Helpful Tips
Water Damage
You must first shut off the source of the water when a water leak occurs. The water supply is normally in the front of the house, the side of the house, and sometimes there isn’t one. In that case it needs to be turned off at the water main which is normally on the side walk in front of the house.
Try to save all valuable documents and separate them if damaged. These documents can be saved and processed by Bay Restorators.
Clothing and contents should be separated by value and importance. Damaged clothing and contents left unchecked can quickly become a loss due to rapid deterioration.
Inspect for structural damage areas that got the brunt of the water damage to see how severe it may be.
Inform Bay Restorators so that they can dry or fix whatever damages occurred.
Mold Damage
Never open up an area of a wall that has or appears to have visible mold, because you can easily cause secondary damage and release the mold spores that are in the wall cavity. This will cause them to spread throughout the home or business. DO NOT OPEN WALLS.
Take precaution with the sick, the elderly or young babies to avoid potential areas that are contaminated with mold spores.
Contact an environmental consultant to do airborne tests or have a qualified remediation company to go do a tape lift or a bulk sample to send to an accredited lab.
Any affected documents should be separated and processed professionally.
According to the EPA related guidelines, any clothes or eating utensils must be disposed of, do not save these items as they may cause health problems.
Have mold remediation job done by a qualified company.
Light cleaning of surface mildew can be accomplished with a cleaning detergent with or without bleach.
Remodeling/Reconstruction/Repair
Make all the idea changes to a remodel reconstruction before the actual designer / architect has begun his drawings to keep costs down as low as possible as continual changes will substantially increase cost.
Any changes after they are handed over to the city for inspection will definitely increase cost substantially.
Hire a qualified licensed contractor as you always get what you pay for.
Planning and choosing paint colors, flooring, along with other interior amenities, will reduce time and cost.
Any change orders are better made in writing rather than verbally to avoid any future misunderstandings.
Fire/Smoke Restoration
Make sure that smoke alarms are in proper working order. Check them every six months and make sure that you have the appropriate number of smoke detectors per code.
A carbon monoxide/CO and gas detector is an inexpensive way to keep you safe from the invisible dangers that you cannot see or smell.
Like any other loss, important documents are always second after the safety of individuals. Separate them and if damaged contact Bay Restorators to see if they can be salvaged or if they will need replacement.
Clothing should be sorted between you and the contracting company to try and salvage as much as possible. Clothing can cost a considerable amount of money to replace.
Smoke damage, if minimal, can be done with a tsp-type cleaner or a degreaser. Always wear disposable gloves and dust masks for protection of loose particles that may be out in the air. If heavy cleaning is required, hire a professional fire/smoke damage restoration company.
Carpet, Rug and Upholstery Cleaning
To clean a spot on carpet and fabric, you must scrub inwards towards the center with a mild cleaning solution. Then getting a damp towel with cold or lukewarm water, to scrub rinse as much residue as possible, and leave a dry folded terry cloth towel in two or three folds with something heavy that won’t rust to leave overnight so the wicking action can remove any remaining residue.
For stains such as wine, coffee or heavy grease, you must first blot with clean towels as much as possible, then continue with spot treatment mentioned above. Some of these spots may require professional cleaning.