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Author: Luke Armstrong

Expert in emergency fire and water restoration services, fire cleanup and water damage cleanup, mold removal, as well as commercial and residential cleaning services, including carpet, upholstery and furniture cleaning. Contributor to several restoration and cleaning blogs.
How to Safely Remove Snow from the Roof
Water damage restoration

How to Safely Remove Snow from the Roof

Chances are your roof will probably not cave in from snow, but it is heavy and can cause significant water damage given the right conditions. It can also slide off if the roof is sloped and cause serious injuries to anyone standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. So to avoid the risk of injury and any roof leak, here’s how to safely remove from the roof (without hiring a professional). How to Safely Remove Snow from the Roof Remember, removing snow from your roof yourself is only recommended if you have a one-story home. If the job involves getting on top of the roof, always hire a professional. To remove the snow yourself, you will need a long-handled snow rake which will cost about $45 from a hardware store. Make sure to look for ones with built-in rollers and sturdy teles...
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Water damage cleanup, Water damage restoration

What Causes Water Stains Near the Air Vents?

Water stains around the air vents are a common household issue. Homes in warmer climes (imagine Floridian weather or Southwestern temps), experience this phenomenon more frequently than abodes in cooler areas. While the problem leaves some homeowners scratching their heads, water stains surrounding the air vents can be easily explained and effectively resolved. Moisture is clearly the culprit when it comes to creating unanticipated water stains in unexpected places. But how does excess water saturate the ceiling? The answer is condensation. Droplets of water that form in one of three ways contribute to the water stains near the air vents. What is Condensation? First, it’s important to understand the concept of condensation. Water vapor, or the moisture in the air (which is always ...
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Fire Safety Tips to Keep in Mind During Thanksgiving
Fire Damage Restoration

Fire Safety Tips to Keep in Mind During Thanksgiving

Especially during the holidays, the kitchen is the heart of the home. From experimenting new recipes to following family traditions, cooking and feasting with the family is one of the best ways of spending the holidays. But during all this cooking, the chances of house fires are significantly increased. These times are more important than ever to be practicing fire safety, especially in the kitchen, during all these activities. When preparing for holiday celebrations and organizing the table for the big dinner, it’s important to keep all safety tips in mind so you can enjoy your time with your loved ones while keeping them away from the dangers of property fires. Know What to Do During a Fire While there are steps you can take to prevent property fires, it’s impossible to guarantee th...
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What to Do After a Commercial Fire
Emergency Tips, Fire Damage Restoration

What to Do After a Commercial Fire

No business owner wants to think about the potential for a fire in their building, but such events unfortunately do occur. A commercial fire is a terrifying thought because it puts your property, assets, and employees at serious risk. If your business is not prepared for the possibility of a fire, you can suffer major losses if one does occur. Knowing this, it is important to be prepared for these emergencies and know what to do in the aftermath of the fire to limit your losses. If you experience a commercial fire, it is best to address the situation right away. Fire, smoke, and damage will spread and get worse, even after the fire is out. Immediate action can be the difference between being able to salvage your property and experiencing permanent damage. Plus, the sooner you take ac...
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How Hoarding Impacts Health Insurance Costs
Cleaning and restoration tips, Hoarding Cleaning

How Hoarding Impacts Health Insurance Costs

Junk occasionally clutters the average person’s home. Extreme situations, however, are indications of an underlying issue. When the tendency to accumulate random possessions overtakes the home, blocking exits and entrances, causing fire hazards and creating a toxic environment, a detrimental hoarding disorder has taken grip. Hoarding Disorder Defined A hoarding disorder involves collecting objects randomly and without specific rhyme or reason. Hundreds of empty pill bottles, used cat litter, decades’ worth of old fast food receipts and plastic drinking cups, broken glass, and even animal waste may lay in a disastrous mess inside a hoarder’s home. People with a hoarding disorder may even accrue innumerable animals, like cats. Stockpiling these items severely restricts the homeowner...
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Things You Must Throw Away After a Fire
Cleaning and restoration tips, Safety Tips

Things You Must Throw Away After a Fire

When your property suffers damage from a fire, it is a stressful situation. Building materials have been destroyed, and the building’s structural integrity may be in jeopardy if the damage is severe enough. In addition, some of your content may have also been harmed due to exposure to heat, smoke, soot, and chemicals that were used to extinguish the fire. When you return to your property, you’ll need to sort through your belongings. Some damaged content can be salvaged, but there are other belongings that, no matter how little damage they suffered, must be discarded. Refer to the following information as you go through your content in the aftermath of a fire. 1. Exposed and/or Contaminated Food Non-perishable food that has been exposed to the fire and its effects Food that is st...
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What Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover in the Event of a Fire?
Fire Damage Restoration, Smoke Damage Cleanup

What Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover in the Event of a Fire?

Flames that explode into a raging home fire cause a staggering $6.7 billion in damages annually. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires in the nation. Heating equipment is a close second as the origin of house fires. As kitchen equipment and heating appliances are the standard gadgetry found in all homes, as well as other flammable sources, fire insurance becomes a necessity for homeowners. While the occupants of a home are fortunate to avoid the effects of a devastating house fire, the blaze snatches irreplaceable valuables and personal mementos. A standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers most possessions in the event of a house fire, but the cause of the fire dictates whether or not insurance reimbursements are paid out. Natural Disasters Wild Fires Homes that are ...
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Emergency Tips, Fire Damage Restoration

What to Do After a House Fire

Not many homeowners believe that a fire will actually happen to them. But when it does, not only are they not prepared, but they have no idea what to do after the flames are extinguished. Taking steps to recover from a fire can indeed be stressful, if not overwhelming. Simply deciding what to do first can even be a headache. But your insurance agent can provide some answers, and even help to settle your claim quicker to have your home restored to its original condition. Here are 6 things you will want to do right after a house fire: Call your insurance company right away. Public adjusters and contractors will be calling you left and right, offering to restore your home. But as this can create additional stress, it’s recommended to speak with your insurance company first before r...
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Tips to Prevent and Repair Leaks in Commercial Buildings
Safety Tips, Water damage restoration

Tips to Prevent and Repair Leaks in Commercial Buildings

When there’s a water leak in a commercial building, it can be expensive to address. This is not only because of the money that needs to be spent on any repairs and restoration for commercial water damage, but also because of how it hinders the function of your business. If the damage is severe enough, then you may not be able to run your business until repairs are made and the restoration is complete. Commercial buildings are more prone to leaks. This is because bathrooms and kitchens in commercial settings undergo more use, and thus stress, than residential settings. However, with proper maintenance and preparation, there are ways to prevent water leaks from occurring and to ready yourself and your business in case leaks do happen, allowing your business to stay up and running. Typ...
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Water damage restoration

How to Restore Flood-Damaged Electronics

For many businesses, electronics play a central role in its operations. If a disaster occurs and ruins your electronics, it not only hinders your business from functioning, but it may also cause you to permanently lose your records. Such records are essential to your business and its function, so it's important to do what you can to have your electronics repaired after they have been damaged. If you act quickly enough, it's possible to save information stored on your electronics, thus allowing your business to be back up and running faster. When there's flood damage in your business, your electronics can suffer from various types of damage. It is important to understand the different types of water and the different types of damage when tending to water damage concerning your electro...
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