How to Improve Your Home’s Ventilation

With the recent trend in energy efficiency, many homeowners are focused on making their homes airtight in order to prevent heat loss. While this could lower your energy bills, it eliminates all natural ventilation from the home.

This may sound like no big deal, but ventilation is extremely important, especially if your home suffers from indoor air pollution (hint: it probably does). Read below to learn why adequate ventilation is necessary, and what you can do to improve yours.

Why ventilation is important…

The average person breathes nearly 3,000 gallons of air every day. Good ventilation removes harmful pollutants and ensures this air is clean. Other benefits of ventilation include:

• Remove unwanted smells. Unpleasant odors will disperse quicker with sufficient ventilation.
• Control humidity levels. Maintaining ideal humidity levels is important for comfort.
• Reduce the risk of mold growth. Mold can have detrimental effects on our health and homes.
• Improve indoor air quality. Indoor air can be up to ten times more polluted than outdoor air.

How to improve your ventilation…

Luckily, there are many ways that homeowners can improve ventilation. Here are a few ways to let your home breathe:

• Open your windows when weather permits. This is the easiest and most effective way to instantly improve ventilation in your home.
• Run your exhaust fan after every shower. This is especially important for controlling humidity levels.
• Leave your interior doors open. Leave doors open in between rooms to promote airflow, but keep closet and pantry doors shut.
• Make use of pedestal and ceiling fans. Ideally, ceiling fan blades should rotate clockwise during the colder months, and counterclockwise during the summertime.
• Install a ventilation system in your home. These can be exhaust-only, supply-only, or balanced systems.

It’s important to note that if you have a home ventilation system, you want to ensure that your air ducts are clean. Otherwise, pollutants such as dust, dirt, pet dander, and mold could easily circulate throughout your home.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers professional air duct cleaning services to homes and businesses across Long Island. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, contact us online to get started with a free estimate, or call (631) 940-8100.

Safe Substitutes for Dangerous Cleaning Products

We use store-bought solutions to sterilize and polish nearly every surface in our homes, but have you ever stopped to think about what’s inside that bottle?  Despite being advertised as “cleaning” products, nearly all commercial cleaners contain harmful chemicals.

These chemicals pose a major threat to the health of your family and the environment, even those misleadingly labeled as “all natural”. Luckily, there are ways to clean your home without the use of these poisonous products.

These homemade cleaning solutions are every bit as effective as your favorite brands; the only difference is the lack of toxins...

Instead of air fresheners…

Grab several jars and fill them halfway with baking soda. Add a few drops of your favorite scented oils to each jar. Poke some holes in the lids and place them throughout your home to absorb unpleasant smells. If you are looking for a quick way to overpower strong bathroom odors, just light a match.

Instead of laundry detergent…

You don’t need a fancy liquid detergent to clean your clothes, just ask your grandparents. Instead, mix together one cup of grated bar soap, one cup of washing soda, and one cup of Borax powder. Add in one tablespoon of this solution the next time you load your washer and voila – fresh laundry that smells amazing.

For your all-purpose cleaner…

Combine ½ cup white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (for smell) and mix with warm water in a spray bottle. This simple, easy-to-make cleaning solution can be used anywhere in the home, including your countertops, floors, kitchen, and bathroom.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration knows a thing or two about safe, healthy cleaning. As Long Island’s #1 specialty cleaning service, all of our products and procedures are 100% eco-friendly.

Our services include air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, crawl space and attic cleaning, mold removal, and water damage restoration. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, call (631) 940-8100 to get started with a free estimate.

9 Ways to Prevent House Fires

According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, there are more than 350,000 residential fires in the United States every year. These fires are responsible for more than 10,000 injuries, 2,500 deaths, and $7 BILLION in property damage.

On the bright side, most house fires are avoidable. Follow these nine simple tips from GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration to keep your home safe and prevent fires:

1. Keep an eye on what you fry. Cooking equipment is responsible for nearly half of all house fires. The best thing you can do to avoid these is never let your food cook unattended, especially on the stove top.

2. Never leave candles burning unattended. While they may smell delectable, it is important to remember that candles are an open flame, and therefore a fire hazard. Keep them away from all flammable materials, and never leave them burning in an empty room.

3. Have your home’s electrical system inspected. Electrical fires usually involve some type of failure or malfunction in the electrical system. A professional electrician knows how to spot faulty equipment, and can repair it before it becomes a problem.

4. Hire a professional chimney sweep. If your home uses a fireplace, it is important to have it professionally cleaned in order to remove the buildup of flammable creosote.

5. Don’t smoke in the home. This is a no-brainer. If you must smoke, do so outside and make sure your butts are completely out before disposing of them.

6. Maintain a three-foot safety zone with all heating equipment. Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from your furnace, radiator, stove, grill, fireplace, space heater, and other types of heating equipment.

7. Never use electronics with damaged wires. Plugging in an electronic device with a frayed, exposed, or damaged wire is asking for trouble.

8. Clear your dryer’s lint screen before each load. Clothes dryers are responsible for more than 15,000 fires per year, many of which are caused by a dirty lint screen.

9. Have your dryer exhaust vent professionally cleaned each year. In addition to the filter screen, lint can accumulate in your dryer’s exhaust vent – the windy, metal tube attached to the back of your appliance. Have this vent professionally cleaned once per year to remove this buildup of flammable lint.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers professional dryer vent cleaning services to homes and businesses across Long Island. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, give us a call at (631) 940-8100 to get started with a free estimate.

About Our Specialty Cleaning Services | GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration is a Long Island-based specialty cleaning service. We dare to clean what most homeowners forget about and other companies won’t touch. Read below to learn more about our services.

Air Duct Cleaning

Air ducts can harbor all kinds of contaminants, such as dust, dirt, pollen, pet dander, mold, and more. Once these particles enter your air ducts, they can use them as a transportation system to circulate throughout your entire home. Our professional air duct cleaning services will remove these contaminants from your ducts, improving both energy efficiency and air quality.

Dryer Vent Cleaning

Did you know that clothes dryers cause more than 15,000 residential fires each year? The leading cause of these fires is lint. While cleaning off your screen before each load is a good start to preventing these fires, it is not enough. Lint can also accumulate in the exhaust vent – the windy, aluminum tube that attaches to the back of the appliance. Experts recommend having your dryer vent professionally cleaned once every year.

Attic and Crawl Space Cleaning

Crawl spaces and attics are susceptible to all kinds of problems, including excess moisture, mold growth, and pest infestations. These not only damage your home, they can compromise indoor air quality. You probably don’t want to journey into your dark, dirty crawl space to fix these problems, so let us do it for you.

Mold Removal

Mold is a toxic fungus that can grow virtually anywhere – indoors or out. High-moisture areas are the most susceptible to mold growth, including bathrooms, basements, attics, crawl spaces, and HVAC ducts. If you spot mold growing in your home, don’t attempt to remove it yourself. DIY mold removal often leads to illness and can spread mold spores around instead of eliminating them.

Water Damage Restoration

A little bit of water can cause a lot of problems. If you have recently experienced severe water damage in your home, don’t touch any wet items with your bare hands, and don’t breathe in the damp air. Instead, give GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration a call and we will restore your home to its previous condition.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers all of these services to homes and businesses across Long Island. If you live in Nassau or Suffolk County, call us at (631) 940-8100 for a free estimate.

6 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air pollution has been linked to several short- and long-term health problems, and it affects more homes than you might think. Avoid these six common mistakes to keep the air in your home clean and healthy:

1. Smoking indoors.

News flash: smoking is bad for you. It’s not just firsthand and secondhand smoke, either. The toxic particles in cigarette smoke can stick around your home long after the cigarette has been put out, a phenomenon known as thirdhand smoke.

2. Using high-VOC products.

Home products such as paint, adhesives, and even cleaning products have been known to emit volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which have been linked to cancer. Look for “no VOC” labels when purchasing these types of products.

3. Lack of ventilation.

Indoor air pollution is usually higher than outdoor air pollution because the airborne contaminants are confined to a small area. Improving the ventilation in your home gives harmful particles a place to escape, and can help prevent mold by controlling humidity levels.

4. Using air fresheners.

Wait a second, don’t air fresheners freshen the air? Contrary to popular belief, no. According to the NRDC, most store-bought aerosol sprays contain dangerous phthalates, even those labeled as “all natural”.

5. Not having any houseplants.

Houseplants aren’t just for decoration, certain types of plants can naturally improve air quality by filtering out harmful particles. Not all plants are created equal, though. Among the best air purifiers are the snake plant, peace lily, and english ivy.

6. Neglecting your air ducts.

Your home’s air ducts are a common hiding spot for allergens such as pollen, dust, pet dander, and mold. Once these particles enter your air ducts, they can spread throughout your entire home. A professional air duct cleaning is the best way to keep your ducts clear of contaminants.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers professional air duct cleaning services to homes and businesses across Long Island. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, call us for a free quote at (631) 940-8100.

3 Most Common Problems With Home Air Ducts

Although they are an afterthought for most homeowners, air ducts are an important part of the home. They are responsible for circulating air from your heater or air conditioner, and play a key role in energy efficiency as well as indoor air quality.

Unfortunately, air ducts are susceptible to a variety of problems that can impact both your energy bills and the health of your family. Here are three common problems that homeowners may experience with their air ducts:

1. Leaky ductwork.

Think that your ductwork is airtight? Think again. It is estimated that the average home loses between 20-40% of the air circulating through their ducts. Gaps, cracks, and broken seals in your ductwork can lead to inconsistent temperatures, high energy bills, increased wear and tear on your HVAC system, and…  

2. Pest infestations.

Pests can enter your air ducts through the aforementioned gaps and cracks, as well as through exterior vents. Some animals commonly found in air ducts include mice, rats, spiders, and cockroaches. These critters can leave behind their droppings and carcasses, leading to unpleasant odors and air quality problems.

3. Pollutant accumulation.

Did you know the average three-bedroom home produces more than 40 pounds of dust per year? Much of this dust accumulates in your air ducts, where it can circulate throughout your entire home and cause allergic reactions. Air ducts are also known to harbor pollutants such as animal dander, pollen, and even mold. The best way to remove these contaminants is by hiring a professional air duct cleaning contractor.

GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration offers professional air duct cleaning services to homes and businesses across Long Island. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, call us for a free estimate at (631) 940-8100.

What Are Ice Dams?

Ice dams are an overlooked winter problem which can easily cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. Read below to learn more about ice dams, what causes them, and how to prevent them this winter…

What is an ice dam?

An ice dam is a frozen sheet of ice that forms at the edge of a roof. This ice acts as a dam, preventing water from flowing into your gutters. With nowhere else to go, this backup of water can eventually seep into your roof, causing problems such as:

• Wood rot in your ceilings and walls
• Insulation damage
• Wet spots and mold growth
• Poor indoor air quality

What causes ice dams?

As you may recall from science class, warm air rises. When warm air from your home escapes through the attic, snow which has accumulated on the roof begins to melt, even if the outside temperatures are below freezing.

As the water from the melting snow flows down the roof, it will eventually reach its freezing point and turn back into ice. This forms a small dam at the edge of your roof, which continues to grow as snow continues to melt. When the ice dam becomes large enough and water can no longer reach the gutters, it begins to seep into the roof.

Solutions for ice dams

There are two ways to handle ice dams; the proactive way and the reactive way.

Proactive approaches are long-term solutions, and can help stop ice dams before they start. Proactive solutions include:

• Installing heated gutters
• Increasing roof insulation to minimize loss of warm air

Reactive solutions, on the other hand, are short-term fixes after the ice dam has already formed. These include:

• Removing the snow from your roof with a snow rake.
• Melting the ice dam with a garden hose.

If you wait too long to act on an ice dam, you could incur significant water damage in your home and attic. If this occurs, contact a professional restoration company for assistance. Attempting to fix water damage on your own can result in illness and structural problems to your home.

Long Island homeowners can count on the pros at GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration for all of their water damage restoration needs. If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, give us a call at (631) 940-8100.