CPR Nashville Blog

Getting Ready to Move?

If you want to avoid all those headaches caused by all the stress of planning to move and marketing your home, follow the advise of Choice Property Restoration.

We thought about titling this post “Fixin’ta Move?” since we live in the South and all, but we restrained ourselves. The spring is known for being an ideal time to put a house on the market. This is especially so this year, after we all weathered such a brutally cold winter here in Nashville. According to a recent AOL article, Nashville’s not the only place where the housing market is flourishing right along with so many daffodils and cherry blossom trees. Countrywide, the market is experiencing a lot of activity, as homebuyers and sellers come out of hibernation after a long winter.

It’s very possible that the 16-day government shutdown may also have deterred a number of real estate transactions late last year. “The fourth quarter with the government shutdown put a lot of people on the fence, so I think there was a lot of pent-up demand,” Jared Weggeland, director of sales and marketing at Southern Homes in Florida, told AOL.

Are you one of those who feels like the time is right now to sell? Whether you’re just considering a move—or are already actively working to get your house market-ready—there are some simple yet important steps you can take to make your home more valuable, more desirable to potential buyers, and thus easier to sell quickly. Choice Property Restoration can help.

Things to Do Before Putting Your Home on the Market

Tackle repair and remodeling projects. You know that drywall you’ve been meaning to patch? The water damage you’ve had on your to-do list to repair? It’s time to scratch the biggest offenders off your list so they won’t get in the way of your real estate transaction. Your realtor will be able to help you prioritize which repairs are most important. You may also want to discuss whether or not it would be worthwhile to take on bigger remodeling projects prior to putting your home on the market.

Have your carpet or hardwood floors deep cleaned. Gross, soiled carpet can be a deal breaker for many potential buyers. So can stained grout in your bathrooms. Even hardwood floors can get so dirty that they detract from the look of your home. Hire a professional to deep clean your carpet, your grout, and your hardwood floors, and you’ll find it’s the easiest facelift you can give your home.

Deodorize (if necessary). One of the tricks of the trade when it comes to selling a house is to put chocolate chip cookies in the oven to bake right before an open house. That’s because scent is tied so strongly to the way we feel about a setting. As such, if your home is in need of a freshening-up with a professional deodorization (because of cigarette smoke, pets, disaster contaminants, or water damage), it’s strongly recommended that you do so prior to putting your home on the market. You want your house to feel, and smell, like a breath of fresh air to potential buyers.

Have questions about how Choice Property Restoration can help you get your home ready to sell? Call us today.

Emergency Checklist for Homeowners

In order to avoid panic and not knowing what to do, always have an emergency checklist ready.

When preparing for an emergency, having the most detailed and informative information is essential. You don’t want to forget something when packing and/or making an emergency plan or checklist. You’ll want to find out what type(s) of disaster(s) to which your area is prone so you can plan accordingly for them. For example, if you happened to live on the west coast you’d want to plan accordingly for earthquakes, if you lived by the water hurricanes would be something for which you’d want to prepare, and living in our neck of the woods tornados are an ever-present threat.

The Benefits of Being Prepared

There are a number of things to gather when preparing for an emergency. An emergency checklist is essential so you don’t forget anything. You want to write down any important items you may want to take out with you when leaving. You also want to include any first aid supplies, things you might need to turn off, and also bring a list of phone numbers along with you. Emergency numbers are those of the local fire department, police station, poison control center, and other pertinent government buildings in your area. You also want to ensure that you have the numbers of your loved ones with you so you can check on them periodically.

When in Doubt, Use an Emergency Route

Create an emergency evacuation plan to ensure that you know the best routes to get out of your home as well. There may be a few different routes, and knowing the best one to take if another were to be blocked off will better prepare you (and will also provide you with a little additional peace of mind). Write these routes down, and create a place to meet up if the family becomes separated.

Make Sure Everyone Gets Out

You want to ensure that your entire family knows how to turn off any gas, water, or electrical outlets if necessary. This is important when there is an electrical storm or perhaps a fire. Once you’re in a safe place, and everything is set, you want to ensure that you check on anyone else who might be in trouble and in need of assistance (e.g., elderly friends and family members). This is to ensure their safety once you and your family are out of harm’s way as a result of the emergency situation at hand. You should also ensure that your children know all of the pertinent emergency numbers and when to call each of them when in trouble.

There are a number of reasons why all of these points (and probably many others) should be followed, the number one reason being to ensure everyone’s safety during an emergency situation. Emergencies can happen at any time, and being prepared provides you and your family with the best chance of being safe when all is said and done. Ensuring that your child knows what should be done is also beneficial in case you don’t have access to a phone or don’t have the ability get out of the home or find help. The best way to provide for everyone’s safety during an emergency situation is to prepare for any and all situations that could potentially arise. Time is of the essence when disaster strikes.

If you need assistance getting your emergency plan together, call Choice Property Restoration at (615) 886-7989 or schedule an appointment today. We offer a complete response analysis at no charge for consumers that would like to have a road map of what to do and who to call when an emergency situation arises. We respond in a heartbeat!

We Do Carpet Cleaning Too

In and around Nashville, Choice Property Restoration is known for our restoration and emergency services and for our lightning fast response time after floods, fires, and other home disasters. However, we also offer services to homeowners who aren’t experiencing catastrophe. Among other services, we are proud to provide the highest quality carpet and upholstery cleaning to our customers. Our trained technicians know just how to best restore your shabby carpet to a like-new condition. Don’t wince at the sight of your carpet one day longer; we will be able to deliver beautiful results that may also come with health benefits, as you may just breathe easier having cleaner carpet.

Failed to notice that your carpets are filthy? Look closer. It’s time to have them cleaned.

Why Our Nashville Carpet Cleaning Service Is Superior

When cleaning your carpets, we will do much more than just get the dirt and stains out of your carpets. We’ll also be removing pollens, fungi, bacteria, and things like air pollution, cigarette smoke, and even car exhaust. Many of our customers report that removing these things helps them with their allergies and/or asthma and emphysema. Will also help extend the life of your carpet by keeping it cleaned. That’s because the longer you wait to get your carpet cleaned the more you will grind dirt into your carpets when you walk on them. Because dirt is abrasive this will cause more and more damage to your carpet over time.

The amount of time it takes us to clean your carpet—and the method we’ll use to clean it—will depend on the amount of soiling, the amount of furniture that needs to be moved, and in some cases the substance that is in your carpets. For instance, we’ll tackle tobacco smoke or urine a bit differently than we will other stains. Not only do we have all the right equipment to clean your carpets, but our technicians know how to use it properly for the very best results.

Don’t wait any longer to have your carpets cleaned. In addition to carpet cleaning, Choice Property Restoration deep cleans hardwood floors, ceilings and walls. Contact us today by calling 615-866-7989 or filling out our Contact form.

Fire Safety Infographic

As the saying goes, “Better safe than sorry!” – it’s good to know the basics in fire safety. That way, you’ll feel safer and more secure in your own home.

So what are you waiting for? Apply what you’ve learned.

Can a Meth House Be Saved?

There are currently no national regulations on exactly how to cleanup former meth labs.  Sometimes scrubbing and painting is all that is necessary to restore a former meth lab to a safe living environment.  Sometimes, contamination is so broad and extensive that the inside of the building needs complete renovation.  The removal of meth from a home is a difficult process, as the chemicals used in the production process saturate deep into the walls, carpets, and ceilings.  The cleaning up of former meth labs ranges from minor cleaning to complete demolition of buildings.  Some meth labs require soil and/or groundwater cleanup as well, depending on the extent of how and where chemical wastes were managed.

Not all houses previously used for meth labs are equally dangerous. However, do not attempt to clean up on your own…call us.

The chemicals used in the production of meth pose serious health risks to a home’s new inhabitants, as many of them are known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).  Some common symptoms of exposure to these chemicals include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, sore throat, skin and eye irritation, and respiratory (breathing) problems.  Acute (short-term) exposures to high concentrations of some of these chemicals can cause severe health problems including lung damage and burns to different parts of the body.

It’s important for potential homeowners to be aware and able to spot the indicators that a home may have been used as a meth lab.  Most home inspectors don’t test for methamphetamines; because of this, it’s important that you not rely on the inspector to alert you of any potential meth problems.  Some indicators are:

• The smell of ammonia, acetone and/or paint thinner.
• Windows appear to have been blacked out or frosted (but without cold temperatures, moisture or condensation).
• Your eyes begin to water, itch and burn, or you get a metallic taste in your mouth.
• Areas of grass an/or vegetation appear completely dead (can be due to the dumping of chemicals into the lawn).
• Signs of burns on the countertops, floors, and/or carpets that could have been caused by fires or chemicals.
• A red or brown discoloration on the walls, ceilings, cabinets, countertops, and/or carpets.
• Red rings and stains in the toilet and bathtub (from pouring chemicals down the drains).

It is advised that property owners exercise caution and use the safest possible cleaning practices in dealing with a former meth lab property, as there could be residual contamination.

Since this is an emerging problem, there is currently no official guidance or mandatory national regulations on how to clean up a former meth lab property for reoccupation.  Until a former meth lab has been properly cleaned up, no one should enter the home without appropriate personal protective equipment.  The safest way to clean up a former meth lab is to hire an environmental company trained in hazardous substance removal and cleanup.  At Choice Property Restoration, we are on your side.  Call CPR      at 615-886-7989 to schedule an appointment today.  We’re the company that responds in a heartbeat!