Whether you rent an apartment or own your own home, mold can be a huge problem to have to deal with. Insurance claims adjusters will usually deny your claim simply because the vast majority of homeowner’s insurance policies simply do not cover the cost to remove mold from the home. Landlords presented with a mold problem in one of their units or in the home that they are renting out are sometimes quick to blame the problem on the tenant rather than admit that the problem is structural or was there before the tenant moved in.
There are a few insurance adjusters that will try to trick you into saying that mold has been around for millennia and that it is not the health threat that people are saying that it is or that the mold contamination in the home is somehow your own fault. If the infestation is obviously not your fault, do not say anything that suggests that it might be. If he/she claims that mold is not a problem like people say, point at the Bible. The scriptures in Leviticus 14:39-49 clearly tell how dangerous mold was considered to be in the time of ancient Judaism and tell how the homes were considered to be “diseased” or “plagued” by mold. It also tells just how these contaminated homes and belongings were dealt with. The rabbi inspected these buildings and determined what was to happen to them and the basic procedure was to remove all belongings from the home and take them far away from the village and people, to shut up the house for a week, and to examine the home again. If it was still not free of contamination, it was torn down and a new one built.
Landlords should be told the same thing if they tell you that mold is not a health threat. You need to provide the landlord proof that there is a problem via mold testing. The burden of proof is on you, not them. Test the home yourself and send a copy of the test results to the landlord via certified mail. If he/she does not respond, send another letter saying you are withholding your rent until the problem is fixed. Lastly, if that was ignored, send yet another letter via certified mail stating that you are re-locating and seeking legal action.
Showing posts with label damage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label damage. Show all posts
Friday, January 18, 2008
Your Cell Phone, Water, and a Sticker
Water is a part of our everyday lives, but most of us who own electronic devices can readily admit that it is not only the source of live, but also the source of some pretty pricey problems. It is every cell phone or blackberry owner’s nightmare: dropping that $400 device into the bathtub or into the pool. What do you do with it after you drop it into water? How late is too late to save it? And if it can be saved, how do you do it?
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Well, if you have a newer cell phone, odds are that if you drop it in water, you will not be able to get the phone’s warranty to cover the water damage. It is not covered under most cell phone warranties and this is one reason that you should be especially careful if you plan on getting your phone anywhere near water. The new phones have been equipped with small white stickers both inside the battery compartments and on the circuit board deeper inside the phone. When the phone gets wet (or when it is simply exposed to humidity that is just too high), the sticker changes color due to a powdered dye underneath it. When you take your phone to the manufacturer to try and file a claim, they tell you that they cannot give you any compensation because the phone has been water damaged, even if you have not actually dropped the phone in water. If humidity is too high, the sticker trips and you are out of luck.
What can you do to try and remedy this problem? If you live in an area that is subject to pretty high humidity, you can take a piece of satin finished scotch tape and place a piece over the sticker on the battery compartment. The problem is getting to the other sticker that is usually on the phone’s circuit board. If you can manage that, then hat’s off to you. If your phone stops working and you need to file a claim, remove the tape.
If you do happen to drop your phone in the water, get it out in under 20 seconds and remove the power supply completely. Submerge it in a bowl of uncooked rice at least overnight and do NOT try to power on the phone until you are completely certain it is dry. If you put the battery back in and it works, congratulations. If not, try using it with your AC adapter. If this works, all you need is a new phone battery.
Testing Your Home For Mold
Testing for mold in your home is not really a complicated process, but if you should know that if you do not follow the instructions that come on the package to the letter, the test will be almost completely useless both to you and to the mold laboratory that you send the test kit samples to. Most test kits are fairly straight forward, but this is a rundown of what you are going to have to do, even if you do not use just the test kits.
Sometimes knowing where you need to test for mold contamination is pretty easily simply because of the fact that the mold is either completely visible on the walls, ceiling, or other belongings, but also due to the fact that many kinds of mold have a significant musty odor to them. You can take a sample of the mold that you can see on the walls by taking a knife (a clean one) and scraping some of it off into the test kit. Be careful here and do not inhale the mold spores. Wear rubber gloves and a respirator while doing this, if you can. Whether you are wearing gloves or not, though, you should wash your hands afterward before going to test another site and especially before you eat anything.
If you want to, you can also take a piece of scotch tape and lift some of the mold off the wall. Some people may prefer this over the knife method, but it is a matter of personal preference. The knife method is more likely to stir up the spores than the tape method.
Set a test kit out in every room of your home after you have run the air conditioner or fans in every room for about ten to fifteen minutes to get the spores stirred up. Tape at least one kit to the grill of an air conditioning vent so you will know if there is any mold growing inside the duct itself. If the air conditioner continues to blow mold spores out into the house after it has been run for about 15 minutes, you know you have a problem in your ventilation system.
After you collect the test kits from around your house, you need to label them all with your name, address, where each test kit was used in the home, and any other pertinent information. This should also include how long you left the test kit setting out in your home, whether it was 30 minutes or a day.
Sometimes knowing where you need to test for mold contamination is pretty easily simply because of the fact that the mold is either completely visible on the walls, ceiling, or other belongings, but also due to the fact that many kinds of mold have a significant musty odor to them. You can take a sample of the mold that you can see on the walls by taking a knife (a clean one) and scraping some of it off into the test kit. Be careful here and do not inhale the mold spores. Wear rubber gloves and a respirator while doing this, if you can. Whether you are wearing gloves or not, though, you should wash your hands afterward before going to test another site and especially before you eat anything.
If you want to, you can also take a piece of scotch tape and lift some of the mold off the wall. Some people may prefer this over the knife method, but it is a matter of personal preference. The knife method is more likely to stir up the spores than the tape method.
Set a test kit out in every room of your home after you have run the air conditioner or fans in every room for about ten to fifteen minutes to get the spores stirred up. Tape at least one kit to the grill of an air conditioning vent so you will know if there is any mold growing inside the duct itself. If the air conditioner continues to blow mold spores out into the house after it has been run for about 15 minutes, you know you have a problem in your ventilation system.
After you collect the test kits from around your house, you need to label them all with your name, address, where each test kit was used in the home, and any other pertinent information. This should also include how long you left the test kit setting out in your home, whether it was 30 minutes or a day.
First Steps To Take If Your Home Is Water Damaged
Having a home that is located close to the ocean or close to a fresh water source can be a nice and aesthetically pleasing experience, but what do you do if it happens to flood? A flood can be a nightmare for any homeowner, whether the home is newly built or 30 years old and a lot of people do not know how to deal with this situation, simply because most have not ever had to.
If your home does become a victim of flooding and water damage either due to rain, a levy breaking, or hurricane, there are a few things that you can do to help minimize the damage once the water has receded. It is best to tend to the home as soon as possible after the waters have receded back away from your home.
When you do finally get the opportunity to re-enter your home, you must be absolutely certain that the electricity to your entire home is cut off. There is a serious risk of electrocution if you step into your home without making sure of this first and foremost. There are also some serious biological risks that you will be taking when you re-enter a home that has been flooded simply because of all the different chemicals, trash, sewage, and even dead bodies that could be floating around in it.
If you can afford to purchase some protective gear before trying to dry out your home, please do so. Wash your hands extremely well before you eat anything to avoid infecting yourself with anything that may be in the water.
Before you do anything at all to try and repair the damage to your home, you need to use a video camera to record the damage. Tape every section of your home that has suffered significant damage and point out everything that you notice that will have to be repaired. This will offer you irreplaceable help when you try to file an insurance claim on the home.
Remove any insulation in the attic that has gotten wet. It is no longer effective and has become very heavy. It will weigh your ceiling down and eventually cause it to collapse in sections.
You should also remove anything else that is wet and set it outside to dry in the sun, although some items should be let to dry in the shade to keep the sun from bleaching them.
Do not use artificial heat sources to dry hardwood floors. This will cause what is called cupping or can cause the floor to buckle. Open the windows and let air circulate through the home.
If your home does become a victim of flooding and water damage either due to rain, a levy breaking, or hurricane, there are a few things that you can do to help minimize the damage once the water has receded. It is best to tend to the home as soon as possible after the waters have receded back away from your home.
When you do finally get the opportunity to re-enter your home, you must be absolutely certain that the electricity to your entire home is cut off. There is a serious risk of electrocution if you step into your home without making sure of this first and foremost. There are also some serious biological risks that you will be taking when you re-enter a home that has been flooded simply because of all the different chemicals, trash, sewage, and even dead bodies that could be floating around in it.
If you can afford to purchase some protective gear before trying to dry out your home, please do so. Wash your hands extremely well before you eat anything to avoid infecting yourself with anything that may be in the water.
Before you do anything at all to try and repair the damage to your home, you need to use a video camera to record the damage. Tape every section of your home that has suffered significant damage and point out everything that you notice that will have to be repaired. This will offer you irreplaceable help when you try to file an insurance claim on the home.
Remove any insulation in the attic that has gotten wet. It is no longer effective and has become very heavy. It will weigh your ceiling down and eventually cause it to collapse in sections.
You should also remove anything else that is wet and set it outside to dry in the sun, although some items should be let to dry in the shade to keep the sun from bleaching them.
Do not use artificial heat sources to dry hardwood floors. This will cause what is called cupping or can cause the floor to buckle. Open the windows and let air circulate through the home.
Home Canned Food and Mold
Most of us like homegrown and prepared food, but sometimes when we can them in glass containers when we have too much garden produce to eat or too much to just give away, it does not all go according to plan. There are some tried and true canning techniques that have been in use in the past century or more, but sometimes we forget to use common sense when we are canning and this can lead to mold contamination in our food that we worked so hard to prepare and preserve.
We like to can our own food because we know exactly what chemicals and pesticides are going into it. Most of us do not like the idea of chemicals being put onto our food, even if they are deemed “safe” by the government or FDA. Sometimes the chemicals that they say are safe today are not safe tomorrow. But, mold contamination can be just as dangerous as any pesticide or preservative and there are a few things that you can do as a home canner to prevent this from happening to your canned items.
Make sure that the fruits and vegetables that you are canning are of the best quality from your garden. If they have any bad spots on them, cut these off or simply do not can them. Fruits and vegetables need to be washed and some need to be peeled before you can them. Starting with good quality ingredients is key.
Do not pack the food too tightly into the jars that you will can them in. The food in the center does not get to the high temperature that it needs to in order to kill bacteria and mold spores. You should pack food loosely, with at least a few inches from the top of the jar, depending on the size that you are canning in.
After you fill the jars, put the lids and the bands on. Start processing the food immediately so that mold and bacteria do not have a chance to start growing. If mold spores get into the jar, you might have a problem, because sometimes high temperatures just do not kill mold spores. Make sure any equipment that you use is completely sterile.
If you do happen to find mold growing in a jar after you open it, just throw it away. Foods that have a high amount of moisture are not salvageable when they become contaminated.
We like to can our own food because we know exactly what chemicals and pesticides are going into it. Most of us do not like the idea of chemicals being put onto our food, even if they are deemed “safe” by the government or FDA. Sometimes the chemicals that they say are safe today are not safe tomorrow. But, mold contamination can be just as dangerous as any pesticide or preservative and there are a few things that you can do as a home canner to prevent this from happening to your canned items.
Make sure that the fruits and vegetables that you are canning are of the best quality from your garden. If they have any bad spots on them, cut these off or simply do not can them. Fruits and vegetables need to be washed and some need to be peeled before you can them. Starting with good quality ingredients is key.
Do not pack the food too tightly into the jars that you will can them in. The food in the center does not get to the high temperature that it needs to in order to kill bacteria and mold spores. You should pack food loosely, with at least a few inches from the top of the jar, depending on the size that you are canning in.
After you fill the jars, put the lids and the bands on. Start processing the food immediately so that mold and bacteria do not have a chance to start growing. If mold spores get into the jar, you might have a problem, because sometimes high temperatures just do not kill mold spores. Make sure any equipment that you use is completely sterile.
If you do happen to find mold growing in a jar after you open it, just throw it away. Foods that have a high amount of moisture are not salvageable when they become contaminated.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Contractor Need to Know Facts
Almost everyone wants to have the opportunity to build that dream home, but before you can have it built, you need to find the right person to build it for you. This means finding the contractor that you can stand to be around for at least a few months while the house is being built and also finding the contractor that can get the job done right and on time. Other legal matters will also need to be taken care of by the contractor, so before building begins, you need to be sure that these have been taken care of, as well.
When looking for a contractor, talk to your friends and relatives first to find out if they can recommend anyone to you. If they cannot, then it is time to go to the phone book. Avoid hiring a contractor over the internet if possible, but if you feel like you have to go this route, be very careful. Meet the contractor in person and obtain a number of references so you can find out just what quality work he does. Find out if there have been any problems with mold in the home or water damage due to bad plumbing or bad construction since the house was built. Ask a lot of questions about the contractor’s character and about how efficient the job was.
Find out whether the contractor’s license is current and has no claims against it at the moment. There should not be any. In California, anyone who is contracted to do work that will cost more than $500 must have a license from the Contractor’s State License Board. If you hire someone without a license, you may not be able to obtain assistance from the Board to resolve a complaint. They should have a pocket license with their name on it and the name on it should match the name of who you are talking to.
Your contractor should also have all of the appropriate insurances and he should have no problem with giving you copies of the policies for your own records. He or she should have liability and worker’s compensation insurance. They may not be required by your local law to have general liability insurance, but if they do damage to your property, you or your insurance company may have to cover the bill.
Your contractor is also responsible for getting the appropriate building permits from the city to do your project. Make sure he or she has obtained all these permits and permissions before building starts.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration companies across the united states.
When looking for a contractor, talk to your friends and relatives first to find out if they can recommend anyone to you. If they cannot, then it is time to go to the phone book. Avoid hiring a contractor over the internet if possible, but if you feel like you have to go this route, be very careful. Meet the contractor in person and obtain a number of references so you can find out just what quality work he does. Find out if there have been any problems with mold in the home or water damage due to bad plumbing or bad construction since the house was built. Ask a lot of questions about the contractor’s character and about how efficient the job was.
Find out whether the contractor’s license is current and has no claims against it at the moment. There should not be any. In California, anyone who is contracted to do work that will cost more than $500 must have a license from the Contractor’s State License Board. If you hire someone without a license, you may not be able to obtain assistance from the Board to resolve a complaint. They should have a pocket license with their name on it and the name on it should match the name of who you are talking to.
Your contractor should also have all of the appropriate insurances and he should have no problem with giving you copies of the policies for your own records. He or she should have liability and worker’s compensation insurance. They may not be required by your local law to have general liability insurance, but if they do damage to your property, you or your insurance company may have to cover the bill.
Your contractor is also responsible for getting the appropriate building permits from the city to do your project. Make sure he or she has obtained all these permits and permissions before building starts.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Mold Remediation and
water damage restoration companies across the united states.
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