CPR Nashville Blog

Air Duct Cleaning for Clean Air

With summertime allergies adding to the sniffing and sneezing throughout the day, you want you air in you home to be as clean as possible.  Even with the humidifiers and air sprays you purchase, there are still particles floating around that are impossible to see.  Your air ducts can help or hurt this situation depending on how well they are taken care of.  If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment with the professionals call Choice Property Restoration today!

When should your air ducts be cleaned?

Even though it sounds like something that should be done often, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that you don’t have air ducts cleaned on a routine basis, but only when it’s needed.  However, if you have a fuel-burning furnace or fireplace, it is important to have the ducts checked out for functioning issues to prevent any chances of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

How do you know that it is time for cleaning?  One of the main warning signs is when you see mold growing inside of the ducts or on parts of your heating and cooling system.  You may not be able to see the mold growing, so your technician will be able to spot any that is hidden during a full inspection.  Sometimes mold that is found is just a false alarm, so be sure that whomever your hire is experienced.  If you have the type of air ducts that are insulated, they will need to be replaced and not just cleaned.  You also need to have checks for insects and rodents, and be aware of any extra dirt that may be coming into your home.  It is important to also make sure that after cleanings and repairs that your ducts are functioning properly.

Can unclean air ducts affect the health of my family?

Even though the average member of your family may not feel the symptoms of dirty air ducts, people with allergies or other illnesses may be more sensitive.  This will worsen as you allow problems to go without being fixed.  This is another reason it is important to hire a professional.  This can prevent mistakes during cleaning and minor repairs from becoming worse later.

Remodeling Tips for a Successful Project

Thinking of remodeling a room in your house? Before doing so, consider these tips to make the remodel as smooth sailing as possible.

At Choice Property Restoration, we are known for coming into your home after it has suffered a natural disaster, whether it is a flood, a fire, or a tornado, and restoring it to its previous state. Our construction professionals share over 35 years of experience working to repair and restore damaged homes, and we are extremely detail-oriented in our work. Not only do we use our expertise to perform restoration work, but we also offer remodeling services on ordinary homes. Our remodels include kitchens, bathrooms, basements, offices, and family rooms. Planning for a remodel takes some thought, and we would like to share some re from Better Homes & Gardens.

• Remember the big picture. When you are planning your budget for your remodel, do not forget to include long-term maintenance, energy-efficiency, and repair expenses. Also allow for extra money in case an emergency arises.
• Plan ahead. Selecting your products early can prevent delays from happening. Planning ahead can help you stay on budget as well.
• Be a good boss. Treat your remodelers well. The perfect clients can be honest, easy to get along with, and appreciate the work being done by the construction team.
• Know what you are getting into. Be prepared for frustrations to arise during the remodeling project. Living in a construction zone means you will be dealing with unexpected snags, delays, and inconveniences on a daily basis. Knowing there will be possible problems ahead better prepares you for the reality. Just keep in mind the project will come to an end, and you will have a beautiful, newly remodeled room.
• Pitch a temporary camp. If your kitchen is being remodeled, living without this important room for a few weeks can be difficult. Set up a temporary kitchen in another part of the house away from the construction zone with a refrigerator and a microwave oven so that you can continue to cook your own meals at home.
• Pack away your valuables. It is a good idea to protect the valuable items in your home before the remodeling project gets started. Take down pictures and pack up all breakables. Protect your immovable fixtures like chandeliers and built-in cabinets. Cover all flooring with cardboard sheets to keep it in good condition.
• Communicate effectively. If anything occurs that is unsatisfactory to you, let our company supervisor know immediately so that we can deal with the issue. We cannot read your mind, so informing us when something is wrong is important in doing the best job we can.
• Prioritize luxury items. It makes no sense to install a whirlpool tub if you are not the kind of person who likes to take baths. Instead, spend the extra dollars on something you will use every day, such a luxury shower with dual heads. The same thing applies when you are planning out a kitchen. Will you really use a desk in your kitchen, or does it make more sense to utilize that space better with more cabinets?

Ready for a remodeling project at your house? Contact Choice Property Restoration today to talk to our staff about giving you a new kitchen, bathroom, or other room in your home.

Mold FAQs from Homeowners

No one likes mold! Most people know that it can be bad for your health and bad for your home, but not everyone knows how mold grows, why it can be detrimental to your health, or how to get rid of it.

If you’re dealing with mold issues — or think you might have a mold problem — give Choice Property Restoration a call. We’re here to help!

If you live in the Nashville area and think you have a mold problem, we hope you’ll count on the professionals at Choice Property Restoration to handle mold remediation for you, as this is one of our specialties. We would like to provide you with some of the questions we hear most frequently from our customers and our answers to those questions:

Why is mold dangerous?

Not all mold is bad for your health; in fact, mold can be found in some places without much concern. Furthermore, not all people are sensitive to mold. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some types of mold can not only contribute to hay-fever like allergies, eye or skin irritation, and wheezing, but there’s actually a toxic black mold called Stachybotrys that may be especially harmful.

I see mold on my walls, floors, or in my basement. Where does it come from?

Mold is usually the result of excess humidity or water damage. Water and moisture can get into your house in any number of ways, but we most frequently see water damage come from burst pipes, sewage malfunction, dam breaches, an overflowing washing machine, or flooding from excessive rainfall—something Nashville residents know about all too well.

How do I know if my house has mold or where it’s located?

There are certain places in a damp home where mold will naturally grow. Floors and carpets, basements and crawlspaces are prime targets. Basically, the lower an area is, the more likely it is to grow mold; this is why we often hear Nashville homeowners complain of mold on their carpet, tile or grout, and laminate and wood flooring. Walls, however, can also be feeding grounds for bacteria and mold, especially if the leak has originated from the roof.

Though mold is sometimes visible to the naked eye—or apparent to the nose, thanks to its strong musty smell—it just as often is completely hidden from a homeowner’s view, though he or she may see signs of it. If our team determines that the origin of a leak is especially mysterious, we will actually use thermal imaging to locate the source, as our thermal imaging cameras can find mold even behind your walls. We may also use digital hygrometers to test the humidity in your air.

Only a professional will be able to truly determine if you have a mold problem and suggest the best way for you to solve it. Call Choice Property Restoration, located in Nashville, Tennessee, at 615-866-7989 to solve your mold problem.

After the Flooding

Was your home recently flooded? We offer extensive cleaning and restoration services to help you make your home as good as new.

If your home has suffered water damage from a flood, whether it’s a typical flood caused by heavy rain or something else like burst pipes or an overflowing dishwasher or washing machine, the cleanup process can be extensive. The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) sets standards for restoration companies such as Choice Property Restoration to follow as well as provides helpful tips to homeowners who have suffered this tragedy.

We at Choice Property Restoration would like to share these tips as well as tell you some of the flood cleanup and restoration services we provide:

● use caution when entering your home

The most important thing to do if you have standing water in your home is to turn off all electrical power.

● protect yourself

Wear a vapor respirator, rubber gloves, eye protection, and protective clothing. Open windows in the affected areas for ventilation; you can even place a fan in a window to help ventilation. Work towards the fan while you are cleaning to keep from cross contamination.

● know what to throw away

Anything porous that absorbs any of the flood-contaminated water should be thrown away. What should be thrown away includes drywall, carpets and pads, mattresses, pillows, box springs, and particle board. This prevents mold growth. Wet clothing and many household fabrics may be salvageable, as long as you soak them in a washing machine for 10 minutes in detergent and hot water.

● open pockets of saturation

Part of the drying out process Choice Property Restoration can assist you with, the water line should be located and measured 15-20 inches above, and everything below that should be discarded. Base molding should be removed, along with portions of damaged walls and wet insulation. All flooring should be removed to get to the pockets of saturation underneath to clean, sanitize, and dry.

● clean aggressively

Another step we at Choice Property Restoration can do for you as a pressure washer is needed to thoroughly clean all salvageable materials in the house. After everything is cleaned, a strong disinfectant is liberally applied. With these sorts of chemicals being used, we recommend strongly you call a professional like the technicians at Choice Property Restoration.

● prevent mold growth

Mold only takes a few days to appear, so this step is very important. Mold grows quickly in a damp environment with temperatures between 68 and 86 degrees. Keep air flowing, and try to maintain moderate temperatures.

● dry out before rebuilding

You must wait until all moisture content falls below 16 percent before rebuilding, and this is where Choice Property Restoration comes in to use the latest technology and equipment to properly dry out your home, no matter the size of the area of the water damage. We use everything from dehumidifiers to fans to desiccants to wall injection systems to completely dry out areas that have been flooded by water.

If you have suffered a flood or any sort of appliance malfunction that has caused standing water in your home, do not hesitate to contact Choice Property Restoration as soon as possible to have our technicians come out to fix the problem quickly.

Help, My House Stinks!

Can’t breathe in your own home? If your home stinks (literally), find out what’s causing it and address the problem ASAP.

Ideally, our homes are a source of comfort — our place to escape from the world. But it’s hard to feel comforted when a persistent, foul odor is wafting through your hallways.

The worst part about bad odors in your home — as if the stink itself wasn’t bad enough — is that a foul odor generally isn’t the problem itself, but a symptom of your actual problem. Odors might be an indication of a leak, or of subsequent mold growth, and those need attention before you can do anything to remove bad smells.

If mold is part of the problem, it can also be dangerous to fail to treat the problem properly — mold spores have been shown to contribute to a variety of health problems, particularly with people who suffer from respiratory illnesses like asthma.

Choice Property Restoration specializes in treating home odors and the problems that cause those smelly symptoms — so if you’re dealing with a smelly home, we can help.

If you smell a musty, old basement-like odor

A dank and musty odor — what we all imagine when we think of an old cellar — is generally alerting us to water damage, and potentially mold.

First, we need to find the source of any moisture intrusion — and that isn’t always obvious. At Choice Property Restoration, we use a variety of high-tech leak detection tools, like moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras, that allow us to locate even the best-hidden leaks.

Once we locate moisture problems, we can stop leaks, and clean, dry and restore materials, from carpets to walls. If mold has developed, our technicians are trained to properly mitigate mold problems safely and thoroughly.

If you’re struggling with animal odors

From misbehaving pets to invading raccoons and possums, animals can unfortunately leave some truly frustrating odors in our homes. With our specialized equipment, we can find the specific areas that are damaged and clean and deodorize materials that need attention, getting your air clear again.

Was there a smoker in your home?

Cigarette smoke can feel impossible to get rid of. Even after relatively short amounts of exposure to tobacco, smoke residue will keep that smoky odor lingering, and candles and fresheners do little to cover it up. We’re equipped with the tools and training to get rid of lingering smoke odors after a house fire — so as tenacious as tobacco smoke is, we can tackle it. If you’re getting ready to sell your home, or just bought a new home that still bears the habits of the previous owners, we can help get rid of that frustrating (and home buyer-deterring) smell.

If you’re holding your nose when you walk through the door, don’t worry — Choice Property Restoration can help remove almost any odor problem. Give us a call!