Even the smallest fire that has been put out relatively quickly can still cause smoke damage to your possessions. Not only that, but it can even affect the very structure of your home. This is why cleaning up smoke and soot quickly after a fire is so important. Smoke can act like an acid, and will eat away at different materials if left too long. It’s best to say that if a fire strikes your home, or if you live near an area where a wildfires has occurred, it’s crucial to act fast to reduce damages.

What Can Be Salvaged?

Depending on the extent of the damage and materials of the item, it may not be salvageable. Cost is a factor that should also be taken into consideration as some items will cost significantly more to salvage as it is to replace. A smoke damage specialist can determine what items should be cleaned, discarded or replaced.

How Does Smoke Affect Your Home?

Smoke affects various materials in different ways. Not only that, but the temperature and type of the fire will cause different variations of smoke damage throughout your home. One of the worst ways that smoke can causes damage is by sneaking into small cracks and crevices, since the particles are so fine. They can often go undetected for long periods of time, leaving a lingering smell that can last for months. The only way to remove the smell from your home is to remove or clean affected items and to clean your homes building materials with agents designed to remove the smell.

After a fire, your home needs to be properly and thoroughly ventilated, as this will allow some smoke particles to leave your home and prevent them from settling onto other items. Remove as much debris as possible, and clean areas where the damage occurred. Odor neutralizing products can help rid the building of the smell of smoke, and remove the very particles that cause the smell.  Getting this done as quickly as possible reduce the chances of cross-contamination.

How Fast Do You Need To Act?

Time is always of the essence when it comes to smoke damage. The sooner you act, the more likely you are to prevent permanent damage. For example, some materials, such as synthetic fibers and porous items need intervention within minutes to be effectively saved. The components of your house, such as painted walls and flooring, need to be addressed in no more than a day or two, and in some cases hours. In addition, painted walls and wood furniture can become permanently stained if not addressed quickly. Metal surfaces can rust and corrode when smoke and soot particle are left sitting too long. The longer you leave your smoke damaged home untreated, the more extensive the damage will become and the cost to mitigate will continue to rise.

The best action you can take to mitigate the effects of smoke damage is to call a professional right away. They can assess the damage, mitigate your house and turn it into a home again.

Grammatico R is a full-service, family-owned restoration company proudly providing services to cleanup and repair damage to residential and commercial properties due to water, fire, mold, storm, or other disasters. Call us today!

The post Where There’s Smoke appeared first on Grammatico Restoration.

Water damage on baseboards is a common and serious problem that can affect the appearance, value, and safety of your property. Water can leak onto your baseboards from various sources, such as windows, roofs, pipes, appliances, or floods. If left untreated, water damage can cause your baseboards to swell, stain, break, or fall off. It can also damage the wall behind the baseboards, leading to mold, rot, or structural issues.

The first step is to inspect your baseboards for any signs of water damage. Some of the common signs are:

Brown Spots On Baseboards

These could indicate that water has seeped into the wood and caused discoloration. However, brown spots are not always caused by water damage. They could also be caused by mold, mildew, dirt, or stains from other sources. Therefore, you should confirm the presence of water damage by other indicators or tests.

Swollen or Warped Baseboards

These could indicate that water has caused the wood to expand and deform. This is especially common for MDF baseboards, which are a type of fiberboard made from wood fibers and resin. MDF baseboards are more vulnerable to water damage than solid wood baseboards because they absorb more water and break down more easily.

Loose or Falling Baseboards

These could indicate that water has weakened the nails or glue that hold the baseboards to the wall. This could also mean that the wall behind the baseboards is damaged by water.

Wet or Damp Baseboards

These could indicate that water is still present on or behind the baseboards. You should dry the baseboards as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

Condensation or Dripping Water on Baseboards

These could indicate that there is excess moisture in your home or in the wall behind the baseboards. You should check for any sources of leaks or humidity in your home and fix them.

Finding the Cause

The next step is to find out what caused the water damage on your baseboards. This will help you prevent it from happening again and fix it properly. Some of the common causes of water damage on baseboards are:

• Leaking windows – If your windows are not sealed properly, rainwater or snowmelt can leak through them and onto your baseboards. You should check your windows for any cracks, gaps, or holes and seal them with caulk or weatherstripping.
• Leaking roof – If your roof is damaged or worn out, rainwater or snowmelt can leak through it and onto your walls and baseboards. You should inspect your roof for any missing or broken shingles, tiles, or flashing and repair them as soon as possible.
• Air conditioner leaks – If your air conditioner is not installed or maintained properly, condensation can form on it and drip onto your walls and baseboards. You should check your air conditioner for any leaks or clogs and clean it regularly.
• Floods – If your home is flooded by heavy rain, storm surge, or burst pipes, water can soak your floors and walls and damage your baseboards. You should clean up the floodwater as quickly as possible and dry your home thoroughly.
• Busted pipes – If your pipes are old, corroded, frozen, or damaged by external forces, they can burst and spray water onto your walls and baseboards. You should turn off the main water supply and call a plumber to fix the pipes.
• Leaking fish tanks – If your fish tank is not sealed properly or overfilled, water can leak from it and onto your walls and baseboards. You should check your fish tank for any cracks or leaks and repair them with silicone sealant.
• Leaking sinks – If your sink is not connected properly to the drainpipe or faucet, water can leak from it and onto your walls and baseboards. You should check your sink for any loose or broken parts and tighten or replace them.
• Overflowing toilets – If your toilet is clogged or malfunctioning, water can overflow from it and onto your walls and baseboards. You should unclog your toilet with a plunger or snake and fix any faulty parts.

Baseboard Pulling From Wall Moisture

Most walls have moisture, and if there is a leak in your home or a lot of humidity, there may be excess water moisture in your walls. Your baseboards may pull this extra moisture from your walls. You can look for these signs:

• Swollen baseboards
• Baseboards falling off the wall
• Wet spots on baseboards
• Stain on the baseboards
• Condensation on baseboards
• Water dripping from baseboards.

Baseboard Swelling

If you notice your baseboards swelling and are looking for a way to prevent it from happening again, there are a few different things you can do.

• Windows: Make sure all windows are secure and sealed
• Appliances: Check appliances for signs of leaks
• Pipes: Check pipes and fixtures for leaks
• Clean up: Clean up water in the bathroom immediately
• Dry: Dry flooded areas quickly
• Moisture: Reduce moisture in your home. Improve or use a dehumidifier or air conditioning system.

Grammatico R specializes in water damage restoration. Call us today!

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Mold is a type of fungus that grows on organic matter in moist and warm conditions. It can produce spores that spread through the air and cause allergies or infections in some people.  Mold can be black, white, spotted, or just about any color. It may appear powdery, cottony, or velvety.

If you notice a spot and aren’t sure if it’s just an old stain or a splotch of dirt, here’s how to tell if it could be a sign of a mold problem:

• It has a musty, earthy smell.
• There’s a nearby source of moisture, but not much light.
• You see warping, cracking, or peeling of whatever material it’s growing on.
• A drop of bleach may lighten its color in a minute or two.
• Unchecked mold will continue to grow. Dirt and old stains won’t.

How Does Mold Get Indoors?

Outdoor molds release tiny spores that float through the air. These spores can enter your home via:

• Attached Garages
• Doors
• Windows
• Crawl Spaces
• Heating and Air Conditioning Vents and Ducts
• Clothing and Shoes
• Pets

Once mold spores get inside, they can grow if they have moisture and organic matter, such as wood, paper, or dust, and oxygen.

Mold spores grow in spaces with moisture, such as:

• Sinks
• Bahtubs
• Showers
• Leaky pipes
• Windows
• Basements
• Crawl Spaces
• Aattics

They can latch onto a variety of materials, including:

• Fabrics
• Carpet
• Paper
• Wood
• Ceiling Tiles
• Dust
• Paint
• Wallpaper
• Insulation

How Do You Know If You Have a Mold Problem?

Anytime you see or smell mold in your house, it’s a problem. All types of molds can potentially cause health issues and need to be removed.

Mold may out as a little spot, but it can grows quickly. You’ll usually notice it early on unless it’s in an out-of-the-way location.

Grammatico R is a full-service, family-owned restoration company proudly providing services to cleanup and repair damage to residential and commercial properties due to water, fire, mold, storm, or other disasters. Call us today!

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