The Hidden Dangers of Your Laundry Room

If we asked you to name the most dangerous room in your house, we're willing to bet you'd say the kitchen. With the sharp knives, hot stove tops, and obvious fire hazards, the dangers of the kitchen are abundantly clear.

What's not so clear, however, are the dangers lurking in your laundry room. You may think of it as one of the smallest, safest rooms in the house, but there are some hidden hazards that most of us aren't aware of. Here are a few of them for you to consider:

Water Leaks

Rubber hoses leading to the washer can become cracked or torn, bursting in an instant and flooding your home with water. Get in the habit of shutting off your washing machine's supply valve after every load of laundry, and invest in a reinforced, braided hose for your washer.

Mold Growth

Mold is a toxic fungus that can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems to those that are exposed to it. The key to preventing mold from growing in your home is by removing excess moisture, so make sure to clean up all spills and leaks immediately. You should also dry the inside of your washing machine after every use.

Toxic Chemicals

Your laundry detergent may do a great job at keeping your clothes clean, but it's not something you want your kids taste-testing. Consuming detergent and other laundry products sends thousands of children to the hospital each year, so make sure to store yours somewhere small hands can't reach.

Fire Hazards

Did you know that clothes dryers cause more residential fires every year than chimneys do? A build up of lint in the filter screen and exhaust vent are the leading causes of these fires. Always clear the lint trap before every load of laundry, and have your dryer vent professionally cleaned at least once per year.

Are you looking for a dryer vent cleaning service on Long Island? Look no further than GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration. We provide prompt, professional service to homes in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Visit our website to learn more, or give us a call at (631) 940-8100.

How Indoor Air Pollution Affects Office Buildings

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you are already familiar with indoor air pollution. You may know that it affects over 90% of homes across the country, but did you know that it is also prevalent in commercial office space?

In fact, recent studies have found that indoor air pollution in offices is bad news for both the employer and the employee. Read below to learn about how poor indoor air quality can negatively impact your workplace, and what you can do to fix it.

How Can Indoor Air Pollution Affect Your Office?

Just like in our homes, indoor air pollution can be caused by a multitude of factors. Poor ventilation and air filtration can allow for high concentrations of dust, mold, pet dander, and chemicals emitted from cleaning products, building materials, and textiles. Indoor air pollution can affect office buildings in the following ways:

• Negatively impacts workers' health, leading to more sick days and lost work.
• Affects employee productivity; studies have shown that poor indoor air quality leads to less productive workers.
• Reduced energy-efficiency of some equipment, such as HVAC system.

What Can Employees Do To Improve Office Air Quality?

If you want to make an effort to improve the air quality of your office, here are some things you can do as an employee:

• Do not block air vents with your desk or personal items
• Smoke in designated areas only.
• Immediately clean up any spills and report all water leaks.
• Stop using air fresheners and perfumes at work, and only use all natural cleaning products.

What Can Office Managers Do To Improve Air Quality?

While every employee can take small steps to improve the air quality of their office, the property managers can make the biggest impact. Here are some things management can do to improve office air quality:

• Have your office tested for any indoor air quality issues.
• Avoid procedures and products that are known to cause IAQ problems.
• Leave windows and doors open whenever possible to maximize ventilation.
• Keep up with routine maintenance for your building's HVAC system.
• Have your air ducts professionally cleaned.

Did you know that contaminants such as pollen, dust, and animal dander could be hiding in your office's air ducts right now? Get them removed with a professional duct cleaning from GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration. We serve all homes and businesses across Long Island, and only use environmentally-preferred cleaning products and procedures. Call us today for a free quote at (631) 940-8100.

Why You Should Clean Your Air Ducts Before Winter

December is a month for holiday cheer, family and friends, and getting warm and cozy in your home. Before you fire up your furnace and crank up your thermostat, you should first consider getting your air ducts professionally cleaned.

This is the perfect time of the year to clean your air ducts; here's why:

Improve your furnace's efficiency

During the winter months, as much as 40% of your household energy consumption goes straight to heating your home. If your air ducts are clogged with dust and other grime, it can hinder your furnace's ability to operate efficiently. Getting them cleaned by a professional service can help you save money all winter long!

Keep your house warmer

In addition to hurting your energy efficiency and costing you money, clogged HVAC vents also restrict air flow. With a limited amount of hot air flowing through your vents, your house doesn't get as warm as it would otherwise. Clean ductwork can help your home feel warmer without you having to crank up the thermostat.

Improve your home's air quality

With the outside temperatures less than pleasant, most of us spend more times indoors during the winter than any other season. If your home is like most, the air inside of it is actually more polluted than even the dirtiest of cities. If your air ducts haven't been cleaned in a while, they could be circulating allergens like dust, pet dander, and mold throughout your entire house!

Looking for a professional duct cleaning service in Long Island? GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration serves all of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and we only use environmentally-friendly products and procedures to rid your air ducts of harmful contaminants. Visit our website for more information or give us a call at (631) 940-8100.

Things You Might Find in Your Home's Air Ducts

Most of us have probably never even thought about looking inside the air ducts in our home, let alone actually doing it. While HVAC ductwork is nothing more than an afterthought for most people, they are usually harboring all kinds of contaminants and allergens that you don't want anywhere in your home.

Here are a few things you might finding hiding inside of the air ducts in your home:

Dust

Believe it or not, the average household generates more than 40 pounds of dust each year just from everyday activities. Despite your best efforts to keep your home clean and dust-free, much of this dust collects inside of your air ducts. As it accumulates on the inside of the vents, it restricts air flow and hinders your HVAC system's energy-efficiency.

Animal Dander

If you are a pet-owner, a large amount of animal hair and dander has probably collected in your air ducts over the years. Surprisingly, pet dander can even be found in homes without pets at all. Dander is different from hair; it is microscopic flakes of skin that is shed by virtually any animal with fur or feathers. Although unseen by the naked eye, dander can make its way into our lungs and throat and cause allergy-like symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, and sore throat.

Mold

Many people think of mold as an outdoor fungus, but the truth is that it can grow virtually anywhere that moisture is present – including your air ducts. During the warmer months, cold air flowing through your vents causes condensation, and when the humidity levels are too high, this water can't evaporate. This invites mold to grow inside of your air ducts, where spores can circulate throughout your entire home and cause illness and respiratory problems.

In order to keep your air ducts clean and free of these contaminants, it is recommended to have them professionally cleaned every 3-5 years. If you are overdue for an air duct cleaning for your Long Island home, call the experts at GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration at (631) 940-8100.

7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Furnace

While the official start of winter isn't for another couple of weeks, the time to start thinking about your heating system is today. Once the temperatures begin to drop, nothing is more important than your home's furnace. Take proper care of it now so that it doesn't break down in the middle of a cold spell, when HVAC companies are at their busiest.

Use the following tips to improve energy-efficiency, prevent breakdowns, and get the most out of your HVAC system this winter.

Change your air filter.

Did you know that your furnace has an air filter which is responsible for keeping out dust and other contaminants? Most filters require cleaning or replacement every month or two, refer to your owner's manual for specific instructions for your unit.

Invest in a programmable thermostat.

Programmable thermostats cost a little bit of money up front, but they can quickly pay for themselves with the year-round energy savings they provide. There is no need for the heat to be blasting when the house is empty, so set yours to shut off during the day, but power on early enough to warm up your house by the time you get home.

Supplement with ceiling fans.

Ceiling fans can help make your home feel warmer without having to turn up the thermostat. Set your blades to rotate clockwise, this will push warm air that gathers at the ceiling back down into the room.

Schedule a professional tune-up.

You should have your heating system inspected and tuned up by a trained professional every year. The technician should clean and lubricate the various components of your system, as well as examine them for signs of future failure.

Make room for the furnace.

If the radiators or baseboard heaters in your home are covered by furniture or drapery, the heat cannot adequately spread throughout your whole house. Leave at least six inches of space on all sides of your heating equipment to maximum energy efficiency and minimize fire risk.

Improve your insulation.

If you have drafty spots in your home, your money could be going out of the window – literally. Improve the insulation in your walls, ceilings, and floors, and seal any air leaks with a caulking gun or weatherstripping.

Clean your air ducts.

The average home generates more than 40 pounds of dust each year, much of which settles in your ductwork. This restricts airflow and makes your HVAC system work harder to warm your home. Have your ducts cleaned every 3-5 years by a professional service.

If you are looking for an air duct cleaning company on Long Island? Look no further than GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration! We use only eco-friendly methods to keep your ducts clean and clear of pollutants. Call us today for a free quote at (631) 940-8100.

3 Things You Shouldn't Store In Your Attic

Out of sight, out of mind. This cliché perfectly describes most of our attics.

While you may think that your attic is the perfect storage solution for all of your unused stuff, this is far from the case. Dust, high humidity, mold, leaks, and creepy crawlies are all commonly found in attics, which is why you should avoid storing these three things up there.

Wood Furniture

If you have recently purchased new furniture for your home, you may be tempted to throw your old pieces in the attic. If this furniture is made out of wood, you should think again. The attic is often home to high humidity levels, which can cause mold to grow on your wooden furniture after an extended period of time.

Books, Photos, and Important Documents

Some of our most valuable possessions come in the form of paper. Whether it is a birth certificate, the deed to your home, or sentimental photo albums, you should avoid keeping these things in your attic. Exposure to high humidity, roof leaks, and extreme temperatures can distort these documents and smudge the writing, not to mention they are the favorite food of a common insect intruder known as the silverfish.

Fabrics

Many people use their attic as storage space for old clothing, spare bedclothes, and even extra fabric they may have lying around. While you may think this is a good idea, in reality it isn't. Rodents and moths can wreak havoc on textile items by inhabiting them, eating them, and even leaving their droppings in them.

Are problems such as mildew, leaks, and pest infestations making it impossible to store anything in your attic? If you live on Long Island, call the attic cleaning professionals at GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration. We can fix a variety of problems such as bugs, mold, moisture, and bad odors using our environmentally-friendly cleaning methods. Call (631) 940-8100 today for a free quote.