed away with regular household cleaners. The same stickiness from protein fires can affect your clothing. It needs specialized treatment to clean thoroughly--dry cleaners are not always experienced with this type of clothing damage.

Cleaning the aftermath of protein fires requires special training and equipment. Call PuroClean of South Charlotte at (704) 644-8686 if a protein fire occurs in your home.

Oh, the Humidity!

 

It’s summer here and PuroClean of South Charlotte knows what that means - humidity! North Carolina humidity is at an all-time high in the South during the summer months. The percentage of water vapor that accumulates in the air can be anywhere from 50-70% of humidity every day.

But how much does humidity matter in my cool air-conditioned house? A lot.

Sometimes mold is not visible and does not appear to be the typical spotted gray, black, or green color. Mold can lurk behind walls and under floors; the high humidity outside doesn’t help, but we can. Call PuroClean of South Charlotte at (704) 644-8686 if you suspect mold is growing in your home as a result of high humidity.

Different kinds of mold can grow as a result of humidity if it’s higher than 55%. That’s practically every day during the summer months! Keeping your home properly ventilated, especially in areas that moisture can build up-such as the kitchen and bathrooms-is very important. Using exhaust fans or de-humidifiers while you shower or boil water in these rooms can keep mold from growing.

Keeping your home’s humidity levels low also lowers the likelihood that mold is growing. Luckily, air conditioning does most of the work for us, but if it doesn’t, call PuroClean of South Charlotte today at (704) 644-8686. We will make sure your home stays mold free!

Preventing Mold In Your Basement or Crawl Space

During these warm summer days, our homes can become a source of mold. This is especially true for homes with basements or crawl spaces. There are several things you can do to prevent mold in your basement.

1.     Clean any existing mold and eliminate excessive moisture. This seems obvious, but it is important if you find existing mold that you clean it immediately and determine the cause.

2.     Vacuum and clean regularly to remove possible sources of growth. Pay special attention to the areas of your basement or crawl space that are likely to generate a lot of moisture.

3.     Area rugs and/or washable floor surfaces are better to combat mold than wall-to-wall carpeting. When using area rugs, launder them periodically.

4.     Do not store materials such as paper, books, clothes, or other possible sources of food for mold in the humid parts of your home. If you have to store these items, use airtight containers or packaging to avoid having moisture collect on these items.

5.     Consider using a dehumidifier. The cool basement floor and walls can be a source of moisture build-up that may be avoided with a dehumidifier.

6.     If you have water problems in your basement or crawl space, clean up affected areas as quickly as possible and take immediate steps to resolve the source of the problem. PuroClean will help you contain damage to a property and expedite the restoration process by delivering state-of-the art services.

The South Charlotte PuroClean team has national certifications and we’re in your neighborhood. Let the PuroClean team put their expertise to work for you…call (704) 644-8686.

If You're Going On Vacation...

You’re looking forward to the sandy beach, ocean cruise or family get together. The last thing on your mind is the home you’re leaving behind for a couple weeks. Unfortunately, home disasters can occur when the house is left empty. Here are some quick tips for things you can do before you leave to help keep your home safer.

If you plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time, turn off the main water supply inside your home.  A major leak would be catastrophic if there is no one home to deal with it.  If you do experience a water event while you’re away, turning off the water main will help to minimize the damage.

When going away on vacation during the spring or summer months, turn the thermostat up, but don’t turn the air conditioner off.  The A/C system helps remove moisture from your home, excessively high temperatures in your home can result in damage to furniture and flooring while promoting mold growth.

When traveling during the winter, do the opposite.  Turn the thermostat down, but don’t turn off the furnace completely, as this may put your pipes in danger of freezing.

Before you leave, unplug everything, but the refrigerator, freezer, and the lights or other items you have set on timers.

Setting your hot water heater on the lowest heat setting possible will keep it functioning at a minimum level and will save you money on your energy bills that you can use for your next vacation.

Leave keys with a neighbor to check your home if there are severe weather conditions while you're away. (Have them take in the mail and paper occasionally, too.) Addressing problems caused by severe weather promptly can minimize damage.

Finally, enjoy your time away. We all need a break and you know we’re just a phone call away if a problem should arise.

3 Ways to Beat Mold After a Flood

Floods can cause more than just water damage; mold and bacteria thrive in damp, stagnant areas. PuroClean professionals specialize in mold remediation and removal services to ensure the safety and well-being of your family and your home.  Call PuroClean today for professional cleaning and sanitization by calling (704) 644-8686 or visit their website here.

Here are three things you can do to avoid mold becoming a hazard to you after a flood:

1. Determine Which Items Can Be Saved or Tossed

After a flood, many household items that have been damaged by water can be a hazardous breeding ground for mold. Items that should be thrown away if they look or smell moldy are clothing, furniture, papers and books, food (even canned goods), and electric appliances that have fans such as A/C window units.

Items that can be salvaged from floodwater are photographs and paper materials with minimal mold, wooden items and furniture, clothing with no visible damage and no unusual smells, and non-porous materials like dinnerware and jewelry. It is important to clean undamaged items and allow them to dry thoroughly.

2. Wear Protective Clothing

If you need to be inside of a home or other building that has been flooded, even if you are cleaning the area, take proper precautions to avoid getting sick. Wearing a N95 respirator, which can be purchased at your local hardware store, will protect you from inhaling toxic mold spores that can cause respiratory problems. Wearing durable work boots and puncture-resistant rubber gloves will protect hands and feet from damp or sharp materials when cleaning a flooded area.

3. Don’t Risk DIY—Call a Professional

Because mold isn’t the only hazard after a flood, a professional may need to help you in cleaning a home or facility that has been affected by floodwater. If sewage has seeped into the area, there is a risk of spreading bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal and skin infections.

If there are still large amounts of standing water in the home or building, there may be a risk of electrical danger. Calling a professional like Puroclean of South Charlotte will ensure that the proper precautions are taken so that homeowners stay safe and damage is kept to a minimum.

Make sure safety is priority and extensive flood damage is not overlooked. Call Puroclean today at (704)644-8686 to avoid mold and bacteria hazards.

After the Fire | 5 Things Homeowners Should Do First

So you’ve had a fire in your home. What do you do now?

Having a fire in your home can be a traumatic experience, especially if you have to live with the damage that a small fire caused. Here at PuroClean of South Charlotte, we specialize in property restoration for fire and smoke. Call us today if you need help with fire damage and repair: (704)644-8686.

Fires in the home can be stressful. Sometimes homeowners are unsure on how to repair or restore their home after the fire has occurred. Follow these five simple steps if you have recently experienced fire damage in your home:

1. First and foremost - be safe and be careful. Even if the fire department says it is safe to enter a fire damaged home, use caution.
2. Call your insurance company and ask your agent what you should do first. Getting your insurance company’s opinion is crucial. You need to know what is covered and what isn’t. It is also wise to find out what is normally done in these situations.
3. Call Puroclean of South Charlotte at (704) 644-8686 as soon as possible. To maximize effectiveness, fire damage should be addressed quickly. Restoring fire and smoke damage requires specialized equipment and skills.
4. Make sure to stay informed throughout the process. Knowing what can be saved in the home and what can’t is a positive step towards you and your home’s recovery. Our professionals treat client property with respectful handling. We understand these are your personal belongings and we do what we can to ensure they are salvaged properly.
5. Remember to save your receipts for any money spent on restoration. They may be needed later by your insurance company.

A fire in your home - big or small - needs to be handled with the proper precautions to ensure damage is kept to a minimum. Contact Puroclean of South Charlotte to make your fire and smoke damage restoration as painless as possible!