5 Ways to Stay Environmentally Friendly During the Holiday Season

 

With all the holidays coming around the corner this month and next, there's a lot of preparation needed! From everything on your shopping list to cleaning your house for guests, it can be easy to forget the importance of staying environmentally friendly all season long. But, we have some great tips to keep in mind this holiday season!

 

1. Use Reusable Bags

With all the groceries that need to be bought during this season, it's essential to avoid using any plastic or paper bags and break out reusable ones instead. It's the best way to ensure all your shopping ventures are environmentally friendly!

2. Consider Carpooling

When attending a get-together with friends or family, try to carpool to the event to reduce the number of cars driving around the holiday season. Plus, traffic tends to increase around this time, so having fewer cars on the road will help with traffic flow and reduce parking demand.

 

3. Use Recyclable Wrapping

When finding gift wrapping for the holidays, be sure to keep an eye out for environmentally friendly wrapping that can not only be recycled after the busy season but is also made up of recycled material! SO much waste happens this season due to gift wrapping, so try to do your part to lower your impact on the environment.

4. Invest in Eco-Friendly Decorations

It wouldn't be the holiday season without decorations all over your home. From cute seasonal candles to lights around the house, there are so many eco-friendly decoration options out there to choose. Be sure to read the product information carefully and take a peek at their website to learn more.

 

5. Use Only Green Cleaning Methods

The hustle and bustle of this season also requires some deep cleaning in your home for when you have family or friends over. So, when it comes time to deep clean your attic, crawl space, air ducts, and more, keep eco-friendly products and services in mind.

And luckily for you, At GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration, we promote healthy living! All of our products are bio-safe, and all of our methods are bio-friendly. We do not use any toxic chemicals, and our cleaning systems produce superior results. At GreenPro Cleaning, we're taking eco-friendly cleaning solutions to a higher standard and strive for cleaner indoor air quality for all of Long Island.

Contact Us For Green Cleaning on Long Island

Cleaning and taking care of your home can be challenging to deal with, and it is often best to bring in some professionals to help. Contact GreenPro Cleaning and Restoration to take care of your ducts, attics, crawl spaces, and water damage needs.

Winter Cleaning Tips

 

Winter is approaching and it's important for homeowners to ensure they're taking the necessary steps to ensure they have everything clean and ready to endure the harsh weather on the way. 

There are a number of different things that you can do to keep your home ready for winter and cleaning is probably one of the most important steps. Here are some of the things that you can do while it still falls so you can have a worry-free winter. 

Check and Replace Your Air Filters 
The air filters in your home are often very important; however, they are not looked at as often as they should be and it can be problematic. Air filters are responsible for keeping certain allergens and particles out of your indoor air. If they become too full, your heater may not work as it should. 

Ensuring You Have a Clean Furnace 
Your furnace is going to be the hero of your winter because once the weather gets colder, you need to stay as comfortable as possible and your furnace goes a long way to helping that. If your furnace is dirty, it not only works inefficiently, but it can also be a fire hazard. 

Clean Behind Your Refrigerator and the Coils 
Your refrigerator coils and the area behind the refrigerator should be cleared of any potential debris using a vacuum and then wiping away the rest of the unwanted dirt. Make sure you first unplug the fridge and use any attachments that can help you scrub them away. 

Dryer Vent Cleaning 
In the dry winter months, the dryer vent can become a big problem as lint begins to build up in the lint trap and the vent. If the lint is not removed, the heated pipe can become too hot and the excess lint can catch fire. Be sure to use a dryer vent snake to remove the excess lint and debris. 

Get In the Deep Spots 
During the winter, you may want to get down to the nitty-gritty and perform a deep clean throughout your home. Start with your kitchen. Take everything out of your cabinets and drawers to clean inside, remove any unwanted items, and replace liners in the drawers. This may also be a good time for you to check so you can get the cleanest possible kitchen. 

As a homeowner in Suffolk County or Nassau County, you need to have professionals who can come out and help you get the job done right. Ensuring you have a clean home for the winter should be a top priority for you and it's important you know exactly what to do. 

If you're unsure of all the things you need to do, know that our cleaning experts at GreenPro are here for you. Trust that we'll come out, provide you with an accurate estimate and help you get the deep cleaning you need. We're the professionals you want and need to get the job done right the first time.

Common Causes of Water Leaks

Imagine sitting in your living room or playing a game on a mobile device and all of a sudden you notice a stain on your ceiling or wall. This means you have a serious problem such as a water leak. Water leaks cause tremendous damage that is expensive to fix if you don't catch it in time. 

There can be many reasons as to why water unexpectedly drips from the ceiling or comes through your baseboards. They can happen either in the kitchen, bathroom or even a basement, either way, there are many causes of water leaks that are ultimately very destructive. Here are some common causes of water leaks to consider: 

Broken seals 

When your appliances were installed it was the contractor who put the seals around all of your water connectors. However, over a period of time or even years, your appliances tend to break or wear down. It's more than likely you have a broken seal that needs replacement when you see poodles. GreenPro Cleaning can assist you with these issues. 

Clogged lines 

A clogged drain can always be an inconvenience. However, when you experience a clogged drain they have a tendency to burst pipes or simply overflow. Best thing to do is keep your gutters and HVAC systems clean to avoid any clogs down the road. 

Corrosion 

Plumbing systems collect rust and can have corrosion that eats away at your pipes. You probably will notice discoloration and warping around your pipes indicating there's damage. 

What Not To Do 

If you believe that you have water damage in your home or even in your building consider these steps of action as per GreenPro Cleaning suggestions. 

Call a certified technician that understands water damage 

Never touch damaged or wet items with open hands 

Avoid breathing in odorous or damp air. 

Call at trained expert who can deal with your water damage right away and catch it in the early stages. Act now and stop water damage from destroying your home. GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration has technicians available to conduct on-site inspections or you can call directly.

Why Do My Wooden Floors Warp from Water Damage?

Sometimes, during periods of inclement weather, you may have seen some situations where water damage may have occurred to your wooden floors.

Perhaps it is from a leak in the roof, maybe it is as a result of flooding, or even a window or door left open for an extended period of time. Either way, we here at GreenPro Cleaning can remedy your home's wooden floor damage issues.

If you are seeing water damage to your wooden floors, there are a couple of steps you should take in order to ensure your own safety. First of all, water damaged wood contains a plethora of bacteria and touching it can only cause you to get sick. Don't touch the water damaged areas.

Secondly, if there is extensive water damage in a room, you should seal the room and not go in there. Breathing the fumes from water damaged areas can cause you to get sick as well. So don't breathe the air and get out of the water damaged room. Most importantly, you should call a professional cleaning service. GreenPro Cleaning can assist with all types of water damage cleaning and restoration.

Water damage to wood is generally caused by moisture buildup due to faulty sealing within or around the house. Other times, water may seep up beneath concrete slabs beneath floors and cause damage over a longer period of time. If you smell something in the air, but can't see the water damage, it may be a good time to get a home inspection.

Our inspections are a comprehensive check on the quality of all walls, floors, ceilings, carpets, and wood flooring. We have the expertise to know where the leak is coming from in your house and tell you exactly what to do.

Many victims of flooding need an allover deep cleaning of their house in order to get it back into shape. This is a common issue we have helped many satisfied clients with over the years.

Getting your home free from harmful water damage is our top priority, so consider a professional cleaning service. GreenPro Cleaning is offering professionalism along with a hassle-free service ever time. Contact us today!

What Is A Vapor Barrier?

Vapor barrier material is made of polyethylene and is absolutely impermeable. Many contractors use the material to keep your house dry from moisture buildup. Too much humidity in your home can be a breeding ground for mold or mildew. Unfortunately, leaving moisture in your home unattended can create structural damage. A vapor barrier is used in building construction to prevent damage by moisture to the building structure or home. You're invited to call a GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration professional for more details.

Signs That Your Home Can Benefit From Vapor Barrier Material

The crawl space may be used by many different aspects of your home without being living space. For example, some homes have HVAC equipment in the crawl space, plumbing, or wiring. Often times, nobody lives in the crawl space, but it's quick to collect moisture. Experts like GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration says, the framework of your home is subject to moisture, and can be protected with vapor barrier material. Learn how moisture can accumulate in your home by reading more below.

How Does Moisture Accumulate In Your Home?

There are several ways moisture attempts to accumulate in your home, and may require vapor barrier material to avoid damages. For example, moisture can accumulate in your home from the soil. If you have an older Suffolk or Nassau County home, the EPA says, additional protection like vapor barrier material is important. A junction box that's associated with your residential electrical components, is a standing ground for moisture. Standing moisture around your wiring can create another financial liability along with become a fire hazard. Vapor barrier is a superior protective blockade against moisture.

What To Expect From GreenPro Cleaning

- licensed & bonded professionals
- emergency services
- warranty on all parts & labor
- experienced technicians

If you've ever experienced dampness in your home, it can be a result of moisture collecting underneath your home, attic, or homes that are prone to moisture. In fact, vapor barrier material will stop moisture from accumulating in the framework of your home. More importantly, reducing moisture in your home can create clean air. Vapor barrier can also eliminate allergies for older adults and children in your home that will suffer the most. You're invited to contact a GreenPro professional for more derails today.

Common Air Duct Problems in Summer

Green Pro Cleaning Helps You Diagnosis Air Duct Problems That You Can Experience During Summer

As the summer starts to approach and the days get hotter and hotter, it can be challenging to think about the things that should be checked out on your air conditioning unit before the start of the season. Here are some of the most common things that can be wrong with your unit that you might not even know about.

Green Pro Cleaning has some calls each season where homeowners and business owners are complaining about their air conditioning not cooling correctly. One likely cause can be that you have a refrigerant leak. This leak is imperative to the function of your unit as it pulls the hot air inside and then sends it back to the outside while cooling off the air inside of your home.

Another problem that could cause your air conditioning unit to not function properly is a tear or hole in your ductwork. If you have an air conditioning unit that is forcing cold air out, but it is an insufficient amount of cooling air, you could be experiencing a leak from a tear or hole. There is also a possibility that there is a disconnected duct piece from the unit throughout the home.

Green Pro Cleaning also recommends that users look to the settings of their units. If your unit is turning on and off an excessive amount of times, there could be a problem with the settings, and if not, there could be another issue. One of the leading causes could be that an air filter is clogged. If the filter is clogged, it will restrict the amount of air that it will allow through the unit and therefore cause the unit to turn on and off.

If you find that you have a working unit but that it stops working periodically or you start to notice a burning smell, it could be your air conditioning unit. One problem that can be easily repaired and diagnosed is an electrical cause coming from your unit. If the unit is overheating or shuts down for no reason, there could be a problem with the units electrical end. 

Green Pro Cleaning is able to diagnosis this type of problem and can help you to make the proper repairs or to help you to decide if a new unit should be purchased and installed.

What is Causing my Crawl Space to be Odorous?

Resolving Crawl Space Odor

If you own a home you know it seems there are always a few mysteries that need solving when working home maintenance as the years go by. For people who have crawl spaces, there can be more than a few mysteries that seem a bit evasive to fix because crawl spaces are not as readily accessible as basements. Because of this, problems can occur that seem to be a bit of a mystery that you need to solve over the years.

One of the bigger concerns arises when an odor arises out of a crawl space in a home. Because the area is smaller and more difficult to get to, the issue on how to resolve can be troublesome. There are a few things that can cause an odor in a crawl space. No matter what the problem is it should be dealt with quickly so that the problem does not worsen. The three primary concerns for a crawl space odor are:

Standing Water And Contaminants

If the crawl space area has a seeping water problem, whether it is because of cracked pipes, seeping water from underground or extensive rain, water can grow mildew and standing water often grows bacteria which can be very unhealthy. The fumes from this can permeate to the main portion of the house and should be taken care of so Mold does not begin to grow into the main portion of the house through floor boards and walls. This should be cleaned thoroughly and the water seepage location should be sealed off and repaired.

Propane Or Natural Gas

If there is a sulfur smell or chemical smell, this is a sign that your Natural Gas or Propane Gas has a leak in a piping system and this should be taken care of immediately. Natural gas is a hazard and can cause fire, explosion, toxic air and death. Because of this, if your home uses Propane or Natural Gas that is piped in through your crawl space area, you should open windows and doors to let fresh air into the home right away. Then you should contact a technician immediately and turn off your Propane or Natural gas source.

Wild Animals

One of the more common problems for property owners with a crawl space is an animal that gets trapped in the space. These animals can be alive or dead and can cause a bit of an odor problem either way. Animal feces and certain wild animals can cause an odor situation in the home. The first concern is getting the animal removed by a wildlife professional. Once this is done, it is advisable to get a cleaning company to come in and clean the area of any remaining odor causing problems. The area should be resealed properly to make sure no more animals enter the crawl space.

Having a crawl space with odors from animals or from water seepage can be difficult but rest assured that our professionals at Go Green Pro Cleaning can help you restore your crawl space back to a safe clean environment. For more information go to Go Green Pro Cleaners to learn more.

Don’t Forget These Critical Places During Spring Cleaning

Now that Spring is almost here, it's time for spring cleaning! While this is usually the time when people do a big clean, it's easy to forget some areas. In order to do a full deep-cleaning of your house, you want to make sure you remember to clean these areas, as well as the other ones!

Tops of Cabinets and Appliances
You want to make sure you wash the tops of cabinets and appliances because they can easily collect dust and dirt. Leaving these can actually make your allergies flare up and keep germs trapped.

Fans and Lights
It's also really important to clean all your fans and lights. Having dirty and dusty fans can fling this debris into the room and let it stay in the air, which can get allergies riled up. As far as lights go, you want to make sure you get the debris off so they can stay bright. You also don't want to have guests look up and see a disgusting light.

Baseboards
Baseboards collect a lot of dirt and germs since they are all around the floors. Even if you vacuum and shampoo, that only gets the dirt up out of the carpets. Another issue is when you shampoo the scrubbing brushes can fling up dirt onto the baseboards. You want to make sure you wash these when you wash the walls so there isn't a huge color difference and so there isn't dirt left on either area.

Mattresses
Since your mattress collect things such as sweat, bacteria, and dead skin cells, you want to make sure you clean or flip your mattress. Not only will this help you sleep better because you won't have all of this going into your mouth and nose, but you have the chance of getting sick less because those germs won't still be circulating.

Throw Pillows
Throw pillows are another thing that is regularly forgotten with spring cleaning. Since they usually sit on couches and chairs, that means that multiple different people are leaning against them and you never know what they might have on them. Cleaning them will make them look better, as well as help keep everyone healthy.

Washer and Dryer
Throughout the year, your washer and dryer takes a lot of beating up. They can easily get dirt build up from the clothes so you want to make sure you wash and sanitize them. The last thing you want is to put a load of laundry in just to pull them out and see that they have dirt, grease, or other things from the washer or dryer stuck on them.

Trash Cans
Trash cans keep all your nasty and old trash so you want to make sure you clean these. Not only can this prevent mold from growing, but it can also make everything smell better.

If you are gearing up for Spring cleaning and you need a little bit of help, don't hesitate to call GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration. They will be able to help you with any of your cleaning needs and they will get the job done right!

Things You Should Know About Water Damage

Important Things About Taking Care Of Water Damage In Your Home

When you have suffered some type of water damage in your home, you know it can be a big mess. Whether the damage is from flooding, burst pipes or an internal plumbing problem, getting the mess cleaned up can be a big and immediate concern. While homeowners may think just getting the water out is their only concern for their home, this would be a false assumption

Types Of Water Damage

For many people the original concern is to just get the water off the flooring areas and the furniture. While this is important, standing water in a home whether it is in the basement or on the primary floor area can cause extensive structural damage and health concerns.

Wall Damage

Standing water can start to erode the sheetrock or plaster from the walls. This generally will cause staining on the exterior of the sheetrock or plaster. However, internally it can compromise the materials and cause them to begin to disintegrate. This will also cause a bowing out of or warping of the sheetrock or plaster materials. This can also cause extensive damage to wall coverings like paneling, wallpaper and brick facades if the materials start to buckle as the wall material underneath becomes warped or damaged.

In addition, beyond the baseline of the sheetrock and plaster, the 2 x 4’s can start to bow as well. This can cause a structural concern for the home. When 2 x 4’s start to warp, they can cause wall cracking and ceiling cracking because the wall is now buckling in parts.

Electrical Damage

Standing water in a home also causes problems for electrical wiring and can cause shorts within the system. Electricity should be turned off to any area that has outlets submerged under water. Water is a conductor of electricity and electricity flowing through water is deadly. Water should be removed quickly from any area where electrical outlets are submerged to prevent safety hazards from becoming deadly. Then the water should be removed as soon as possible to allow for a drying out of all electrical equipment. Electrical outlets and devices should not be used until dry.

Mold And Mildew

Mold and Mildew can be the most problematic reason to get the water damage taken care of quickly. Standing water for any length of time can cause Mold and Mildew to form. Because these are live organisms they can spread quickly throughout interior walls and become a health hazard as well as a compromise to the structural area infected with the Mold or Mildew. If the water is removed quickly and the area is dried out properly Mold and Mildew usually does not have time to grow and cause any health concerns.

Top Tips to Improving Your Indoor Air Quality

When it comes to your home we all know that you want the best service and the best products for yourself and family. There are many ways to improve your indoor air quality for you and your guests. 

Here are some quick tips and advice to improving your indoor air quality for your home. 

Air Purification 

Using a high-efficiency particular air filtration can quickly purify and freshen the room air. Air purifier units can relieve itchy stinging eyes, dust, and pollen for allergy sufferers. Highly recommended for Spring time for allergy prone people. 

Plants

Plants not only brighten up a room and give it some style, but they also can cleanse the air naturally. Rubber plants and Janet Craig, Peace Lily, Golden Pothos, English Ivy, Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen, and Dragon Tree are some of the plants to highlight for indoor use. They aid in the removal of pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon monoxide.

Self Maintenance

One of the best things you can do this is to make sure that the filters on your air conditioning are brand-new and all of good quality. They act as a buffer for the AC. Having a new and clean one placed every 2 months will assist with controlling the quality of air your AC pumps through.
 
Hired Cleaning Assistance

Bringing on GreenPro can bring a major helping hand to improving your air quality. 
GreenPro can clean out:

• Air Ducts
• A/C Coils
• Registers
• Grills
• Air Plenum
• Blower Motor/Housing
• Air Filter
• Air Cleaner

We hope we highlighted a few helpful options to guide you into a cleaner and purified home. 

The Steps in Dryer Fire Prevention

A fixture in almost every United States household, clothes dryers are one of the most used household appliances. 

Properly used and maintained dryer provides the efficiency required to run our busy households. With additional features such as steam and wrinkle release, the clothes dryer has been gaining new prominence as a tool in clothing maintenance.

Your clothes dryer also has a potential dark side. Used improperly or installed incorrectly, a dryer can become a fire hazard. Lack of maintenance will also increase a dryers risk of fire. This hazard isn’t uncommon either, fire research data provided by the National Fire Protection Association indicates that clothes dryers are responsible for one out of every four household fires. Clearly, dryer fire prevention is something all homeowners need to address.

The good news is that dryer fires can be easily prevented. Proper installation, including the establishment good airflow from your dryer and using properly rated ventilation materials is critical in fire safety. Never using the clothes dryer to dry either combustible materials or chemically saturated clothes is also an important fire avoidance step. By taking addressing those two simple things, you will have deftly averted two of the three leading causes of dryer fires.

The third primary cause of dryer fires, lint build-up, is readily solved by the regular cleaning your dryer’s lint filters. It is also recommended that a homeowner use a duct cleaning company, such as GreenPro Cleaning and Restoration, to routinely clean the ductwork and exhaust vents of debris and lint. By habitually having the ducts and vents in your home cleaned, you will reduce your homes risk of an in-duct fire by a substantial amount.

Servicing Norfolk and Suffolk counties, GreenPro Cleaning and Restoration can provide ecological cleaning solutions for both homeowners and businesses. 

Visit HERE or call 631-940-8100 for your free quote today.

Why Do I Need My Crawl Space Cleaned?

Cleaning a house means more than just dusting and mopping. For a home to be completely clean, the less visible locations need to be dealt with as well, and that means the basement, attic, and crawlspaces. 

These locations can hide some of the very things that cleaning is meant to dispel, and not cleaning them means that those forces can fester and use those locations as a staging ground as they invade the rest of the house. With all of the various insects and molds plaguing home-owners, it can only help to clean the house thoroughly and those locations need to be cleaned just as much, if not moreso, than the rest of the house, and companies such as GreenPro Cleaning can help.

 While not all homes have a basement or attic, most do have some sort of crawlspace. While the crawlspace may not be as heated as the rest of the house, it may not be as cooled as the rest of the house either. While this means that the crawlspace may be cooler than the rest of the house in the winter months, the area will be warmer during the summer; combine with any kind of humidity, and that creates a great environment for mold.

The mold can then easily spread to the rest of the house through the ducts and other connecting crevices, virtually ensuring a mold problem. It doesn't help that the crawlspace is rarely cleaned, even after the house is built. This means that there is the possibility that garbage from the construction of the house could be lying around.

Dust also builds up in, and all of these factors combine to insure that there will be something for insects to gather. Admittedly they may not be the larger insects, but even dust mites can be a problem. Also, the dust represents a build up of other pollutants that rather than being released to the local environment can build up to a critical mass and cause health problems later on. Between the potential for mold, the collection of insects, and the build up of pollutants, cleaning the crawlspaces is a paramount necessity.

Companies like GreenPro Cleaning are more than willing to help, with both the experienced personnel and equipment to deal with even the most recalcitrant crawlspace. Contact GreenPro Cleaning today to set up an appointment to have your crawlspace cleaned, before it becomes a problem. 

About Our Visual Water Damage Survey

Water damage can come from a variety of places – inside the home or out. Common causes of water damage include heavy rainstorms, clogged gutters, overflown toilets, burst pipes, and even long-term humidity problems.

If you suspect there is water damage in your home, DON'T touch damaged items with your bare hands and DON'T breathe in the damp air. You may think to yourself, “oh, it's just water,” but the effects it can have on your health are just as disastrous as the effects it can have on your home.

Exposure to water damage can cause illnesses and symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, headaches, fever, and respiratory infections. If your home has suffered from water damage, contact a licensed professional to fix the problem immediately.

If you live in Nassau County or Suffolk County, Long Island, you can depend on GreenPro Cleaning & Restoration to provide fast and effective water damage remediation services. If you suspect a problem, we will perform a thorough visual survey to inspect for fungi and other potential issues. The survey takes 30-45 minutes and includes the following:

1. Walking around the suspected problem area(s).  
2. Walking through and to the areas of concern.
3. Viewing the area with a flashlight to highlight the suspected water damaged area.
4. Taking moisture readings of the structure such as walls, floors, and/or ceiling surfaces to detect moisture intrusion.
5. Taking temperature and relative humidity readings to determine if they fall within ASHRAE recommendations.
6. Providing an estimate for remediation by industry standards.

The quicker you call, the better – for the sake of your health and your home! So what are you waiting for? If you suspect water damage in your Long Island house, call the experts at GreenPro Cleaning & Remediation at (631) 940-8100.