The Edible Carpet: Wet Padding, and What You Leave Behind

 

It’s not unusual for customers to call our office in a panic, but this was a first even for us: A woman called about mushrooms -- like the food, she said, growing in the carpet, she said, mushrooms! After a water leak, she'd tried to dry the carpet with a wet/dry vacuum. After running the machine, she thought the carpet felt dry, and she moved all of her furniture back into place. She thought it was okay -- before the mushrooms.

Sump Pump Failure

If your home has a basement and you live in an area that's prone to flooding, you need a sump pump to protect your family from the many damages that stem from standing water. To begin, flood waters can destroy the structural integrity of your home. Afterwards, those same waters often carry insects and rodents into your home and create the ideal environment for mold and mildew to thrive. No matter the specifics, standing water leaves homeowners with the burden of repairing their homes after a storm.

Are We Prepared?

In the last few months, New Jersey has seen earthquakes, hurricanes, flash blizzards, and what seems like everything in between. At a time when constant weather redefines "instability," we have no choice but to consider the possibility of chronic disaster.

Mold and Bleach Part II

In central New Jersey, we're still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. More than anything else, mold is still running rampant in homes and basements.

Hurricane Irene, During and After

As many of you know, we're centered in Cranford, New Jersey, which suffered severe damage from Hurricane Irene, 40 houses are condemned in our town and over 1000 people affected. In the weeks following the storm, we alone have received 1000 plus phone calls from the surrounding area.

Pet Emergency Preparation

On vacation in North Carolina, a local restaurant recommended a trail for my family to hike. The family loved it, but we also saw the evidence of animals that hadn't. The first lost dog sign was on the side of the road; on the trail, we saw two more. Malcolm, our rescue dog, took the news particularly badly, and while we tried to call their names, we had no luck.

We assumed other hikers must have let their dogs off of their leashes, so we took extra care to make sure Malcolm enjoyed the trail as much as we did.

Robbery, Disaster, and Property Replacement

I always think of a story of my mother's contracting fiasco.

Mom had her house resided, and little did she know, the contractor had a cocaine addiction. One day, Mom left the house unlocked so the workers could use the restroom, and when she returned home, they had robbed her house.

Fact: Mold Grows Everywhere It Can

If there's excess moisture and poor ventilation, you'll find mold growing on almost any surface imaginable.

Our company has been getting mold calls from all kinds of sources: home inspectors before final sales; when water damage has been left too long; home-owners concerned by untraceable smells.

Water Damage: Can We Save Your Carpet?

A friend of mine was telling me a story:

Mold and Bleach

Cooking Safely: Preventing Fires

Did you know that more residential fires occur on Thanksgiving Day, than on any other single day of the year - more than double the daily average! 

O' Christmas Tree

I have to make a confession; our family did not put up any holiday decorations last year.  We were not going to be around for the holidays, so I asked my children if they wanted to set up the tree, and they shook their heads and said “no.”  I was fine with that, less work for me, I just saved two days of setting up and taking down all of the decorations.