When the weather stays in frozen conditions below zero degrees, this can cause havoc to your home or business. We can forget when to prepare for frozen pipes to burst or crack in the busyness of life.
Here are some pointers to help to prevent pipes from freezing: 🥶
Keep the heat on at least 50 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit.
Open inside faucets to allow for a slight dripping with moving water.
Install foam pipe insulation sleeve wraps around copper pipes that are open in the basement or crawlspace areas. Insulate wrap main water meter pipe valve.
If or when a water leak occurs, shut off the water pipe valve. i.e. underneath a sink, cabinet. If necessary shut off water main valve. Have pipe repaired ASAP.
If water damage dry out floor, walls, furniture, etc. ASAP within 24-48 hours to prevent mold damage.
Use a space heater if needed or blower fan. Raise the heat in house or building.
Be careful of any electrical that get wet by water.
Call a professional for plumbing, electrical, water damage disaster, and mold assessment if necessary.
If you make an insurance claim keep good documents of repairs, receipts, pictures, videos, etc. It is best for adjuster to see the damage before repairs and damage if possible.
There are many types of air particulate that move around in our homes and offices. We buy products, furniture, home goods, and furnishings that most of us do not know what the materials or chemicals they are made from. It has also been said, “that we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors that can affect the quality of our indoor living lifestyles”. Particles like dust, pollen, ragweed, mold, dander, fibers, odors, etc. can produce allergy triggers that can cause you discomfort. I often get calls from people who immediately think they have a mold problem. Why do you think you have mold? Usually mold is produced from water damage and leaks, flooding, excess moisture and high relative humidity over 60%.
No signs of water damage or leaks, no chemical smells, but the house is full of dust, insect and mice droppings, old storage and furniture with films of dust found in all the hidden places behind & underneath furniture, headboards, tops of picture frames, door frames, top sides of ceiling fan paddles, and very high shelves that rarely get cleaned. The vacuum cleaner is rarely used because we are all legitimately busy and continue to remind ourselves with notes that we will get around to eventually cleaning the areas of concern. Note, if you hire a cleaner, it is best to buy and use your own HEPA filtered vacuum. Who knows where your cleaners vacuum has been!
Before spending money having all kinds of testing conducted indoors which can get expensive, I have a few suggestions as pro-active preventative measures:
A Good Thorough General House Cleaning
Clean from top to bottom. Use a soap or detergent. Some use an anti-microbial disinfectant cleaner which can combat, mold, bacteria, odors, virus, etc.
Use a Quality HEPA Vacuum
Vacuum the floors, carpets, sofas, difficult areas and high spaces. Remember, if you hire a cleaner have them use your vacuum. You don’t know where there vacuum has been! I have had cases where clients had severe allergy triggers the next day after the house cleaner arrived the day before.
Dust Thoroughly the entire House
Use a good Swiffer or Dust Rag. Dust the difficult high places such as shelves or cabinets and hidden places underneath or behind bureaus, furniture. Tops of ceiling fan paddles, picture frames, and where necessary.
Invest in Quality HEPA Air Purification To help clean the air in your space of dust, allergens, mold, fibers, dander, odors, etc. Use them often and move them around because they work!
HVAC Duct Vents have professionally cleaned by a trained and certified company with experience.
Changs the HEPA filter when needed on a regular basis. A MERV Rated filter #7 – #11 is best for residential.
A good general cleaning or sanitizing of the basement/ garage once a year is recommended. Dust or allergens can accumulate fast. While you’re at it some of that storage may need to go. Some hats, clothing been sitting there for years. Give it away, have a yard sale or donate it to a local charitable cause.
Should there be some chronic problem with your indoor air quality then it is recommended to call a professional who is trained, certified with experience. We provide mold and allergen testing for your home or office.
Serving locally over 23 plus years in Greater Boston, South Shore Duxbury,Pembroke, Hanover, Marshfield, Scituate, Hingham, Weymouth, Kingston, Cohasset, Plymouth, Abington, Cape Cod, Plymouth County, Norfolk County, Barnstable County Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard Middlesex County. Essex County, Massachusetts
Andy Provitola CMC,IEP, Environmental Resources Hanover, MA 02339 781-248-9975 www.airenvironments.com
Healthy homes is about the air that we breathe inside our homes. have you ever thought about the quality of air and what may be inside of your house or the place that you live. Air can move around from basements, crawlspaces, the living space where we sleep, eat, and even bathroom and kitchens. How about the furnace or the HVAC system where your heat and/or air conditioning flows from a duct vent or radiator pipes.
Have you ever had a water leak in your home? How about a flood, a leaky roof, a damp basement or crawlspace. It has been said that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. This means that you could be breathing bad air which may be making you sick. Some of the symptoms you may be experiencing such as headaches, dizziness, skin rashes, eye irritation, odors, sneezing, coughing, sinus congestion are just a few. You could be breathing in bad unhealthy indoor air and not even realize it.
Mold has become a recent problem especially after flooding, excess water leaks, excess relative humidity, hurricanes, heavy rain storms, etc. Mold contamination grows where there is excess moisture and/or flooding. The longer the moisture or water stands indoors the more potential for mold growth, especially after 48 hours or more. Allergies and excess dust can trigger several reactions. Keeping the air quality clean indoors is important to lessen the allergy irritabilities.
To have a healthy home it is best to pay attention to the details of your house. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
We serve locally 23 plus years the Massachusetts, Greater Boston, Metro West North Shore South Shore and Cape Cod Region. Plymouth County, Barnstable County, Norfolk County, Suffolk County, Essex County, Middlesex County
Healthy Indoor Air Quality Solutions 