Water damage ceiling

Regardless if you’re just building your home and working with the architect, or if you’re working with an interior designer to incorporate a trendy upstairs laundry room into your existing home, you might want to consider these top ten things that most clients want to have, either by preference or through regrets of not putting it into their original design plans.

1. Countertops for folding clothes. Many people prefer Corian or granite, similar to what they have in their kitchen. Definitely, counters were the number one priority.

2. Racks, poles, or fixtures to hang clothes on, regardless if they’re damp and need to be line-dried; if they’re dry and need to be hung up before taking to a nearby closet; and a place to hang those clothing items that require a warm iron to touch up the wrinkles.

3. An ironing board that’s stored inside a closet on the wall that can be pulled out for quick ironing touch-ups, or a pull-down ironing board with a space to store the iron when out of sight and not in use.

4. A deep sink with faucets to wash delicate intimate apparel, or to presoak soiled laundry overnight.

5. Many homeowners ask for a clothesline that’s retractable from the wall so they can put their clothes on hangers to drip dry. I’ve even heard of some people who have requested a drying rack for their swim suits, towels, or damp tennis or work-out clothes. That makes sense, doesn’t it, rather than tossing the clothes onto the floor?

6. This item that I’m about to mention comes as a result of a bad experience, so it must be mentioned here to save other homeowners from a possible disaster due to water damage. You should always request that the designer or builder installs a floor drain in an upstairs laundry room. Otherwise, if the water from the washer overflows, not only will it damage your floors, but the room could smell bad if the drain pipe’s trap overflows and the water remains there undetected for a period of time.

7. You might also want to place a liner with a lip underneath the washer to catch small amounts of water that could drain from the washer. Of course, you really shouldn’t think of putting carpeting in an upstairs laundry room; use tile, which is easy to clean, and then just add a throw rug if you need an accent color or a place for your pooch or kitten to lay on.

8. Storage cabinets that go up to the ceiling. Not only do homeowners ask for as many cabinets as possible to be installed into an upstairs laundry room, but they want the cabinets to be flush with the ceiling, so dust, bugs and other particles don’t accumulate on the top of the cabinets. Plus, the homeowners don’t want to feel compelled to dust the tops of the cabinets in a laundry room.

9. Plenty of task lights that make the room appear pleasant, but functional enough to iron, remove stains from clothes and otherwise inspect the clothing that’s being washed, dried, and ironed. For the best effect in a laundry room, install lights that hang from the ceiling rather than using harsh recessed bulbs. By installing small task lights in areas like under the counters, the light will illuminate a larger space and a potential countertop area. If the room lacks a window, then perhaps your designer could include a skylight which would bring in natural daylight into the room.

10. Finally, the trend has returned to include a small sewing machine and cabinet in the laundry room. This item can easily be added if the room size is large enough. If you’re converting an existing small bedroom into an upstairs laundry room, then you’ll have no problem designing your space to include this extra piece of equipment. It would come in handy for quickly sewing a rip or tear, repairing the hem on a pair of pants or a skirt, and even for sewing on a button. Everything would be in one place, and would only take a few minutes to make the repair, rather than taking it to a seamstress and waiting a week.

If you think of more items that you’d like to add to your trendy upstairs laundry room, then print out this list and add your items below.

When you’re ready to consult with an interior designer, I would like to invite you to contact me, Michael Mariotti. I’ve designed some of the most spectacular homes, not only in New York, but I’m available to travel to where you live to design the room that would make your life easier and happier.

You can preview several of my projects, watch a short video that shows how several of my clients interviewed interior designers before they made their decision to hire me, and you’ll pick up some handy tips along the way. You can find helpful information here: http://www.michaelmariotti.com

Pipes can freeze for a variety of reasons including sudden cold snaps, improper insulation or just an inadequate heat source.

There are some things you can do to help preserve your pipes that are simple and cost effective. For example you can leave your faucets dripping just a little and open the cabinet doors under your sinks so the warmer air in your home can circulate to your plumbing. You should also make sure your pipes are insulated with either foam wrap or electric heating tape applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid the possibility of frozen pipes down the road.

If you think your pipes are frozen there is a quick and easy way to confirm it. First, try turning on your water from different taps. If you have water at one source but not another you have probably located the area that’s frozen. If you don’t have water at any source you may have a frozen main water line leading to your house. Unfortunately if it is your main water line you may not be able to fix it yourself. The main water line is buried beneath the frost zone and if yours is frozen you may have to have it reburied deeper.

If you are able to locate the source of your frozen pipe you will need to find the pipe before it burst. This can be easier said than done because pipes are laid behind walls, in crawl spaces, attics and basements. You will need to know where your piping is or have a contractor who is familiar with plumbing to help you locate the frozen pipe.

If you do locate it, you may be able to identify it by touch or sight alone. It may be ice cold to the touch compared to the other pipes or it may have ice forming on it.

Inspect the suspected pipe for cracks or bulging. If the pipe is bulging it may be ready to burst from the built up pressure of the expanding ice and this means you will have hundreds of gallons of water doing massive damage very quickly unless you act fast.

If the pipe is located behind a wall or in the ceiling you can try turning up the heat in the home to warm up your pipes. If you can access the pipe by removing the wall or ceiling section you can try to unthaw the pipe directly by using a blow dryer to heat the pipe up. If you use a blow dryer make sure to move the heat back and forth and don’t concentrate your efforts to much in one area to avoid doing more damage.

Remember prevention is the key to avoiding frozen pipes in the first place.

If your house has trouble with a frozen pipe, Providence professionals are ready to help you. For more information visit http://www.purocleanRI.com

I have been performing home inspection for 18 years and I found that sellers will paint over existing water stains on walls to hide them from buyers. I do nondestructive moisture readings on all exterior walls in house, my meter will ring when there above normal moisture trapped in wall, when the meter rings I then proceed to investigate the exterior of house to find the cause of the moisture entering the house and sure enough I will a small gap in siding or above window and doors missing chalking, could be an insect problem behind siding which caused damage to exterior sheathing which created an opening for moisture to enter walls.

If I see a water stain on ceilings I will use the meter to see if there is high moisture present which I have found many times in my years of inspections. The most recent one was a water stain on ceiling in a dining room of a cape, no bathroom above stain or any water source, I went on roof and discovered a slight defect in dormer flashing install which caused water to enter home by riding the ceiling rafter and start to drip down. I advised buyer that repairs are needed on both dormer flashings and roof shingles next to dormer flashing. The flashing must go under shingles and up 8″ on dormer sheathing and siding installed over metal flashing and roof shingles to go over metal flashing this will eliminate any leaks from dormers on roof it will be a tight seal. I then suggested to buyers that we want to make an opening in dining room ceiling to see if there was a Mold growth above ceiling.

The seller agreed to open ceiling, we proceeded to make a 12″ by 12″ opening a water stain and discovered there was the start of mold growth on back side of sheetrock. The seller agreed to have both dormers repaired properly and have sheetrock ceiling repaired and paint ceiling, I suggested after the dormer flashings were Installed we would perform a water test using a hose on roof and water down the dormers on each side and then go into house at opening we made to see if any water was entering the home. The flashing on dormers was installed properly and no sign of any leaks in house. My buyers did buy the Home. If we never saw the tiny water stain on ceiling and tested it for high moisture the buyers would have had to spend 2,950.00 for repairs needed to flashings and ceiling repairs.

Tony D. Melandro Certified Home Inspector Servicing Connecticut. Certified by NACHI and AHIT. I am an Certified in Mold, Fire and Water Damaged by National Institute of Disaster.
Visit my Web Site http://www.melandroinspection.com for helpful information for Buyers, Sellers and Agents, also on my Web site is my Spring Newsletter, Getting Your Home Ready For Spring.
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Water damage to drywall is a common result of plumbing and roofing leaks, but is a home project that should take priority. When trying to spot water damage, look for discoloration, bulging, sagging, and cracks. Water can easily drip and run along interior pipes, so look for damage on both the walls and ceilings, and do not be surprised if you find damage further away from the leak. If you are aware of water damage, it is important to address the problem immediately; once drywall is wet, it is the ideal environment for mold and mildew and can quickly complicate even a small project. 

If the only damage found is small cracks, the water damage may be a relatively easy fix. Ready-mixed spackling compounds are ideal for this situation and are easily applied with a putty knife. A strip of fiberglass mesh tape can provide a structural patch to the area to which the putty can be applied. A larger repair requires more structural work.  

The first step in repairing larger portions of water damaged drywall is to remove all of the compromised material. Depending on the level of damage, the drywall may already be crumbling or a jigsaw or drywall handsaw may be needed to cut away the damage. As the material is removed, be on the look-out for signs (and smells) of mold and mildew. Any drywall with mold or mildew cannot be saved and all other surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned. Before repairs begin, it is also important to let the damaged area completely dry. To maximize air flow to the area, it is best to use a high-intensity fan and, when possible, a dehumidifier. The area should dry for at least twelve hours to ensure that the leak has been fixed and that the area is moisture free.  

Water damaged drywall can be repaired with a patch – a replacement piece of drywall that is carefully fitted and blended into the existing wall to be unnoticeable. Water-resistant drywall is now available and is the best option when repairing a water damaged area. A new piece of drywall is cut and fit into the opening. If it is a large hole, a plywood backer board will be necessary. The backer board should be fastened onto the studs to provide a structure to hold the new piece of drywall. The drywall patch should be fastened (screws or nails) into the hole. The joints (edges) of the patch should be taped using paper or fiberglass drywall tape and covered with drywall mud. Once the mud is cured (24 hours), the joints should be sanded to ensure the wall surface is flat and smooth for painting. Any imperfections in the patch or joints will still be visible when painted, so attention to detail is essential throughout this part of the process.

While it is easy to overlook water damaged drywall through the more pressing project of finding and fixing a plumbing or roofing leak, it is not a problem that will go away on its own. The time and money it may cost to fix is well worth it when compared to the potential structural and health consequences.

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When you take the time to clean your ceiling fans you want to know that you are doing a complete job. There is often a lot of dust that collects on the fans and on the lights as well. Therefore, you would need to know how to clean the ceiling fans appropriately so that they look their best.

1.) Start by taking a damp cloth and wiping the blades of the ceiling fan.

2.) Remove the sconces (glass protectors around the light bulbs) on the lights. You will want to soak these in warm water that also has a small amount of bleach in it and dish soap. Make sure that you store the screws from the sconces somewhere safe so that you do not lose them.

3.) Purchase a dusting solution and spray the fan blades the dusting spry and use a dust rang to whip away the dust. Be sure to wipe it off completely.

4.) Once the sconces have had time to soak you will want to wipe them completely with a wet washcloth. This will help remove any dust and dirt that has been lying on them for a long period of time. You may need to soak them a second time if the sconces were in your kitchen because they may have a buildup of grease on them.

5.) Dry the sconces off completely and then place them back on the ceiling fan with the screws you had set aside.

Many people often forget to clean their ceiling fans. This is something that should be done on a regular basis because you are only spreading dust around your room when you turn the ceiling fan on. Try to make this a regular part of your cleaning routine. Cleaning your fans will also ease any allergies you have by removing the allergens found in dust.

Use these tips once you had finished looking for new homes. There are many new homes Indianapolis available. So once you find your dream home use these tips to keep your home looking great.

The word water damage doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal to most homeowners who aren’t familiar with the things that happen after your house actually suffers from h2o damage. In other words, most homeowners don’t realize the things that a contractor or water damage restoration service company knows about the after effects water damage.

Water damaging restoration service companies might seem like they are doing too much work and this can bother some people, yet puts others minds at ease, knowing that the job is going to be done right. It might seem like these professionals are doing more than they need to and maybe they are, but it would be better to remove and replace something that water damaged than leave it.

There are water damaged restoration services out there that are going to do the minimum amount necessary. These people might represent insurance companies, who have instructed these contractors to only do the minimum that is required by the state or insurance commission that they are under. If this is the case, you might want to find another insurance company to handle your homeowners insurance policy.

If you have a wet floor and the water damaged restoration service workers start to remove your wood baseboard or even the lower section of your drywall and you’re going to be paying for it your self, you might want to explain your financial situation to the water restoration service contractor.

If you’re not going to be paying for the water damaged, because it’s covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy, you should let the workers fix and replace what ever they need to. When it comes to water damage and you don’t know anything about it, let the professionals handle it or you could find yourself dealing with mold and mildew issues in the future.

Prepare For Any Home Disasters Using Our Water Damage Restoration List.

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When homeowners think of adding an addition to their home, they usually either go up or out. There is no need for such large projects when you want to add space to your home, you can finish your basement. When you choose to finish your basement, part of the job is already done. You just need to add a few tweaks to make your basement a place where the whole family wants to spend time.

When you decide to finish your basement, you are not only adding space for your family to spread out in, you are making a long term investment in the value of your home. Realtors have said that a finished basement finishes just behind bathroom and kitchen renovations in features homebuyers are looking for.

One of the choices you will have to make is what type of material to use for your basement flooring. You no longer have to settle for a cold concrete floor, these days you have many different options you can explore. Carpeting is always an option, but you may want to use basement flooring that will be water resistant. Even the best insulated basements can experience flooding. You may not want to take the risk of damage, so your needs may be best met by installing basement flooring like vinyl flooring, ceramic or other type of tiles or an outdoor carpeting to minimize the risk of any water damage.

You will not want to use solid hardwood for your basement flooring because of the moisture issue. You may choose to use porcelain tile, laminate flooring or even cement for your basement flooring. You may have to install a vapor guard underneath before you begin your basement flooring project.

You can speak to a concrete craftsman if you choose to keep your original basement flooring. There are many that are skilled in concrete that can create or duplicate different kinds of flooring effects that will astound your guests when you tell them it is just simple concrete.

Deciding what type of basement flooring will suit you best can be a complicated task. There are special circumstances you will have to consider before you choose basement flooring that will not only be economical but look and last for a good long time.

For more information about Basement Flooring?, feel free to visit us at: http://www.aboutflooring.net/