Regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil predicted on Ground Hog Day, Vermonters know we’ve got more winter in front of us and any boyscout worth his badges will tell you, be prepared.

The biggest culprits in Vermont in winter are Mold Damage, Water Damage, and Fire Damage… And they are all related (fire can lead to water damage and result in mold damage, if not handled properly). Let’s take a look at how you can be prepared.

Fire Damage
When it comes to Fire Damage, prevention is the cure. But accidents do happen and when they do, you should know what to do and what not to do. Soot is incredibly hard to clean. Much of the work should be left for the pros (even laundering), but there are a few simple things you can do to prevent further contamination: wear gloves and wash your hands, turn off your ventilation systems, and wash your house plants.

Mold Damage
Water damage can quickly lead to Mold. Mold exposure can cause all kinds of problems ranging from simple headaches and flu-like symptoms to more severe reactions, so a timely response can protect your health.The first thing you must do is stop the source of moisture (ie: turn off the water to your home and fix any plumbing leaks), then you can start to clean small areas (less than 10 sq. ft.). Use common household detergents or natural cleaners like grapefruit seed extract, vinegar, or tea tree oil (tea tree oil is a broad spectrum fungicide that kills all the mold families it contacts).

Water Damage
When it comes to water damage, your rapid response can have a great impact on preserving your home and belongings. Drying things up as quickly as possibly will reduce the potential for the development of mold. Here’s what you can do:

• Turn off the water – This may seem obvious, but in an emergency, the obvious can be elusive.
• Remove excess water – Mop up as much as you can. In cool weather open the windows; in hot weather turn on the A/C.
• Prop up upholstery.
• Remove area rugs to a dry place.
• Protect valuables – move paintings and artwork to a safe, dry location.
• Dry clothing as soon as possible – Fur and leather should be dried at room temperature.
• Protect your furniture – Place plastic or aluminum foil under the legs of your sofa and chairs, open doors and cabinets to facilitate drying.

The list of things you should not do in the case if water damage of short, but essential in preventing electrical shock: do not use a household vacuum cleaner, do not operate electrical appliances, and do not touch any electrical outlets.

In any case, the best preparation Vermonters can have is a phone number: 802-878-9800. Call PuroClean.

Lately, residential fires have filled the nightly Vermont news. There were five fatal fires in the Burlington area in 2011. In 2012 there has already been one fatal fire in Essex Junction, a residential fire in Burlington, and a fire destroyed a popular local business in Middlesex.

Some of these fires are related to wood stoves and fireplaces, some to faulty electrical wiring, others to cigarettes. In many cases simple fire prevention measures, like the use of an ash can or even an ash tray, might have preempted disaster. In other cases, the fires that ripped through Vermont homes and businesses were inevitable.

When disaster strikes, it’s important to react as quickly as possible even after the fire is out. This will help insurance companies contain the losses, help homeowners get back to normal life, and reduce the potentially toxic after-effects caused by fire damage.

Every fire generates particles of incomplete combustion that remain in the air and on surfaces after the fire is out. Many of these particles  are known carcinogens. They range in size from 0.1 to 4.0 microns. A micron is tiny: there are 25,400 microns in one inch. Because of their very small size, these particles are easily inhaled which is why they are so dangerous. The presence of such particles might warrant complete evacuation of the property.

Once these potential health hazards are addressed, it is time to consider the contents of the home or business. A quick response time here can also make a huge difference. Consider the consequences of fire damage: Within minutes plastic and marble surfaces begin to permanently stain; Within hours metals tarnish, grout stains, fiberglass yellows and furniture yellows; Within Days floors stain, fabrics are lost, and wood furniture finish is history.

This is why you should contact a professional fire damage mitigator like PuroClean who will communicate the processes that will take place, how your property and personal items will be protected, and work with you and your insurance company on getting your life back together after the fire. When it comes to professional smoke and fire damage mitigation on your behalf, PuroClean’s responsibilities include:

• Respond rapidly to the customer
• Communicate the procedures and secure an authorization
• Scope the damage and provide a detailed estimate
• Control and contain to prevent continuing damage
• Prevent cross-contamination
• Properly clean and process the entire job
• Process and properly dispose of wastes
• Provide effective odor control
• Provide an environment ready for any final repairs

Many of us in Vermont think of water damage as a warm weather problem (think spring floods and Hurricane Irene), but residential water damage during freezing winter weather is more common than you might imagine.

When water freezes, its volume increases by approximately eleven percent (11%), and this expansion exerts a huge amount of force. This force is enough to break concrete or even the metal water pipes under your kitchen sink!

So far, the winter has been mild in Northern and Central Vermont. In Chittenden County in particular, you may still have time to take precautions against winter weather wrecking havoc in your home:

• Shut off the valve supplying your outside water lines – drain these lines by opening the tap. Leave it open so any small amount of water that might be left in the line has room to freeze and expand without causing any damage.
• Check water pipes running close to outside walls and in unheated crawl spaces. Put fiberglass insulation between the pipes in your home and the exterior walls to help keep them warm and prevent freezing.
• Pipes running through unheated spaces should be covered with fiberglass insulation or pipe sleeve insulation.

The disaster resulting from frozen pipes is not one you’ll ever want to relive. The actual damage to the pipe is often minimal compared to the water damage the mess can cause in your home. Prevention is the best cure when it comes to frozen pipes.

Once the cold weather is upon us, there are still some things you can do to prevent frozen pipes:

• During a cold snap, leave cabinet doors open under the sink so that heated air can warm pipes.
• Leave bathroom and kitchen doors open to encourage heat circulation.
• Open the taps just enough so that there’s a slow drip. This will relieve water pressure that could build up between an ice blockage and a closed spigot and rupture the pipe.
• During extreme cold, keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both day and night.
• If you will be away from home during cold weather, leave the heat set to 55ºF.

In the event of a flood in your home this winter, time is of the essence. Water will soak into a concrete floor within six to 12 hours and make it much more difficult to dry. And mold can begin to grow within two to three days. Mold can spell trouble with your insurance claim and with your cleanup efforts.

This is where PuroClean comes on to the scene with CPR – Controlling, Protecting, and Restoring damaged property and contents. The restoration professionals at PuroClean are trained in the latest in mitigation technology and procedures. They’ll get you back to normal in no time, so you can get back to enjoying winter.

image credit: www.howdididoit.com

Home fires are nondenominational. Whether you light the menorah or decorate the Christmas tree, take good care this holiday season, more residential home fires occur during the holidays than at any other time of the year.

According to FEMA nearly 156,000 fires in the United States occur during the winter holiday season each year. These fires can be particularly dangerous as ignition occurs so close to a good fuel source – spruce needles or candles.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas trees, both real and artificial, were the first items ignited in an estimated 300 reported home structure fires per year since 2000. These fires claim nearly 630 lives, cause 2,600 injuries, and $936 million in property damage each year. Stories of menorah-caused home fires are prevalent online, though statistics were not as easy to find.

Some simple precautions can prevent you and your family from becoming a home fire casualty statistic this holiday season.

If you light the Menorah:

• Place your menorah on a secure table or counter – away from blinds, drapes or curtains
• Place your menorah on a fire retardant surface – such as a ceramic plate or aluminum foil
• Keep kids and pets away from flames
• Do not leave a lit menorah unattended

Christmas tree safety:

• Keep your tree away from ignition sources such as candles, fireplaces, wood stoves, portable heaters
• Do not decorate your tree with candles
• Do not use lights with frayed or broken cords
• Unplug your tree when you leave the house or go to sleep
• Keep live trees moist – when the needles start to fall off, it’s time to get rid of your tree

Be prepared this holiday season: check your smoke detectors and make sure your holiday decorations do not block an exit. In the event of a fire, time is of the essence. A blocked entry/exit puts you and your family at risk.

Even if you do take the necessary precautions to protect your family this holiday season, accidents can happen. When they do, call PuroClean. Fire, and the resulting smoke and soot, can very rapidly harm household items, even after the fire has been extinguished. It is imperative to seek help immediately from a professional restoration company, such as PuroClean, to prevent further damage.

“Happy Holidays”, a collective, nondenominational and inclusive wish for the period encompassing Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Winter solstice, Christmas Day (The Nativity of the Lord), Boxing Day (St. Stephen’s Day), the New Year and Epiphany.

Merry Christmas and  Hanukkah Sameakh!

Image credits: green.yahoo.com, vermontchristmastrees.com

A puffin is a cute little diving bird that fishes along the sea coast. We don’t have them here in Vermont, but we do have puff backs. Puffins make cute little odd quacking sounds; puff backs create black, greasy, oily messes…

A puff back is the puff of smoke and soot from a malfunctioning heating unit inside your furnace that brings gunk into your home. When a furnace works properly, it combines fuel and oxygen in balanced amounts for good, controlled combustion. The correct mix produces a steady flame and burns the fuel almost completely. The puff back happens when the mix is unbalanced. For example, when the rate of combustion in your furnace slows, but the fuel injected into the heating system remains constant, a sudden combustion can occur.

Much like the backfire of a car, a puff back can cause a “boom” and a big vibration. This vibration shakes loose accumulated soot in the heating system and duct work. The air stream of forced air that normally brings lovely heat into your home instead brings these soot particles. Think of how the heat moves into all the areas of your home. The soot from a puff back will take the same path.

Residue from a puff back is usually an oily, sticky film whose base is petroleum. It has a strong smell and makes a mess that permeates everything. Because the puff back is backed up by a little explosion, these soot particles get a boost getting into the nooks and crannies of your home and furniture. Not only does the soot from a puff back get into the fabric of furniture and exposed soft goods, it can get behind doors and into drawers. It can get into closets and permeate your wardrobe.

The combination of nooks and crannies, propulsion and a petroleum base makes the mess caused by a puff back so difficult to tackle. Often traditional cleaning methods make the mess even worse than when you started. Professional remediation teams like those at PuroClean in Williston will often use alkaline degreasers and wet-cleaning methods to restore property damaged by puff back soot. In some cases they also use sealants to preventing re-contamination.

In most cases, an immediate response by a trained professional restoration company is called for. Quick action by a pro will help mitigate your losses and return your home to a pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. Proper maintenance of your furnace and chimney can prevent puff backs, but if they do occur, it’s time to call the pros at Puroclean. Then you can get back to bird watching…

Thanksgiving is fast approaching. I remember the first time I ever saw a sweet potato marshmallow casserole. It was on Thanksgiving, and it was on fire.

The place for flaming marshmallows is around the campfire, not the kitchen. Unfortunately many holiday treats will catch fire in the kitchen this Thanksgiving. According to the National Fire Protection Association, it is the peak day of the year for kitchen fires.

Let’s look at some kitchen fire stats:

• Kitchen fires are the number one cause of residential fires in the US.
• Almost three times more residential fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year.
• 90 percent of Thanksgiving kitchen fires are  are caused by unattended cooking.
• According to CNN, “Local fire departments responded to roughly 1.6 million fires in 2008. “That’s a residential house fire every 19 seconds, resulting in about $11 billion worth of damage.”

Fortunately, a little prevention goes a long way when it comes to kitchen fires. Here are a few easy things you can do to prevent a kitchen fire as you cook the holiday feast: Roll up your sleeves while you are cooking; Remain in your home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you to check the food; Keep towels, bags, plastic, and food packaging away from flame and heat; Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, and know how to use it.

If you do have a cooking fire, these kitchen fire tips from FEMA and the US Fire Administration can make all the difference in the world:

• When in doubt, just get out. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are already getting out and you have a clear path to the exit.
• Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
• In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothing.
• If you have a fire in your microwave oven, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out. Unplug the appliance if you can safely reach the outlet.
• After a fire, both ovens and microwaves should be checked and/or serviced before being used again.

Vermonters stick together – especially when it comes to disasters like the flooding we’ve seen this year. The after math of Hurricane Irene brought us even closer together. Volunteers poured out of the woodwork. People unaffected by the storm in Burlington and Winooski found their way to volunteer stations in Waterbury and Rochester. Neighbors shored up neighbors. The disaster brought out our finest qualities as Vermonters.

So it is no surprise that when faced with small home repairs, many of us  turn to our local handyman. It’s just another way to help out a neighbor by buying local. But for the big stuff, like water damage and fire damage you should really call in the experts. Professional restoration is more cost efficient in the end. And the beauty of hiring PuroClean Vermont is that they are local, too.

Professional restoration services, like those provided by PuroClean, are the result of keeping current with the latest technology available. Restoration is not just a matter of brushing something off. The complexities posed by smoke and water damage are often unknown to the average maid service or handyman. For example, water damage caused by contaminated water requires a completely different restoration approach than does damage caused by clean water. And soot damage if treated improperly will potentially destroy rather restore your property. What if the damage you’re facing is caused by both smoke and water? Professional restoration specialists have to be experts in the cleaning of all contaminated contents and structures.

And then there is insurance. You may be facing multiple claims from a single incident. This can be confusing and costly if not handled correctly. That’s why the insurance industry depends on professionals who do quality, timely work, understand the needs of the insured, and service the claim from the initial call. It streamlines the insurance claims process and makes it more cost-effective. PuroClean Managed Services has more than ten years of experience working with insurance companies and their adjusters.

You should not be afraid of calling a professional restoration service…in the end, it will save time, money and your property. The Williston office of PuroClean Vermont has a great sign on their door. It says, “If it’s dirty, we can clean it! If it’s wet, we can dry it!” They are the paramedics of property damage. And though some of their gear looks like something from Ghostbusters, these guys get the job done best.

If there’s something strange
in your neighborhood
Who you gonna call?
If there’s something weird
and it don’t look good
Who you gonna call?

What scary thing is in your basement this Halloween? Is it a trick or is it a treat? Chances are whatever it is will grow into a monster if left unattended for the winter.

Vermonters are lucky, they have basements. Or are they? Basements are the best places to store gear, the furnace, the workshop, and the man cave, but basements can be scary places. Your basement can be terrifying too, unless you take some preventative steps before the snow flies. Basements are already cold. Here are out Top 7 Tips to prevent a horrifying spring in your basement:

Preventing Fire Damage:

1. Get your furnace inspected – Call an HVAC professional. This simple step has the potential to lower your fuel costs, or it can even prevent a home fire damage.
2. Get you fireplace ready – Call the Chimney sweep; stack your firewood safely away from the exterior of your home.

Preventing Water Damage:

1. Prevent Plumbing Freezes – Locate your water main. In the event of an emergency, you’ll need to know where it is and how to turn it off.  Drain any garden hoses you’ll be storing in the basement. Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
2. Pipes can freeze and burst – Insulate the water pipes in your basement, including those that go to and from the water heater and a permanent humidifier. Insulate them with foam pipe insulators, self-adhesive insulation tape or purchase a fiberglass and plastic pipe wrap insulation kit.

General Good Ideas for Winterizing Your Home:

1. Prevent ice dams – Use ventilation and/or insulation to make sure your roof and eaves will be the same temperature so they shed snow and ice at the same rate.
2. Inspect your roof gutters cleaned – Gutters are designed to protect your home from water damage. Keep them clean so they can do their job.
3. Check for any cold breezes in the basement. You can turn off the lights and do this with a candle, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Find the source of the cold air and fill any gaps with insulation – wear appropriate protective gear while you’re doing this. Fiberglass insulation can be a nightmare under the skin.

All those unsuspecting victims in horror movies who sought safety in the basement must have stepped out for popcorn during the basement scene in the Blair Witch Project – the scariest part of the whole movie.

image credit: http://www.filmreference.com

It’s fire prevention week. Make sure you and your kids take note.

Fire Prevention Week is more focused on protection than prevention, this year. The them is “Protecting your family from fire.” It seems obvious. When a home fire starts, we’re not thinking about fire damage, we’re thinking about the safety of our loved ones. But thoughts aren’t always enough. We’ve got to have a plan and take action.

Almost 80% of fires in the United States occur in residences. Most home fires start in the kitchen, in the evenings. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Half of all U.S. home fires occur in December, January and February (while we’re making hot soup? roasting a turkey?). What will you do if your home is one of the statistics? The National Fire Protection Association gives some good guidelines on how to be prepared for the unthinkable.

Here are a few highlights:

• Make sure your kids know what the fire alarm sounds like. Little Johnny Junior might think his Game Boy is trying to talk to him. Make sure your kids know what that crazy sound means.
• Make sure your kids know where to meet outside of the house. This is just like at elementary school.
• Make sure that there are two escape routes out of each room. This takes some extra planning for second story bedrooms.
• Make your home fire escape plan known to your whole family.
• Practice it twice a year.

One thing I found lacking in the home fire escape planning department was consideration for family pets. Considering that Sparky the Dog is the new mascot of fire safety, I found the omission of Fido in the initial escape plan a little disconcerting.

I’m no Fire Marshall, but I’d recommend making the dog’s safety someone’s responsibility. Of course, you and the kids are the priority, but the dog is a significant family member, too. Maybe something like “I’ll get the kids; you get  Fido,” could be part of the responsibilities parents take in the home fire escape plan?

Let us know about your home fire escape plans. Is the dog part of the plan? What would you take with you if you only have 15 seconds? Are there two escape exits from each room in your home?

It is interesting to note that fire prevention week was initially established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of October 1871. Sparky the Dog is the new mascot of fire safety, but given the history of the event, a cow might be more appropriate? I am still partial to Smokey (you can print the image and color it in).

Home Fire Prevention Resources:

FEMA has some good fire prevention information.
Here is useful Family Checklist.
You and your kids can make a Home Fire Escape Plan together.

image credit: http://dekalbcounty.org

Heating season is nearly upon us here in Vermont. And no matter what the Eye-On-The-Sky guys on VPR say about the warm weather forecast today, fall weather is inevitable! For many of us, heating season means wood heat. More than 30% than of Vermonters heat their homes partly or entirely with wood.

Home heating is the second leading cause of home fires in the US. According to the US Fire Administration, heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. The most common wood stove-related home fire is a chimney fire. Most chimney fires are caused by creosote build up. Using algebra, it pays to keep your chimney clean.

Creosote is the product of wood smoke and moisture. Burning unseasoned or wet wood contributes to creosote build up. Once creosote build up reaches about an inch thick, it becomes an ignition hazard. Properly dried wood can often prevent this hazard. Good firewood stacking is a huge part of good firewood drying.

So, should you stack your wood like a Canadian or like a Scandinavian? If you have ever driven across the border, you know that our neighbors to the North are expert woodstackers. Canadian wood piles are the hospital corners of the arboreal world. Their wood piles are perfectly straight and trim and go on for centuries.

Scandinavian woodpiles, on the other hand are circular. Some might find this blasphemous, but the Scandinavians have been heating with wood for millennia, so their technique is worth some consideration for this post and for my woodpile this year. Stacking wood in the round takes less time, topples over less often, and sheds water better, thus keeping your wood off the ground and dryer longer.

Arka puinen kartuttaa! (Finnish for “Nice wood pile!”) Trevlig trä stapla! (Swedish) Whatever method or language you choose, make sure to leave space for good air ventilation. According to Martha Stewart’s website, you should leave enough room for a mouse to run through, but not enough for the cat chasing him. She’s Scandinavian in origin, right?