Saving Lives & Property

Water leakages in your home and office are quite common. It can wreck damage to your home and belongings if not detected on time. Most leaks are simple to fix, and in some cases, you can even do it yourself. However, there are circumstances in which DIY methods hardly ever work, and the leaks persist, causing severe damage to your home. This is exactly the reason why you have to hire a leak detection company.

Tips in Choosing the Best Leak Detection Company

Choosing good leak detection company is not a demanding task, as it might seem. A skilled leak detection expert will help to put your mind at ease. Think about these few helpful tips to choose the best leak detection, specialist.

Prior Experience

One of the most significant factors to think about before choosing an expert in leak detection is experience. Only a team of well-qualified and skilled technicians can recognize leaks in hidden places effortlessly and swiftly.

Specialization

While choosing a leak detection company, it is essential to think about the area of specialization. Some companies recommend a wide range of services. On the other hand, you need to ensure that the company provides the services you need. Choose a dependable company to resolve your water leakage issue.

Methods of Leak Detection

Experts in leak detection use a variety of technique to identify leakage without digging and damaging the property. Skilled leak detection workers plainly listen to the symptoms and recognize the problems. Nevertheless, today most of these experts use infrared technology to spot leaks on the walls and ceilings without cutting or digging the property.

Reputation

Another part to consider is the reputation of the company before deciding for leak detection specialists. Choose companies that have top rated reviews and testimonials from earlier clients. You can also check online sources for dependable companies that offer the most excellent services to their customers at even-handed price rates.

Accreditations and Licenses

As you search for service providers to identify leaks in your property, make sure that they are genuine and valid. It is essential to choose only accredited contractors as these individuals enter your homes.

Do not deal with those that do not have the required paperwork because apart from the high chances of attaining unsatisfactory work from them, it is also possible that such individuals have bad intent. Remember that a business entity who values their business would not be troubled to register their company to the governing bodies.

Honest and upfront quotes

Majority of the reputed leak detection companies provide you estimation beforehand. You can evaluate the prices quoted by different companies previous to you making a decision to opt the finest service provider.

Location

Choose a company that is situated in close proximity to your home or property so that it is effortless to get hold of services in case of emergencies. Hiring the services of a company located far away from your place is both time consuming and costly.

Type of Equipment

Previous to you choosing to employ the services of a leak detection company, check the variety of tools used for maintenance and repairs. Experts frequently use hi-tech equipment and tools to recognize leaks and fix it.

Easy to Contact

A reputed leak detection company has a website with contact information so that you can chat to them anytime. It has to be effortless to get in touch with the company as emergencies can happen at any time of the day or night. Majority of the dependable and recognized companies are online, and you can verify the certificates of these companies on BBB or Better Business Bureau.

Holistic Approach

It is clever to choose a leak detection company who takes a holistic approach to a problem rather than deals with a single water leakage problem.

There are some signs that signify it is time to call a leak detection company. If there is an abrupt decrease in the water pressure or the faucets are less than efficient, it is time to call the experts. You will also require calling a professional to check for unseen leaks if your water bills are unusually high.

Finding the best leak detection company is no longer complicated, as you know now how to look for a specialist. Leaks, when unnoticed or mistreated, can lead to molds and infestations. As a result, it is vital to identify leaks promptly, which involves the services of an expert.

If you’re picky about choosing a home grown hardwood floor, while looking for something with a unique character, then hickory wood floors might be the best option for you.

Whilst geting popular, hickory flooring still accounts for less than 5% of the domestic hardwood flooring market in the USA, making it less common than the classic oak, therefore, giving you the potential for something a little different.

Take a look at all other qualities of a Hickory flooring and see if it will be a better choice for your home.

Hickory Flooring Look, Colors and Finishes
Untreated hickory has quite stronger color contrast, going from a beautifully deep brown heartwood to a creamy white sapwood.

But hickory is also quite good at retaining stain, you will find that most manufacturers offer hickory flooring that is pre-stained, thus offering a large range of colors and looks, and toning down the contrasting colors of untreated hickory.

In terms of style, because of how it is made, the photographic element of a laminated finish gives great artistic potential; you can find many hickory laminates that is characterful painted, weathered and distressed looking.

Most solid and engineered hickory flooring goes towards either classic or rustic texture finishes with different depths of color added to them, ranging from light caramel tones, through popular gray/ greige tones, to deeper coffee and chocolate tones.

All the best quality hickory flooring will also be finished with a clear final sealant – often a polyurethane – to protect from everyday incidents such as spills and dirt.

The main aspect to note about the complete look of hickory wood floors is that hickory has a unique, fairly dense grain that is more obvious than maple flooring but not as strong as oak.

The dense grain gives hickory its incomparable character, but it can usually look overly busy if you opt for narrow planks. Planks width of 5” and above tend to give a more unified overall look.

Hickory Wood Floors Hardness & Durability

Aside from its fine looks, one of the main qualities of hickory hardwood flooring is that it is the hardest domestic wood sold on the market, with a Jenka ranking of 1820 – that is a lot harder than red oak which has a ranking of 1290.

This makes hickory unbelievably durable and much less prone to dents than the softer hardwoods such as maple and walnut flooring. If you have a houseful of children and some pets, then hickory is the obvious choice!

Hickory Wood Floors Pros & Cons

All hardwoods have different pros and cons, so it’s important to consider all aspects of hickory hardwood in accordance to your household and local environment.

Hickory Flooring Advantages:

Color variety and style – Hickory is best at retaining stain which means that there are lots of color options available already stained by the manufacturer, or you can use a pro staining expert to mix a custom color of your own choice for your home.

Styles-wise, hickory is quite versatile and usually used just as well with most informal, rustic, farmhouse décor as with more formal, structured interior designs. The large variety of hickory flooring styles, finishes and colors is a great advantage.

Options – Hickory flooring is produced in solid, engineered and laminate in a variety of plank widths and finishes.

Durability and wear – As mentioned above, Hickory’s best selling point is that it is extremely durable and Ideal for busy households.

Easy maintenance and low costs – As with most hardwood floorings, once properly sealed, keeping hickory flooring clean very easy – regular sweeping or vacuuming and occasional mopping should do the job . Here’s our list of the top mops for hardwood floors.

As with all hardwood floors, to keep it at its very best you should consider on refinishing your solid hickory floor every 5 years or so. For engineered hickory flooring, look for one that has the thickest wear layer and which therefore can be refinished at least once in its lifetime.

Cost – Since hickory is not as common as oak, it is a bit expensive, but still quite affordable averaging at around $4 – $5 per square foot for a decent quality product, with much lower prices for laminates. Click here for refinishing costs.

Hickory Wood Floors Disadvantages:

Aesthetic concerns – In its natural state or with just a light stain or clear finish, hickory wood tones are very varied with strong contrast between the heartwood and the sapwood; this can give a lovely rustic feel, but is not for everybody’s liking.

Stained hickory wood floors generally removes this potential disadvantage by coordinating with the contrasting tones. Also, the dense grain in hickory can make a floor look too busy if you choose thinner planks – reduce this by using wider planks of 5” plus.

Almost every homeowner or tenant has a few essential plumbing tools on hand to not need an emergency plumber each time a minor repair needs to be done. Oftentimes, a slow drain or clogged toilet may only need a little elbow work and a plunger to work as it should. If you are handy around the house, you can basically deal with a small repair, like replacing a drain cover or changing out a worn washer. Then again, bigger plumbing repair jobs need a more approach. Trying to fix some common issues such as leaking toilets or slow drains could lead to bigger problems in the long run.

Dripping Faucets

When Do You Call an Emergency Plumber?

If you have ever tried to fall asleep with a dripping faucet in the adjacent room or wrestled with a kitchen sink that didn’t know when to stop, you’re familiar with how annoying this common problem can be. A dripping faucet likewise drives your water bill higher. A single leaking faucet can send hundreds of gallons of water per year down your drain a drop at a time. What a waste of money and valuable natural resources.

Water entering your home is under pressure to move it through the pipes. When you turn the tap off , rubber or silicone-based washers form a water-tight seal that blocks more water from pushing its way through the pipes and out of the faucet. Over time, washers can become torn, dislodged, or stiff, allowing a tiny trickle of water through and making that annoying drip. While you can replace washers yourself, the repair can be tougher than you might expect without the needed tools. If the leak has gone on long enough, the valve seat may have become worn, necessitating a call for an emergency plumber.

Running Toilet

If you’re fed up of jiggling the flush handle to make your toilet behave after flushing, it might be high time to replace its inner gear. Toilets basically run when the flapper valve that lets water pass from the tank to the bowl doesn’t fit properly, the fill tube comes loose, or the float is imbalanced.

Sometimes, though, toilets run for more complicated reasons. If you have changed the flapper, fill tube, and float apparatus, you may have sediment that is affecting proper flushing and filling. High water bills could also point to a silent leak. This also warrants a call to the emergency plumber, lest you want a running toilet emergency in the most inconvenient of times.

Leaky Pipes

Leaks can be an expensive nuisance. Leaks normally happen at joints, which is why industrial joint fillers and fitting compounds occupy a lot of shelf space in your local hardware store. These products, however, are a temporary fix, though; a more lasting plumbing repair may mean replacing a fraction of a pipe or its fittings.

Although changing a leaky U-joint under your sink isn’t really a complex repair, it is a rather messy one. You may want to have an emergency plumber handle it for you to save the clean-up time. Until the emergency plumber can get to your leak, use a leak tape. This temporary fix keeps water from spraying but are easily removed when it is time for a permanent solution.

Clogged Drains

When the water that goes into your sink, toilet, or tub won’t go out, you probably have a partial or complete clog. Oftentimes, your trusty plunger can repair the problem. Clog removers and commercial drain cleaners are safe for most drains for occasional use, but these corrosive materials can damage some pipe materials if used too often. If you are dealing with clogs regularly, it’s time to call an emergency plumber.

Even if you only have a partial clog, debris in pipes can slow drainage to a trickle. Shine a flashlight into the drain and check if you can spot the problem. Pliers or tweezers might be able to reach a big clump of hair or fallen bottle cap that is obstructing your pipes. Installing drain screens can also prevent detritus from finding its way into drains.

Keep an emergency plumber’s number handy. You may not always need the number, but if you accidentally snap off a valve and have a fountain in your kitchen, you will be glad you kept it near your phone.

Has your home been affected by any water damage like flooding or any pipe leakage? Usually, we think that water damages only carpets and furniture; however, that’s not always the case. When a water-related crisis has hit you, it doesn’t skip anything – even the mattress! Just like other household items, your bed can be damaged by dirty and contaminated water. Dealing with water mitigation by yourself can be challenging.

Before you take on any restoration or repair process, assess the damage your mattress or other furniture has seen. Determine if it’s worth the time, effort, and cost to fix the issue and if you will need any professional help. If your mattress is of low quality to begin with, then it might be better to procure a brand new mattress rather than saving the old, damaged one. On the other hand, if you have spent a fortune on it, then it may be worth it to restore and recover it from the damage.

And similar to rugs and carpets, mattresses can be home to allergens and mold – especially when it gets wet due to water damage. A damaged mattress must be immediately repaired! And in this case, employing professional services so they can do the restoration effectively.

In today’s post, we’ll share helpful tips on ways you can help with water mitigation for your damaged mattress.

Do Something at the First Signs of Damage

When you see the first signs of water damage on your mattress, you have to do something about it right away! Once the mold grows and gets absorbed in it, it would be harder to take the mold off, and you would never be able to restore the mattress. Make sure that you call professional help or let the mattress dry entirely during the first 48 hours.

Don’t Leave It Wet

Speaking of drying thoroughly, the primary thing you should do to keep up with the water mitigation process is to set the mattress under direct contact with sunlight. To help dry out the mattress, you can also utilize fans and blow dryers. However, it’s essential not to hasten to dry the mattress out completely. Otherwise, it will leave residue traces within the mattress fiber. These residues may become a habitat for mold to grow.

Take Out and Use Your Vacuum

Once the mattress is entirely dry, take out your vacuum and use it. Start vacuuming the mattress using a nozzle vacuum cleaner. While even a high-power vacuum won’t be able to take out every bit of dirt or debris from the mattress, it will still help clean it. Not a lot of mattresses can be unzipped to get to the materials of it inside. However, if yours can be unzipped, open it up and check the inside for dampness. After vacuuming the entire surface of the mattress, take a cloth and dampen it in an alcohol solution, then thoroughly wipe the whole mattress.

Don’t Forget About the Box Springs

The box springs inside your mattress can also get affected by water. When this happens, you need to be extra careful cleaning them. Box springs are usually made of wood materials and components; wood, when it gets in contact with water, is bad news. Wood takes a long time dry out completely. And if you don’t plan on checking the box springs and making sure they are dry, then your efforts of drying out the mattress will have been futile. Remember that when dealing with mattresses damaged by water, the critical thing to keep in mind is to make sure that all of its parts are thoroughly dry.

Call on the Professionals

Although the tips we have shared above can help you deal with a water-damaged mattress, it’s always recommended to acquire from a restoration company. You may not have the proper tools and equipment to take care of the water or flood damage. Thus, it’s still best to call on water mitigation professionals. They have the expertise and equipment needed to deal with damage caused by water after a flood, storm, leak, or burst pipe. They have the experience that we as homeowners don’t have. They know the effective repair methods that can bring your cherished mattress back to its glory.