How to Prepare Your Home for a Summer Storm

Now that we’re in the season of summer storms, it’s not only important to keep your eye on the weather report but to also prepare your home for what might come well in advance. In order to prevent damage to your home during the worst summer storms, here are 5 important steps you should never forget to complete.

1. Get your roof inspected ahead of time.

Roof leaks are an infamous source of costly water damage. While you can survey parts of your roof from the ground, you won’t be able to get an accurate idea of its condition from that angle and distance. However, trying to traverse your roof without experience and proper training can end up in a trip to the emergency room.

In the end, it’s best to get your roof inspected by a professional, insured roofer. They will be able to spot areas of your roof that might be damaged or otherwise susceptible to leaks.

2. Tie down any outdoor furniture or move it indoors.

Gusts of wind can blow outdoor furniture across your yard, damaging your home and your landscaping. In some cases, particularly strong gusts can even carry your furniture into the yard of a neighbor and cause damage to their home. Furniture might even strike a person who happens to be outside, causing them serious injury.

If you know a storm or strong winds are headed your way, make sure to tie down your outdoor furniture or move it into the garage or basement.

3. Get your trees trimmed.

This is especially important if trees are hanging over your roof or touching your home. Stormy conditions can cause their branches (or even the whole tree) to scrape against your home or collapse on it. Also, be sure to throw away loose branches and debris. Just like unsecured furniture, fallen branches and debris can injure people or damage homes when carried by the wind.

4. Ensure your gutters are clean and securely attached to your home.

Your gutters won’t be able to steer water away from your home if they’re clogged with leaves and other debris. Make sure that they are completely debris-free and that they aren’t loose or wobbly anywhere.

5. Stock up on sandbags to redirect water, if necessary.

Sometimes your yard’s drainage system cannot adequately handle torrents of summer rain. This results in flooding across your property. Sandbag walls are useful for redirecting water away from your home so that you can avoid water damage. Keep plenty on hand, just in case!

If you suspect that your home might have water damage after a summer storm, it’s important to get your home evaluated at once. At GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration, we perform visual surveys to check the fungal ecology or problems in a specific area as directed. If there is a problem with water damage, we can help you address it.

3 Household Tasks to Complete Before a Vacation

It’s finally summer, and you are more than ready to leave for vacation. But before you go, here is a reminder of some important household tasks to complete first! These tips will give you both peace of mind while you’re gone and an in-tact home when you get back.

1. Suspend your mail.

When you leave for vacation, sometimes your mail doesn’t wait for you to get back. Leaving your mail out is a clear sign to everyone that you aren’t home. If you don’t like the sound of that, you can do two things to prevent this:

• The first is asking a family member or a trusted neighbor to pick up your mail for you.
• If this isn’t an option for you, you can go into your local post office and ask them to hold your mail. They will typically be able to hold your mail from anywhere between 3-30 days, and these arrangements can be made up to 30 days in advance.

2. Take out your garbage.

Even though you may have a lid on your garbage can, it doesn’t mean that the garbage isn’t still there. If left unemptied, it may attract insects such as flies and ants. These are pests that you certainly do not want to greet when you arrive home. Remember to clean out your sink as well, as dirty sinks are very attractive to cockroaches. If by some miracle bugs don’t come, bacteria and germs sure will, which can lead to unwanted illness in your home.

3. Shut off your main water valve.

Shutting off your main water valve is one of the most important things you can do before leaving for vacation. It is the smartest and easiest way to keep your house from flooding while away. If the water remains running while you’re gone, the pressure built up from its non-use can cause a small leak or even a burst to flood your home. The water damage caused by leaks and flooding can prove to be a substantial expense, but shutting off your main water valve will take away any chance for a leak to surface.   

If you do return home and suspect water damage, make sure to contact GreenPro Cleaning and Restoration to perform a professional visual survey to determine any problems. Just remember never to touch wet or damaged items with bare hands, nor should you breathe in damp or odorous air. Mold and bacteria thrive in such environments and could cause severe health issues to those that come in contact with it.

5 Reasons to Buy a Dehumidifier

We often hear about the benefits of keeping a humidifier in your home, but many people would actually benefit more from owning a dehumidifier. As its name implies, dehumidifiers help remove moisture from the air, and they come in different models and capacities--but what is it that they can really do for you?

Aside from removing the mugginess from your home’s air, here are 5 notable benefits that come with owning a good dehumidifier.

1. Your home will be less susceptible to mold and mildew.

Mold and mildew thrive in warm, moist environments. If your home is humid, that means it has a lot of moisture in the air, which can contribute to the mold and mildew growth. This growth can occur on walls, ceilings, curtains, furniture, and even clothing.

Mold spores release musty smell-gas, reduce your home’s indoor air quality, and can aggravate allergies, asthma, and other chronic respiratory illnesses. It’s much better to prevent mold in the first place than to fight to control it after it has spread. This makes a dehumidifier an anti-mold weapon that you definitely want in your arsenal.

2. You’re less likely to have issues with dust mites.

Just like mold spores, dust mites also thrive in environments that offer warmth and moisture. Contrary to what most think, people with “dust allergies” are, in fact, allergic to dust mites. Reducing the moisture in the air with a dehumidifier and frequently laundering your bedding in hot water can help prevent and combat a dust mite problem in your home.

3. You won’t have to work your conditioner as hard.

Humid air tends to retain heat more than dry air. Therefore, when the air is more humid in your home, your air conditioner has the task of cooling muggy air that wants to “hang onto” its heat. With a dehumidifier removing excess moisture from your home’s air, your air conditioner will be able to operate more efficiently and cool your home more quickly. That means that your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard and can last longer as a result.

4. Food won’t go bad as quickly.

Many foods tend to go stale and grow mold faster in a humid environment. This is especially true of bread, cereal, and many types of tree fruit. If you feel like you’re constantly throwing out food that has gone bad before you’ve had a chance to eat it, a dehumidifier might help!

5. Clothes will air-dry more quickly.

Using an outdoor clothesline can increase the amount of dust and pollen that get onto your clothes, so many people choose to air-dry their clothes indoors. However, if the air is humid in your home, it might seem like ages before your clothes dry all the way. Many people who purchase dehumidifiers find their laundry dries indoors much faster than before.

Has excess humidity created a mold problem in your air ducts, attic, or crawl space? Contact GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration for an earth-friendly approach to a cleaner, healthier home.