Carrara Companies Cleaning & Restoration Services Blog

National Fire Prevention Week, October 4 – 10 2009

The first week of October is not only the beginning of the Halloween season, it is also the National Fire Protection Agency's (NFPA) awareness week for fire prevention. Their campaign, Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned, focuses on burn awareness and prevention, as well as keeping homes safe from the leading causes of home fires. In support of this event, below are some safety tips in helping you prevent a fire.

Family Disaster Plan
Every family should have a plan designed to include events, such as fire, flood, or home intrusion. For fire, make sure you have a planned escape route known to all family members. You also may want to keep a portable ladder in any room above the first floor.

Fire Extinguishers
Keep one fire extinguisher on every floor in the home, and another in any room with additional fire hazards such as the kitchen, garage, or laundry room. Make sure it is capable of fighting all three classifications of fire, and inspect them semi-annually to ensure they are still good.

Smoke Alarms
Know the different types of smoke alarms, and how they detect a fire. The best way to remember to change or test the batteries, is to associate it with the seasons. When it's time to change the clocks, change the batteries.

Air Ducts, Chimneys, Dryers, & Space Heaters
Get your chimneys swept, and air ducts cleaned annually. This will prevent the buildup of dust/soot, which may act as additional fuel for a fire. Remove the lint from the clothes dryer after every cycle, and clean the inside of the hose regularly. Practice good safety methods when using a space heater, and remember never leave one unattended.

Housekeeping
Never store any flammable materials, whether paper goods or chemicals, near a potential fire hazard. Maintain a proper clearance space around registers, ducts, furnaces, water tanks, etc.

- Video provided by NFPA, and used in cooperation with the promotion of National Fire Prevention Week. Feel free to visit their website at: http://www.firepreventionweek.org/.

Carrara Hosts Disaster Planning Seminar

On Wednesday, September 2, 2009 Carrara Companies hosted a Disaster Planning & Disaster Recovery Seminar, located and sponsored, by Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens located in Akron, Ohio. The common goal was to learn and develop an existing disaster plan for their organization, with the key importance focusing on limiting downtime, and maximizing the protection of valuable holdings and archival materials. Attendees included the Robinson Memorial Hospital, Cleveland Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, Toledo Library, Kent State University, Akron University, Akron Museum of Art, and Stan Hywet Hall.

Joe Goetz, a large loss specialist from Brouwer Bros. Steamatic in Chicago, was a guest presenter and walked everyone through a case study, in which a museum withstood severe flooding. Topics discussed were actual real life examples of recovery, and things never planned before a disaster strikes. Joe took everyone from the beginning of the recovery, all the way to the reopening of the museum.

"It was a great day of open discussion and information, that helped some of the area's key attractions and municipal services improve their disaster recovery plan," said Eric Schlaubach, Carrara Companies Sales Manager.

After the event, attendees were treated to a tour of the 64,000 square-foot manor house, originally built in 1915. For more information about Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, you can visit their website here.

For more information about disaster planning, or if you need help developing a disaster recovery plan, feel free to contact Eric Schlaubach, or any member of the Carrara team.

Mobile Heating & the Safety of Space Heaters

As the weather gets cooler, and eventually leads into the winter months people tend to look for cheaper ways to heat their homes, rather than keeping the furnace going full blast. Coincidentally, according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) this also happens to be the same time as a larger portion of home fires due to negligent safety precautions. Whether you have a portable space heater, or are thinking of purchasing one, keep several key thoughts in mind.

• Never purchase a space heater, which is not approved by Underwriters Laboratories. Meaning, ensure it has the UL label attached, which means this product has been tested for safety.
• Remember space heaters are used for supplemental heating for a room. Do not use them for anything else, such as cooking, cloths drying, etc.
• Never leave a space heater unattended, especially if there are children in the home. If you are leaving the room, or going to bed - turn it off.
• Never place the heater on any surface, which is not flat and/or hard. Avoid putting them on carpets and rugs, which are flammable.

Liquid Fuel Heaters

• If using a heater fueled by kerosene, natural gas, or propane make sure, you are using them in a ventilated area, i.e. not in the home. They require oxygen to burn, and in and enclosed space, the oxygen will deplete fast leaving it hard to breathe.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm in the same area as the heater. This will allow you to monitor the levels of carbon monoxide (CO₂).
• Never use anything except the correct fuel type. Meaning if using a kerosene heater, do not switch the fuel to something like gasoline. Also, make sure the heater is not hot and is sufficiently cool. Pouring fuel into a hot space heater is a recipe for disaster.
• Get the heater professionally inspected annually for safe operations. If the heater is not venting properly, you could run into major health risks.

Electric Space Heaters

• Visually inspect the wires, making sure they are not damaged or frayed. Always plug them directly into an outlet. If you need an extension cord, make sure you use a heavy-duty 14-gauge cord or larger. Avoid placing in a high-traffic area, where one could trip over the wire.
• Although most new models come with a tip-switch, make sure, if the heater falls over, it automatically shuts off. One equipped with a motion sensor so it shuts off when something gets too close (children, pets, etc.) is also ideal. Some also have an auto-shutoff feature, where it will turn itself off if too hot.
• Make sure the heating coils are protected from anything, which may be exposed to them. This will prevent inadvertent burning, and objects from igniting.

Clean Your Gutters & Prevent Early Water Damage

Whether football season, back-to-school season, Halloween, or securing the home for winter - all our favorite themes fall during this time of year. One of the more necessary early home winterizing projects, is cleaning those gutters before the real first snowfall. In fact, it's best to ensure your gutters are cleaned twice a year, once in the spring and in the late fall.

When inspecting your gutters, remember to think of safety first. You would rather not start the season with a broken limb due to neglect. If using a step or extension ladder, make sure its footing is secure and on level ground. Keep any tools, bags, or other equipment close and easily accessible. And before you even make the climb, let someone know you will be up there - just in case.

Wear work gloves, which are relatively thick and will prevent any sharp objects from puncturing through. Safety glasses might also be a good idea, and avoid power lines or other cables leading to the building. If you need to clean off the roof first, wear rubber-soled shoes or shoes with grip spikes, for better stability.

Using a garden trowel, hand spade, or gutter scoop, start near the downspout and clean out the debris. If the debris is hard to remove, don't be a afraid to reach in with your hands and pull it out. Once clear, use your garden hose to rinse out the gutter in the direction of the downspout until clear. If the downspout is clogged you can either use the garden hose at a high velocity to clear it, or grab a plumber's snake. Whichever you choose, make sure it's safe and the spout is free of the clog.

Thoroughly inspect ever portion of the gutter system looking for cracks, dents, holes, or other damage. Get these repaired as soon as possible. Leaving gutters and downspouts unrepaired and not cleared, could lead to bigger issues such as wood rot and water damage.

Proper Air Duct Cleaning Can Prevent SBS

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is not a term you often hear, but can be a major problem for any building occupant—either residential or commercial.

SBS is defined as a combination of ailments in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

There are more than 50 possible known symptoms including, but not limited to: headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, dry cough, and eye, nose, or throat irritation.

The possibility exists for multiple persons to report anyone of the symptoms, and may be dismissed without investigation, whether or not they are connected. The key indicator is if these symptoms are reported within a short time frame of several weeks.

There are potentially multiple causes for SBS, with possibly no single reason as the culprit. One of the major causes, however, is inadequate ventilation. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems must effectively distribute airflow to people throughout a building. Failure of this system, or lack of maintenance, may cause indoor or outdoor air pollutants to buildup. Chemical and biological contaminants may also become trapped and linger in areas, causing people to experience these symptoms.

The best way to combat this issue is with proper and frequent maintenance of HVAC systems. A building investigation should be conducted to test the Indoor Air Quality, to ensure all systems are operating as intended. Additionally, air sampling for airborne contaminates should be monitored frequently.

The use of chemicals such as paints, solvents, and pesticides should be used in well-ventilated areas and when no one else is around.

Removal of any pollutants such as toxic mold or other microbial contamination should also be considered and conducted by trained professionals.