Incorrect water damage assessment to any material such as wood or drywall (plasterboard) or even water susceptible metal may lead to unforeseen consequences which include underestimating the damage or failing to recognize the damage, which can cause more damage. For example, if you under report the damages, an insurance company will restrict you. If it does not recognize damage, damaged wood or material can lead to further wet rot that you may not fully recognize until much later. An accurate water damage assessment increases the likelihood that your insurance company will pay you properly, and insures you can repair or replace the damaged material.

Instructions

1. Allow materials and structures to completely dry. Drying reveals damage to the material.
2. Examine the surfaces of wood, walls or even “water deformation” ceilings including blistering, swelling or fraying. Blister formation consists of bubbles or raised pockets of material such as paint, plaster or laminate where the surface material actually pulls away or elevates the underlying layers. Swelling is made up of solid materials that are swollen with water, then keep a swollen look once dried and frayed consists of fibrous edges where grains of wood cloth or other material become soaked.
3. Check floor panels, ceiling panels or walls of visual signs of secondary structural stress such as buckling of adjacent sections, bowing of individual sections or corner compression. Buckling occurs as a consequence of swelling and consists of one or more swollen structures pressing against each other until one slips or causes the material to curve (bow). Corner compression also produces inflammation and consists of wrinkled corners mashed or compressed between two adjacent panels.
4. Inspect any exposed metal surfaces for oxidation that appears as red powder or brick color, indicating elemental iron deposits.
5. Look for erosion on surfaces or even on the ground around foundations or landscaped areas such as stone paths. Erosion on the tiles consists of bits of washed sand, so the asphalt tile appears as smooth as a worn tire. Erosion messages around the foundation of your home or around patio or stone walkways can appear as pockets or holes in areas once filled with dirt and these holes are deepened with additional rain or leaking that removes dirt.
6. Inspect walls, ceilings, and floors for stains. These spots will appear as wet pockets when all has dried. These stains indicate water has penetrated into the structure and could have caused wet rot or mold.
7. Examine garage floors or concrete basement walls for filtration indicates internal cracks where water was collected. These inner water bags can create pressure and cause surface cracks.
8. Inspect garage floors or concrete basement walls for cracks resulting from changes in ground due to rain. These cracks let the water flow freely in a room or even on a floor, creating more damage.

Would you like to know a home remedy to clean the drain of your house without using toxic products? The mixture of vinegar and sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, is a solution. Here we’ll explain how to do it.

Cleaning the house can be fun or it can become an extremely stressful operation. Few men and women can truly say that they enjoy doing housework, however, when we find solutions that help us with this task, we can enter the tasks with a different attitude. There are activities that seem impossible to perform successfully, but the key is finding the right technique and product.

We’re going to focus on one of the most tedious tasks in the home, cleaning the drains. To do this, there are numerous chemical, toxic and polluting products in stores, but here is an equally valid alternative that also takes care of the environment.

Home remedies to clean the drain

For this, you will need two products that we all have in our homes, we are talking about vinegar and baking soda.

To make this mixture you will need: 100 grams of baking soda, a glass of hot vinegar and a glass of boiling water.

The cleaning of the drain should be done at night, before going to sleep so that the product takes effect for several hours. First, pour the baking soda into the drain and then pour in a cup of hot vinegar and a glass of boiling water. It is important that, once the cleaning operation is carried out, do not turn on the water until the next morning. After all night the mixture of vinegar and baking soda will have done their cleaning, a technique that is not harmful to the environment.

If you wish you can perform a weekly cleaning of the drains of your home, this technique will not cause any obstructions.

You already know how to clean the drains of the washing machine, the sink, the dishwasher, etc. But, all prevention work is essential. Therefore, below, we offer some recommendations to prevent drains from becoming clogged:

• Never throw food in the sink drain because the remains of it accumulate in the pipe and in the siphon and can cause blockages. Your sink should have a plug with holes so that the food does not go through.
• Do not dispose of oil residue through the sink because a greasy film can form on the pipe where any food remains attached, causing bad odors and clogging.
• In addition, the soaps that you use can leave sediments in the pipes. Every 10 days it is advisable to clean them with a hot pot of salt water.

Do you think this is the only benefit of vinegar? This is a product that has numerous benefits for your personal beauty and is also a great ally to lose weight.

Residential plumbing or home plumbing can present serious difficulties if you ignore signs of problems for a long time. For example, you may have trouble deciding when to tackle a job yourself or call a professional. Understanding how your home plumbing system works can help you save time and money.

Purpose

The main purpose of a residential plumbing system is to provide a filtered water supply for the home and to allow wastewater to drain from the house. Its plumbing system connects a series of pipes to clean lines of water supply and sewage. Pipes carry water to all plumbing fixtures, such as sinks and showers. Each pipe system has a main shut-off valve for water supply, and many newer houses have shut-off valves for individual parts.

Inlet water

The incoming drinking water goes through your pressure regulator and water meter if your house has one. Water then directs to your hot water heater, some outdoor accessories and the rest will supply cold water for interior accessories. Plumbing uses various materials to build supply pipes, including copper, PVC pipe or PEX pipe. The main pipes have a diameter of 3/4 to 1 inches while the secondary pipes have a diameter of 1/2 inch.

Sewage water

Sewage drainage, one of the most vital functions of your plumbing system, helps keep your home free of toxic gases and sludge. In modern houses, they are usually made of plastic materials such as PVC pipe or ABS drainage system, although old houses may use cast iron. Plastic pipes, however, usually make more noise than cast iron pipes and because of this, some modern houses still have cast iron pipes.

Trap and ventilation

A fundamental part of the sewage system, the trap, a curved piece of pipe beneath the fittings like in a sink, maintains a small amount of water in the line at all times, which prevents hazardous gases from backing through the pipes and enter the home. Another fundamental safety feature of the plumbing system, the ventilation line, carries the gases from the house sewage through a pipe that extends through the roof.

Signing the lease of a house or apartment for rent is an agreement that needs to be carefully reviewed before you make the leap.

• Read the lease thoroughly before you sign it. Not all leases are the same, so it is important to look over each section of the lease every time you rent and have a new lease. Review the most important dates, amounts, expectations, and terms, for example whether subleasing is allowed or not.
• Be clear about how much money you will have to pay in advance. Many homeowners require a security deposit, which can amount to a month’s rent or more. In addition, if you work alongside a real estate broker, you must pay fees to them as well.
• Know all possible penalties. A lease usually details the penalties that the landlord can charge you for damages, late payment of the lease or early termination.
• Determine which utilities are left to you. The payment of electricity, gas, water, garbage collection and other bills varies by owner, so find out what you must pay. Also, know who the providers are available for each service and then look into which offers the best cost.
• Know how far in advance you must report the termination of the lease. The amount of time required varies by state and may depend on the owner or the leasing company. There may also be charges related to early termination, so it is important that you know your obligations before signing the lease.
• Identify all associated costs. Before signing a lease, make sure you know how much rent with any necessary utilities you can afford.

Use storage for clean decor

Some beautiful colored baskets arranged throughout your bedroom are perfect to help keep things in order! Your decor will be cleaner and dust will be easier to eliminate which is a good thing, especially if you are sensitive to mites. Do you have a lot of things? Feel free to put things you do not use in a bin under the bed!

Decorate your room … from the bottom up

Add personality to your room by adding wall decorations! Family photos, travel souvenirs, original artwork…everything is allowed. The only rule? Let your imagination be free. In addition to being an affordable way to bring change to the room where you sleep, you can easily change these decorative items when you want.

Change your quilt and bedding

No need to buy everything new to make changes to your room! Instead, opt for a new duvet and for new bedding. To avoid having to change all the accessories in your bedroom, keep the same color theme. A little trick: take photos of them with natural lighting. You will be able to ensure a perfect match with your new bedding during your shopping session.

Change some accessories

New lamps? A mountain of new cushions? Some well selected accessories can totally change the look of a room. Set your priorities and make a list to avoid surprises at the store checkout … or regrets when you get home.

Antique furniture for retro decor

In addition to being eco-friendly, furniture recycling is a great way to incorporate retro elements into your décor. The combination of recent furniture and pieces found at an antique store or at the flea market is a good way to redo decor at a low price. Warning! It might be necessary to examine your findings before bringing them back to your cozy nest, as bed bugs may be hidden there.