Educational Corner

Whether you’re a massive Game of Thrones fan or you’ve never heard the name Stark in your life, one thing is certain: winter is coming.  With colder weather comes increased chances of fire and water damages from various sources.  The last thing you want to do is be caught unprepared.  Fortunately, there are a few, simple things you can do to help prevent and prepare for any possible damages.

• Before the negative temperatures hit, take the time to clean your air ducts, furnaces, and fireplaces to prevent any fire, soot, and smoke damage.
• Take a minute to check all of your plumbing to ensure it’s not currently leaking and that your pipes are good to go for the subzero temperatures that are on their way.
• Pull out the paperwork and glance over your insurance policy so you know what coverage you have and who you should contact if damage does occur.  Update your policy if you need to.
• Take a general inventory and/or pictures of your property to help streamline the process if damage occurs.

Cold weather has an unfortunate propensity for causing damage to the home.  Scott and the restoration crew at Master Clean is on standby all winter long to help if a fire or water damage strikes your home this winter.  Keep our number close by and call us for 24/7 emergency service all year long. 

Crawl spaces are areas of a home that are similar to a basement, but usually smaller.  They are unfinished areas located below the ground floor of the home and are typically vented to the outside of the home.  The two main benefits of a crawl space are cost effectiveness and convenience.  Building a crawl space is not as expensive as a full basement.  It can be more expensive than a slab foundation, but it negates the need for grading for a slab on a sloped property.  They’re also very convenient places for plumbing, electric, and HVAC access.  Unfortunately, crawl spaces are very susceptible to water and mold damage.

Water Damage

Standing water can easily accumulate in a crawl space from multiple sources including:

• Sewer drain backups and leak
• Waste line leaks
• Flooding
• Lack of rain gutters and improperly positioned downspouts
• High groundwater tables
• Pipe breaks

When water damage occurs in a crawl space, it’s important to have the area professionally cleaned as soon as the damage is discovered.  Unfortunately, damage in crawl spaces often goes undiscovered for a long time because people don’t enter their crawl spaces often.  Even water that was initially clean can grow stagnant when left alone and cause structural damage and health risks over time.  When the source of the water was sewage, the water contains bacteria and other contaminants that will eventually make their way into the home above, posing serious health risks. 

Mold Growth

In addition to being susceptible to water damage, crawl spaces are also very prone to mold growth due to being common locations for water damages as well as having high levels of moisture and humidity.  Mold growth in the crawl space, like water damage, can cause structural problems and pose a risk to your family’s health.  Although a professional remediation company can solve your mold problems and get your crawlspace cleaned up, it’s best to always try to prevent mold growth in the first place. 

• Regularly check your crawl space for leaks and standing water.  One of the most common reasons mold damage occurs in a crawl space is unnoticed water.  Most homeowners rarely have a reason to enter their crawl spaces, so if they aren’t regularly checking water damage can go unnoticed for months leading to massive mold growth. 
• Be aware of your gutters and downspouts.  If rain gutters and downspouts aren’t placed properly, precipitation may flow directly back towards your home and into your crawl space. 
• Ventilation is important.  An improperly ventilated crawl space will have excess humidity which means excess moisture leading to mold growth. 
• Consider encapsulation.  This is the process of using vapor barriers to trap moisture that evaporates from the soil and walls to prevent moisture buildup in the crawlspace itself. 
• If your crawl space is insulated, inspect the insulation a few times a year.  Missing or sagging insulation is a sign of water intrusion. 
• Ensure that your clothes dryer is vented properly and does not vent into your crawl space or any other part of your home, for that matter.  Dryers push out a huge amount of warm, moist air and should always be vented to the exterior of the home. 

Crawl spaces come with a wide variety of pros and cons.  If your home is on a crawlspace, make sure that you’re taking care of it properly and doing regular checks for damage or issues.  Damage in these areas often goes unnoticed and can easily cause damage to the living areas of your home if not addressed. 

Go Pack Go! Football season is heating up even as the weather keeps getting colder and we’ve all been forced to either bundle up or go inside. We aren't even going to get to use our friends' season tickets this year. We might as well make sure our Living Room Lambeau experience is top-notch.

When that cold weather hits hard, dropping into your favorite spot on the couch feels just right especially when that spot is fresh and clean. Did you know that Master Clean offers upholstery cleaning?  We can take care of all your furniture including recliners, sofas, sectionals, and more!

Whether you like curling up with a good book or watching the Packers crush the Bears you can count on Master Clean to keep your furniture looking and feeling great all winter long.  Call us to make an appointment today.  You may even be able to convince us to share our favorite tail-gating recipes that are yummy even if you aren't grilling out in a parking lot.