How Do I Know If I Have Hidden Mold?

Suspicion of hidden mold:

You may suspect hidden mold if a building smells moldy, but you cannot see the source, or if you know there has been water damage and residents are reporting health problems. Mold may be hidden in places such as the back side of dry wall, wallpaper, or paneling, the top side of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, etc. Other possible locations of hidden mold include areas inside walls around pipes (with leaking or condensing pipes), the surface of walls behind furniture (where condensation forms), inside ductwork, and in roof materials above ceiling tiles (due to roof leaks or insufficient insulation).

Investigating hidden mold problems

Investigating hidden mold problems may be difficult and will require caution when the investigation involves disturbing potential sites of mold growth. For example, removal of wallpaper can lead to a massive release of spores if there is mold growing on the underside of the paper. If you believe that you may have a hidden mold problem, consider hiring an experienced professional.

Cleanup and Biocides

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Mold, Moisture, and Your Home

• When water leaks or spills occur indoors - ACT QUICKLY.  If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow.


• Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.

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Be Prepared for Hailstorms

Hailstorms are frequent occurrences across the U.S. Most hailstorms occur during either the spring or fall months, are very localized events, and don't cause extensive property damage. However, occasionally hailstones can reach about 1.5 inches in diameter. When this occurs, they can cause significant property damage to cars, windows and siding. When hailstones reach three inches in diameter, they can cause major roof damage.

How to Stay Safe

• Listen to weather updates about hail activity.


• Seek shelter immediately if you are caught outdoors - preferably not under a tree.


• Close drapes, blinds or window shades for protection

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What You Learn By Sitting By Brett...

Working in a common office with several cubicles is a rich pasture ground for any companies greatest resource: people. I sit next to Brett. Y'all may know Brett, but I'm the only one who sits next to his least favored left. Larry is down the hall to his right, and it's a very appropriate yelling distance. Anyway, sitting next to Brett these last 10 years, uh months, has provided opportunity for:
1) Introspection
2) Reevaluation
3) An occasional funny smell
Among other life shaping things learned:
a) Each and every phone conversation must start with "Hey" (This is southern posturing)
b) It's OK to tell your computer "I hate you" but only several times a day.
c) Xactimate has only 2 syllables (who knew?)
d) It's best if Larry locks his office door before going on vacation
e) If Itel samples are kept long enough, eventually another job will have the same floor covering
f) If he asks you if you've seen the pictures from one of his basement sewage mitigations...you might want to decline
g) All on call schedules are written in stone until the next revision
h) Never go an entire day without at least 1 "Dumb and Dumber" reference

All of this notwithstanding...he may have the most demanding job in this company-responding to emergency 24/7, and doing so in such a way homeowners still want us to do the reconstruction work. I get to follow up Brett and his crew and see the positive results when they help people out of a distressful situation. Maybe his personality makes him perfect for his job.

Actually I wondered how many acronyms on could get from the word B R E T T. Then I remembered I have to blog next month...let me get back to you with that.

Keith Barnhart - Estimator

P-U! Is sewage backup covered?

The following was e-mailed to me by United Policyholders, a consumer advocate group for insureds.  This is great information I thought I should share with everyone...

Stinky sewage back-up and overflowing drains are a very common cause of damage to homes and businesses, especially those located in flat areas or near the bottom of slopes. Many policies now exclude coverage for the clean-up and repairs, but for a mere $20 a year you can buy a "Back-up of Sewer or Drain Endorsement" that gives you up to $10,000 in coverage. The catch? A $1,000 deductible. But hey, that's still easy math.”

Larry Banach - Construction Manager

Do I Really Have To Pay My Deductible?

When you purchase a homeowners insurance policy, one of the decisions to be made is at what price point you want to set your deductible. The deductible is the amount you must pay personally BEFORE the insurance company steps in to cover the remainder of the loss amount. Essentially, you are self-insured up to the amount of your deductible.

When you file an insurance claim, either the insurance adjuster or a contractor, such as Champion Construction, will write a repair estimate. Let's say you had a $500 deductible, and the claim total was $5,000. The insurance company would issue a check for $4,500, with you personally owing the remaining $500. So, now you have a check for $4,500 and you want to know if the contractor can repair your home for that amount ONLY, saving you $500 hard-earned dollars. The short answer is "No", but let's take a step back into history for a moment.

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What To Do If Your Home Is Vandalized

The Do’s and Don’ts if you have a vandalism at your home or business:

DO:

• Report the damage to the police as soon as possible. They will need to collect evidence and take photographs.



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Cuddle Up to Fireplace Safety

More than one third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel fired appliances to heat their homes. Nothing is quite as cozy as that warm, crackling fire in the fireplace. But if you aren't careful, more than your toes could get toasty. An average of 6000 people end up in emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireplaces and fireplace equipment and approximately 14,000 house fires each year are started by fireplaces.

Keep your family safe and warm by following these fireplace safety tips:

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What To Do If You Have A Fire Damage

The Do’s and Don’ts if you have a fire damage at your home or business:

DO:

• Call for professional help as soon as possible. Corrosive byproducts can cause irreversible etching.


• If the temperature is above 60 degrees, open windows to ventilate the home.



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What To Do If You Have A Water Damage

The Do’s and Don’ts if you have a water damage at your home or business:

DO:

• Have a professional plumbing contractor eliminate the water source.



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