Some people may not be aware of this but there are appliances that do leak. These are those appliances that produce moisture and use water in order to work, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers. These home appliances rarely leak when installed properly and when they are brand new. However, when time passes or when dishwashers and washing machines are not connected to the water source properly, leaking is a huge possibility. When appliance leaks happen, water damage can occur if the problem is not handled immediately. When you suspect that one or more of your appliances has a leak, here are some things you should do immediately to minimize the damage caused by the situation: Turn off your water main – you can turn off the water main in your home or simply turn off the water connected to the appliance itself. This will stop the leak and you can have the appliance serviced or the connection fixed. Remove the appliance from its power source – if it is your ref...

During the winter months and extremely low temperatures, we see many home and business owners turning to alternative sources of heat. 50% of home heating fires occur during the months of December, January, and February. Whether to save on energy costs or to warm up a drafty room, space heaters are best used with caution. Follow these safety tips to keep your home or business warm during the winter months and prevent fire damage. Electric Space Heater Safety Tips When purchasing a space heater, look for a safety certification from a well-known source, such as Underwriters Laboratories Canada (UL). Auto shut off features are beneficial to prevent overheating and hazards if the space heater tips over.  Maintain 3 feet of space around the space heater. Take care to remove flammable materials such as curtains, bedding, and clothing. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) estimates that space heaters placed too close to combustible materials are the second leading cause ...

Winter often means a decline in indoor air quality (IAQ), largely because as business owners and homeowners we are often doing our best to keep cold winter air OUT and warm indoor air IN. This can help keep our heating bills down, but it can also lead to poor indoor air quality inside your residential or commercial property. Indoor air quality can deteriorate due to many factors, including an inadequate outdoor air supply, poor indoor environment (excessive humidity and poorly controlled temperatures), and indoor air contaminants (everything from common household dust to food odours to perfumes and chemical cleaners to off-gases from new building materials). All of these factors have the unintended effect of decreasing indoor air quality and contributing to health conditions that include asthma, allergies, Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Building-Related Illness (BRI), Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), “sick home syndrome” and many others. If poor indoor air is a concern whe...

If you’ve questioned whether your house was insulated well enough before now, you’ll probably get the answer this winter! Time to batten down, cinch up, and insulate to your heart’s content (for the sake of your personal comfort, and to ward off a scary heating bill). Getting your home comfortable for the winter months is DIY at its finest; from weatherstripping your entryways to curing drafty windows, the tips below are need-to-know for homeowners of every skill level. In no particular order: Maintain your furnace and HVAC system Change your HVAC filters monthly, especially when the system is active during the winter. Not only will it help air quality, but you’ll also keep your system running more efficiently than it would if the filters were congested. Clear obstructions like tables and furniture away from vents too, to maximize the flow of air throughout the room. Learn more about maintaining your furnace, and winterizing your water heater too. Assess your heating zones ...

One of the most stressful problems for any homeowner to deal with is a burst pipe and the resulting water damage that goes along with it. Even less than a few millimeters of water can cause great damage to your home and your belongings. Frozen pipes, a common plumbing issue in the wintertime, can easily burst if not properly thawed out. The water damage restoration experts at INSPECT IT  ALL SERVICES want everyone to be familiar with how to prevent and how to deal with water damage resulting from burst pipes. The most easily recognized sign of a frozen pipe is if only a small trickle of water comes out when you turn on a faucet. You should be able to locate the frozen pipe by inspecting the pipes along your exterior walls. It'll be the one covered in ice! Frozen pipes can be thawed in numerous ways in order to prevent water damage in your home. Using a hair dryer or a heating pad are probably your two best options for melting the ice. Wrapping hot towels around the pip...

As our kids (big and small) return back to the hallowed halls of academia, pulling on backpacks and sharpening pencils, the indoor air quality of their learning environment certainly isn’t on their minds. A school both new and old can have harmful indoor air quality that may be affecting your child’s ability to learn as well as their health. Most people know that outdoor air pollution is bad for our health, but in indoor environments, pollutants that affect indoor air quality can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Since we all spend nearly 90% of our lives indoors, making sure that the indoor air quality of our schools is beneficial to both our children and their teachers. Poor indoor air quality in school buildings can be caused by many things. Many old schools are plagued by mold growth, which happens when moisture and poor air circulation meet organic materials, like insulation, the grout in bathrooms, or even school books and other paper materials. Mold can be haz...

After a fire, properties are in critical condition due to fire, smoke and water damage. The only true way to restore a property after a fire is with the help of a damage restoration company. These companies use specialized equipment and techniques in a step-by-step process to bring back the property to its pre-loss condition. Here are the different stages of the fire damage restoration process: Assessing the Degree of Damage The restoration technicians inspect the property and assess the extent of the fire, smoke and soot damage, as well as damage from the water that was used to extinguish the fire. The restoration team will then discover all the visible and hidden damage. Handling of Contents After the extent of the damage is determined, the workers will move or remove items from the property. Items can be either restored or discarded, depending on the amount of damage they suffered. Restorable items can be restored on site or at a different location. Protecting the Proper...

Before entering a building where flood damage may have occurred, make sure it’s safe: check for electrical hazards and structural damage, and use proper protective gear like boots, gloves and respirators. Before you start any construction or repairs, check for common hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos, which may require help from professional and licenced contractors. Then, follow these tips: Act quickly The severity of damage escalates the longer water sits and building components and contents stay wet, so time is of the essence in the aftermath of a flood. In fact, mold will grow within 48-72 hours, so aim to start removing water and drying the environment within 48 hours. Have a list of professionals on hand to call, and understand your insurance policy, as some only cover mold damage up to a certain amount, while others don’t provide any reimbursement for mold. Ventilate affected areas to prevent mold growth Mold loves moisture and organic materials such as ...

Asbestosis is a debilitating condition that requires immediate medical attention. However, due to the fact that many of the symptoms of asbestosis are associated with other respiratory problems, many sufferers do not receive the urgent medical attention that they need. To help you recognize the warning signs of asbestosis, we have created the following list of warning symptoms, for which you should be on the lookout: 1 – Shortness of breath This is one of the primary symptoms of asbestosis and occurs as a direct result of inhaling asbestos fibres over a prolonged period of time. These toxic fibres can constrict lung movement and can cause sufferers to become increasingly tired and fatigued. 2 – Swelling Inhaled asbestos fibres can also induce increased blood pressure and cause sufferers to accumulate fluid around their heart and lungs. These symptoms present themselves as swellings around the neck and face. 3 – Bloated abdomen Once a person has inha...

The dew point is the temperature at which moisture in the air will condense on a surface. It fluctuates with the outdoor temperature and relative humidity, which have an inverse relationship to each other.  Because cold air can hold less moisture than warm air, as the temperature falls the relative humidity rises and, when the temperature of a surface falls enough, it reaches the dew point—which is 100% relative humidity—and condensation forms.  The window glass of an air conditioned home will be cooler than the outdoor air on a warm morning and reaches the dew point temperature before other outdoor surfaces.  Occasionally, we get asked the question “Why do I have condensation when my windows are insulated?” An insulated window still has some heat/cold transmission, and the exterior glass surface will still be slightly cooler because of the chilled indoor air. Trying to determine why one window has condensate on it and a nearby one does not can get complicated due...