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How to Prevent Disaster Damage From Happening to Your Home: 5 Tips

September 20, 2020 by Mandy

flooding houses with rising water. 3d rendering

Did you know that there’s an average of 14 weather and climate disasters in the United States that cause an excess of a billion dollars in damage a year?

Every year, homeowners all over the country are forced to deal with damage to their homes due to natural disasters. And though a certain amount of damage is usually unavoidable when disaster strikes, there are a few tips you can use to enhance protection from natural disasters.

Read on to learn how to prevent disaster damage to your home as best you can.

1. Homeowners’ Insurance is Important

Homeowners’ insurance is indispensable in a natural disaster. Ensure that you not only have it but that you have a policy that will cover a good portion of the damage.

A basic policy will save you money in the short term, but more coverage can save you thousands in the long run.

2. Fill Any Cracks in Your Foundation

In case of a hurricane or flood, it’s crucial that you don’t have any holes or cracks in your foundation. Water will find its way into these gaps and can do serious damage to the structure of your home as well as your belongings.

In small amounts, water is harmless. But extensive water damage is difficult and expensive to repair, so it’s best to avoid it if possible.

3. Use Hurricane Straps

Hurricane straps are useful for securing any large appliances in your home and your outdoor HVAC unit. They can even be used to brace your home against wind damage by connecting your roof to the walls and the walls to the foundation.

Properly installed hurricane straps can enable your home to withstand 100 mph winds!

4. Turn Off Utilities

In a natural disaster, knowing how to turn off your utilities can be an absolute lifesaver. Many home disasters are caused by fires, gas leaks, and flooding due to active utilities.

When you learn that a tornado, hurricane, or other natural disaster is headed your way, shut off your gas, electricity, and water to minimize the damage.

5. Repair Damage As Soon As Possible

If you do experience any damage, don’t wait to begin collecting estimates for repairs. Complete a thorough inspection of your roof and your home’s structure to determine if a professional is needed.

Take plenty of pictures and notes to bring to your insurance company so you can get the full amount you deserve. And when you’re ready, call in restoration specialist. They can help with many types of disaster damage.

Go to https://www.ctr-nw.com/ to learn more!

Use These Tips on How to Prevent Disaster Damage to Protect Your Home

Natural disasters are unavoidable and can strike at any time. But by knowing how to prevent disaster damage to your home, you can avoid thousands of dollars in damage.

Looking for more tips on protecting your home from potential danger? Be sure to check out our blog!

6 Toxic Substances You Probably Have in Your Home Right Now

August 30, 2020 by Mandy

Cleaning supplies and equipment on kitchen floor with oven in background

Believe it or not, toxins are all around us – in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and within our homes.

In fact, there are over 82,000 synthetic chemicals, and we really don’t know the harmful effects some of these may cause.

Avoiding some of the toxic products that have been deemed unsafe is an excellent place to start to protect yourself and your family from harmful side effects they can cause.

Keep reading this guide to learn about the most toxic substances, and how you can avoid them to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.

1. Cleaning Products

In this day and age, there is no excuse for having toxic cleaners in your home. Many of these toxic products give off fumes that can be harmful to your health.

They can also contain toxic chemicals like

Phthalates
PERC
Triclosan
Ammonia
Chlorine
Sodium hydroxide
2-Butoxyethanol

These chemicals are linked to several health problems like asthma, hormone imbalances, neurotoxicity, reproductive disorders, and even cancer.

Several chemical-free cleaners are effective cleaning solutions and can be used in place of these.

2. Perfume

You wouldn’t believe this common household product has previously been tested and proved to contain a laundry list of toxins. Some of these toxins to keep a lookout for include:

Acetone
Benzaldehyde
Benzyl Alchohol
Ethanol
Camphor
Parabens
Stearates
Phthalates
Linalool

According to the findings from an Australian study, some of the everyday products we use that contain fragrances can cause adverse side effects.

3. Laundry Detergent

Even the soap we use to wash our clothes can contain harmful toxins. The toxins in laundry detergent have been known to cause skin irritation, among other unwanted side effects.

Dryer sheets have also been shown to contain harmful fragrances and other chemicals.

If you are worried about the chemicals in laundry detergent, its best to use a safe brand laundry detergent so you can feel confident knowing it doesn’t contain anything that can harm you or your family.

4. Plastic Water Bottles

Water bottles are some of those everyday toxic items that should be avoided when possible.

The plastic bottles are not only bad for you, but they are also bad for the environment, piling up in landfills and our oceans.

Many plastic water bottles are now BPA-free. However, a lot use harmful substitutes in replace of it.

5. Cosmetics

Some cosmetic items can be considered poison at home. Many of them contain toxins that are absorbed directly through your skin, so it’s important to know what these products include before using them.

Especially when considering some people use 10, 15+ products a day, its best to go with brands you can trust.

6. Air Fresheners

Although it’s nice to spruce up the house with a nice scent once in a while, many of these products contain toxic fragrances that can cause adverse side effects.

Studies have shown that using air fresheners without ventilation can cause toxic amounts of pollutants in the air around you.

Want to Learn More About the Most Toxic Substances?

Avoiding toxins altogether is difficult because they are all around us. However, avoiding these most toxic substances can significantly improve your chances of having to deal with the negative consequences.

For more interesting information about health and lifestyle, check out the rest of our website!

How to Spot Damage Caused by Foundation Sinking and Settlement

August 27, 2020 by Mandy

It is an indisputable fact that foundations tend to sink or settle over the passage of time. As such, the soil beneath your house has undergone settlement for a long, long period of time. Generally speaking, each layer of this soil possesses distinctive attributes and this, more often than not, has an influence on your foundation and even the structure built on it. The moment this topsoil fails to effectively support the weight of your home, the foundation will start to sink or experience settlement.

There is a number of factors which may trigger settlement in a foundation. This can include adverse climatic conditions and soil associated problems like gaining and losing excessive amounts of moisture. Houses are, in ordinary conditions, expected to experience uniform settlement after construction. The exact tolerance level of absorbing this pressure is always contingent on the foundation’s design and the soil type. The characteristics of soil layers might alter with time too.

In most cases than not, the expansion and contraction of soil attributable to freeze/thaw cycles will give rise to foundation movement. In its turn, this can cause the structure above it to sink in a gradual manner. When this occurs, your property might sustain damage in diverse ways. Some of which tend to be more conspicuous than others. However, when your have a good idea of just what is happening, the telltale symptoms of foundation sinking and settlement tend to be unmistakable. Here then are some of the most remarkable signs that can point to issues triggered by foundation shifting.

Look for cracks on the foundation itself

This is one of the most prominent symptoms of foundation sinking and settlement. Still, not all cracking on your foundation can be attributed to foundation movement. For instance, shrinkage cracking may occur when the concrete slab undergoes the curing process which can take up to a year to end. These sorts of cracks don’t change with time and are normally not a cause for concern. On the other hand, when cracks start to form on your foundation years after construction, the main culprit behind it is usually foundation movement. First of all, cracking on foundation walls which happen to be wider at the top are normally a good indicator that part of the foundation is falling away. Once you notice this occurrence, it will be prudent to consult a Foundation Repair Raleigh NC contractor to figure out what is really happening.

Look for cracking on walls and above doors and window corners

Drywall and plaster cracking tends to be fairly simple to patch up, but it may be essential to determine what caused it. In some circumstances, this occurrence could point to excessive moisture accumulation or even improper mud and tape jobs. On the flipside, it could as well infer your foundation is sinking or settling. Should this be the case, you will notice the cracks you patched up reopening. Drywall cracking occurring around doors and window corners is, in most cases than not, caused by foundation shifting. Should you notice cracking of this sort, make it a point to enlist the services of a seasoned foundation repair contractor. Yet another issue to be always on the lookout for is nail pops on the drywall. This occurrence takes place when the drywall sustains damage at the spots where nails or screws were installed. This almost always indicates your foundation is settling.

Look for doors and window that stick out of their frames

The sinking of a foundation can have a negative impact on doors and windows. Even subtle movements will make windows and doors to be out of alignment. One way to ascertain if this is what’s happening is to position a 4-foot level on the top of a window or door frame. If they aren’t level, it will be a good idea to have your foundation examined by a professional.

Look for sloped or uneven floors

The flooring of your property might be built with wood at the top level and concrete at the basement level. Sloped floors that manifest on any level of your house can be a serious indicator of foundation settlement. On the other hand, when your basement floor is uneven, it could point to foundation upheaval. In either if these 2 scenarios, you will want to bring a professional into the case since these issues tend to worsen with the passage of time.

Look for plumbing fixtures that burst

When a foundation experiences settlement, one of the most obvious signs that will alert you of the problem is when water pipes get broken. Should this not be resolved, it might give rise to cracking and water damage which could progressively become worse. Leaky plumbing fixtures will spill water into your foundation and weaken an already compromised foundation. Also, water damage might rapidly spread to other parts of your home like the basement, crawlspace and even load-bearing walls.

7 Things About Subway Kitchen Tiles We Bet You Didn’t Know

August 25, 2020 by Mandy

For all the wild ubiquity of subway tile, it turns out there’s still a long way to go. So what is a subway tile anyway? Where did it originate from? We did some legwork to help you know these seven interesting things about subway kitchen tiles we are sure you didn’t know yet.

1. It Began in Manhattan.

The primary subway tiles appeared subterranean—in New York City’s metro system. When it opened in 1904, planners Christopher Grand La Farge and George C. Heins were entrusted with a precarious task: design a surface that was handily cleaned yet would likewise feel recognizable, safe, and amicable to city-occupants using underground travel for the absolute first time. Their answer – tiles with marginally bent edges and a reflexive completion implied that the metro stations were clean, maintained, and brilliant.

2. You Can Get an Impression of the Original Subway Tile in an Abandoned Metro Station.

Investigators and structure obsessives who need to get a brief look at the main subway tile can go to the City Hall stop, New York City’s first-ever metro station which is presently deserted. The New York Transit Museum offers visits—yet New Yorkers have been known to secretly remain on the 6 train to get an impression, as well.

3. It Emerged from Hygiene Obsession.

Subway tiles emerged out of a Victorian-time obsession with hygiene. As a result of their polished, coated completion, they’re stain-safe, simple to clean, and reflect light. They immediately earned a notoriety for being utilitarian and sterile and turned into the wall covering of decision somewhere else, from showers and kitchen backsplash tile to butcher shops. These days, these equivalent properties settle on them the main decision for current kitchens, showers, and home renovation ventures.

4. The Exemplary Dimensions are Still Debatable.

What precisely is a subway tile? It’s somewhat hard to characterize particularly when you mean subway tile with a certain rectangular shape. While the great subway tile dimension is 3×6 inches, the definition is extending. These days, tiles that are twice the length and width are alluded to as subway tiles. What’s more, it turns out, they aren’t rectangular any longer: kitchen subway tiles can be square too!

5. It Comes in Glass and Stone, as well.

Also, in case you thought subway kitchen tiles could be characterized by how they are made, reconsider it. The official definition is a meager, low-terminated, coated earthenware tile. Yet those absolute first forms in the New York City subway were made of white glass. These days, “subway tile” is accessible in an assortment of materials, similar to glass, stone, and marble, just to give some examples. You can even find some unique patterns for your kitchen backsplash tile.

6. Subway Tile Can Cost Under $1.

Subway tiles vary fiercely in cost. The unfussy, home improvement store collections can ring in under $1 per tile or $8 per square foot. While handcrafted, craftsman translations can run upwards of $60 per square foot or more. For a collection of most popular kitchen tiles, you can surf for subway tiles in different materials.

7. Grout Matters.

After the idea and cost involved in buying and installing a tile, grout might be a bit of hindsight. However, it shouldn’t seem so. The grout you pick could totally change the look and style of your kitchen subway tile. You can get some inspiration from the numerous contemplations, ranging from dull to light and wherever in the middle at various tile stores.

So these are some interesting facts about subway tiles that we believed are new to you. Let us know if you knew or which ones were first-timer for you

Furniture Fit For A King

August 12, 2020 by Mandy

In ancient mythology the mighty Oak rules supreme. From the Celts to the Vikings, and even the Greeks, the oak has been venerated as being the ‘king of the forest’, a sacred tree, worshipped for its strength and longevity.

Those qualities make the oak a top choice in furniture making. And even if you think it isn’t furniture fit for a king you can surely agree that at least a piece of solid oak furniture is furniture made from a king.

Found in the Northern Hemisphere oak has been used to make furniture for hundreds of years due to its plentiful and hardy nature. It is very sturdy and durable and, properly cared for, can last for generations.

Considered, along with pine and walnut, as being one of the more affordable woods in furniture it does tend to be more expensive than the others as it takes a much longer time to grow and that time and investment raises the cost.

Two Main Types Of Oak Furniture

There are many different types of oak used for furniture making but in look it usually comes in either a red or white. The white could be described as a warm, almost honey colour which suits a wide range of different decors and styles. The red, which in its raw state has a pinkish heartwood, is obviously darker and has its own unique and endearing appeal.

The grain of these oaks is quite similar. The only other real difference in look, besides the colour, can be found in the medullary rays which are a natural feature of oak which are formed during the growing of the tree. The rays of the white are longer than the red and both are found in most pieces of oak furniture.

White oak is a much harder and heavier wood than the red and would be similar in hardness to maple and birch. Thus making it more durable and more expensive.

Room or Collection

The best way to shop for your solid oak furniture is by room or collection. And there are plenty of rooms to choose from and some fine and exquisite collections.

By room you are thinking of the practicalities of that space. What is it used for? Is it a living room or a bedroom, a home office or a bathroom? What is the style of the room you have or want?

Do you want a coffee table or tv cabinet? A hallway table or a wardrobe? Thankfully, there are many pieces out there to choose from.

You want your chosen piece of solid oak furniture to suit the look you are going for as much as the task it will be required to do.

Shopping by collection could be considered the most discerning choice of the two. The only real reason being that you like that particular style. You appreciate the art and craftmanship which has went into that specific range. It suits you and the look you are after and you want to replicate that theme throughout your home.

One of the latest collections is Cadiz solid oak. A cursory Google search (Cadiz Solid Oak) will find items in this range described as a ‘work of art’, ‘expertly handcrafted’, ‘practical and unique’, ‘stylish’. There are other collections of course and all worth your appreciation.

There is no doubting the continuing and endearing quality of solid oak furniture. It has been with us for centuries and no doubt will continue on for many more. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to durability and strength and may well be a solid investment for future generations. A piece of solid oak furniture is a solid choice.