Water Damage Restoration
Our team of professional water damage restoration professionals are there for you when you need them. Regardless of the time and day and regardless of the nature of the problem, we can be on site in an hour or less to quickly assess the damage and walk you through the process!
You can reach us at 1-888-249-7727 24/7!
Building Homes To Resist Moisture And Mold
Even though the home building industry itself has been in a slump of late, the ways that homes are being built these days has improved. In the past several years home buyers have become aware of how important it can be for a home to be built with prevention of mold and moisture in mind. Moisture can be one of the biggest causes of serious damage to the structure of a home and making sure it will not be a problem before you buy a home is suddenly a really big issue.
More and more moisture resistant building products are being developed and used to help defend a home against moisture issues. Everything from treated wood and insulation that resist moisture are being used. In the modern homes, mold and moisture has become a greater risk because of the deliberate tightness of the building. In the bid to be more energy efficient, homes newer homes have lesser ability to breathe than in some older ones. So if moisture is trapped because of this home breathing difficulty, new ways have to be implemented to stop moisture in the first place.
Our homes have had to become more energy efficient out of necessity. It helps reduce the bills we pay for energy each month and the less energy we use the better it is for our planet overall. Energy efficiency, however necessary it has become, does not mean that we should live in homes that are not as healthy as they should be. Better moisture resistant building products can help solve the moisture and mold problem.
If you want to make sure the home you are interested in buying is as moisture proof as possible, here are a few questions you should ask:
1] How waterproof are the walls? If ceramic tiles in kitchens and bathrooms are installed on top of paper covered wallboard, this has potential for moisture and mold. Ask if a new product paneled wallboard product was used that is moisture resistant.
2] Ask if building materials that are prone to moisture and mold growth have been treated with anti-microbial additives. This additive can be used in sinks, tubs, countertops, doors, windows, exhaust fans, adhesives, caulks, paints, and other home fixtures.
3] Is the insulation that was used moisture and mold resistant? Some fiberglass insulations are better made to help prevent moisture and another good choice is spray foam insulation. It can seal more tightly against moisture and has several other good attributes to recommend it.
4] Does the home have exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms that are adequate for the space? Exhaust fans must be able to pull all the moisture from these rooms to prevent moisture accumulation and aid in the drying process. Bathrooms also need at least one operable window.
These questions should be answered satisfactorily if you want to purchase a home that will be less likely to have mold and moisture issues.
Energy Costs And Hot Water
We can take the hot water that we use in our home for granted until it suddenly stops. If our hot water heater stops working and only cold water comes out, we know it has to be repaired immediately. We use hot water in the home every single day and with the lifestyles that we lead today, having to heat it for all the things we use it for would just not be realistic.
What many of us do not realize is that heating water with a conventional hot water heater around the clock can really have an affect on our energy bill each month. The hot water that we heat and use can account for anywhere from fifteen to twenty five percent of our bill. When we consider all the other energy using elements in our homes like televisions, lights, computers, appliances, heating, cooling, and other things, the hot water we heat is really a significant part of our energy usage.
With the costs of energy becoming such a major concern for everyone these days, it is a good idea to find as many ways as we can to use less, especially when some things can be done to help that really will not affect our lives that much. If we will only enlist some of these energy saving measures, we could see a big difference in our energy bill at the end of the month.
Using less hot water and using it more efficiently is a great place to start for energy conservation. To begin with, we should lower the temperature on our hot water heaters to no higher than one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit. You could even get a tax credit if you invest in a solar hot water heater. The new tank free hot water heaters are well worth the investment because of the savings alone and you never run out of hot water with these because it is only heated as it is needed.
Other things you can do to conserve energy and use less water is to take more short showers instead of full baths in the tub. Always make sure that your dishwasher and washing machine are fully loaded before you use them. It makes no sense to only wash a half a load of dishes or laundry when it uses the same amount of water and energy as doing a whole load. These are the simplest ways to use less hot water and save on energy, but with a little more research you can find many more ways that will help lower your energy usage.
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