Sep
25
With cold weather and winter just around the corner here in Denver, Colorado, it’s important to start winterizing your home now. Here are 7 tips for winterizing your home.
1. Clean the gutters. Fall brings out the beautiful colors in the trees. But once the leaves fall, they can quickly accumulate in your gutters, clogging the drainage systems. Clogged drains can form pockets of water, which freezes, and slowly seeps water into your home. Hose them out regularly this time of year to prevent blockage.
2. Check for leaks. Over the summer months, sun and hail can cause damage to the outside siding and roof. Seal up any cracks or fix problem areas. Even the smallest crack can turn into a large problem as water and ice form during the cold winter months.
3. Check the furnace. A strong, short lasting smell is common with turning on the furnace for the first time in a season. If the smell lasts for a long time, its time to bring in a professional for checking. Have the furnace cleaned and inspected, changing out furnace filters and checking ductwork.
4.Give ducts a thorough check. While most people think about checking over the furnace at the beginning of the cold season, very few people think about their ventilation system. A home with central heating can lose a significant amount of its heated air before it reaches the ductwork if its not properly connected and insulated. Repairing and fixing gaps, and properly insulating in areas like attics and crawlspaces can have a considerable effect on your overall heating bills this winter.
5. Check for drafts. Windows and doorframes can cause a large amount of heat loss. While replacing old windows is an option, you can start with other measures. Install weather stripping and sweeps. Or affix insulator kits to window frames.
6. Wrap pipes. Especially in older homes that may not be properly insulated, it’s important to protect before a problem occurs. Turn off outdoor water supplies and store garden hoses for the season. Insulate outdoor sprinkler system pipes, and indoor pipes that are along outside, vulnerable walls.
7. Check and update alarms. Make it a regular habit to check out smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries and test with a small amount of smoke – don’t rely on a push-button. Also consider replacing your alarm systems if they are 10+ years in age.
Sep
24
What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a lethal poison that is produced with fuel is burned. Because carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and non-irritating, it can accumulate very quickly in a home unnoticed.
Carbon monoxide can be produced by any fuel burning appliance that is malfunctioning, such as a furnace, gas stove, gas range, gas clothes dryer, or a gas water heater. It can also be produced in fireplaces, charcoal grills, wood burning stoves, or blocked chimney or flues.
Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States. While two thirds of all known fatalities are caused by carbon monoxide associated with fires, the other one third is caused by auto exhaust and faulty heating equipment.
While everyone is susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning, young children pregnant women, senior citizens, and people with heart or chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable. Because carbon monoxide restrains the blood’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body, potential health problems can occur within just a few minutes of exposure. Symptoms can include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Sore throat
- Dry cough
- Abdominal pain
More severe poisoning can cause:
- Fast or irregular heart rate
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Hyperventilation
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Loss of memory
Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable. The easiest way to prevent exposure is to place carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home. Also inspect chimneys, flues, gas appliances and heating systems every year. Make sure your ventilation system is properly connected, and working efficiently.
[Paul Davis can help you with carbon monoxide testing and mitigation to ensure the health and safety of your family.]
Sep
18
How To Test For Mold
Filed Under Mold | Leave a Comment
I have an older home. Should I know how to test for mold? How often should I test? How do I know what I’m looking for?
Mold is the one thing that can send fear into any homeowner. It’s not something you normally look for. It’s not something that’s easy to find, especially with crawl spaces and basements. And yet when you hear about it in the news, it can have very serious effects for your family’s health, even bring on death in some cases. When should you be concerned?
While there are some tests on the market that can help you determine if you have mold, the easiest way to detect it is to use your senses – your nose and 
your eyes.
If your home does have mold, chances are you’ll begin to smell it. Mold has a distinctive odor that taints the air around the formation of mold.
Where the problem lies is in the different types of mold, and the affect mold has on the general population. Different types of molds can cause different reactions in different people. Some molds like the stachybotrys chartarum, or black mold, produces toxic substances that have been known to cause health problems in some people. Other molds may be less harmful, yet still can cause reactions, especially with long term exposure.
Sep
17
The last thing anyone plans for is an in-home disaster. From fire damage to water damage, the most precious thing you’ll need if you find yourself in an emergency situation is to know what to do. Here are some tips for restoring your Denver home back to its original condition.
The first reaction whenever your face water damage is to 
begin cleanup on your own. While there are some things you can do, there are many others you shouldn’t try doing without professional help. As we covered in our Denver Water Damage Restoration Tips: Do’s and Don’ts post, moving area rugs Read more
Sep
11
How do you choose a remodeling contractor that’s right for you? Here are some tips on making sure you 
make the right decision for you.
The lowest price isn’t always the right choice.
Just because a bid comes in at a lower price than others doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for you. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples. What is truly covered? Where are extra fees charged? What are guarantees? Make sure you get to the bottom line when making your final comparisons. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Sep
10
When we think of home, we think of comfort. It’s a place we can move around freely, and enjoy each area because of the significance it holds in our hearts.
But for some, home can lose that comfortable feeling with the onset of a disability. No longer can you access some rooms in the same manner as before. It’s more difficult getting from place to place. And in some cases, it’s downright dangerous.
As a disability becomes more prominent in the life of someone you love, its more important to give your loved one a sense of security by making corrections to your home to make it more livable. Luckily there are many things you can do with varying degrees of cost and functionality.
Sep
4
Do I Have Mold In My Basement?
Filed Under Mold | Leave a Comment
With an above average rainfall in Colorado this year, you 
may have found yourself asking, “Do I have mold in my basement?”
Mold comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors, and can be the basis for everything from a mildew smell, to dangerous medical conditions.
As a homeowner, use this guide to learn more about the types of molds that may be living in your basement.
1. If you do see mold, or feel you may have mold because of smell, take precautions when looking for it. Use masks over your nose and mouth, and don’t inhale directly around molds, as some can be very poisonous and cause a variety of health concerns.
Sep
3
Whether you have on inch or one foot of water in your basement, proper cleanup is necessary to prevent more problems down the road. Here are 10 things to check as you are cleaning up your basement flood damage.
1. Crawl space
Most homes in Colorado have a basement, a crawl space, or a combination of both. Make sure you check in both areas thoroughly for any signs of water damage when a flood occurs. The damage may be in different ways, and may show up with different characteristics.
2. Water damage
To thoroughly clean up after a flood, your first step is to pump out all of the water. Water can affect the floors, walls and property that it comes in with physical contact with, as well as influence other types of damage in the long term.
3. Sewage backup
What was the cause 
of the flood? Especially in older homes, tree and landscaping can cause severe damage to pipes and sewer lines. If sewer lines were involved in the flooding, its important to remove waste particles and to repair the damage quickly to prevent more flooding.
4. Carpet damage
Water damage affects the carpet and the padding, as well as the subfloor that it is installed over. Each section needs to be treated separately as quickly as possible.
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