When water damage strikes your home, how do you know when or if it’s time to call a professional? I would suggest you start by assessing what needs to be accomplished. Whether it’s a water damage or a small one, that in it’s self can be hard to figure out. Once you’ve determined what needs to be done, do you have time to doperform the task? Are you physically capable of doing the work? How long will it take you to get the work done? If you have positive answers for these questions, then take a look at the next step. Will I need specific materials or equipment to do the job? Do I have or can I access ample equipment to do the task? If you are a do it yourselfer, then you know the worth of having the correct tools and/or equipment to do the task.



Also, analyze the risks if the job is not done correctly. In a water damage situation, if you do not dryout the affected area quickly, the resulting damage could be much more highly priced. Many cleaning and restoration issues can be depressing if things do not happen as simply or promptly as we’ve expected. Some projects with a lot of time and hard work can be accomplished sufficiently by a conscious “do it yourselfer”.



Water damage restoration jobs generally require perfection, because if it’s not done properly, the expenses to fix continue to increase. Whether you do it yourself or you employ a professional the important thing is to remain focused on these three issues; figure out what’s wet, get it dried out quickly, and make sure the drying is complete.

When water damage strikes your home, how do you know when or if it’s time to call a professional? I would suggest you start by assessing what needs to be accomplished. Whether it’s a water damage or a small one, that in it’s self can be hard to figure out. Once you’ve determined what needs to be done, do you have time to doperform the task? Are you physically capable of doing the work? How long will it take you to get the work done? If you have positive answers for these questions, then take a look at the next step. Will I need specific materials or equipment to do the job? Do I have or can I access ample equipment to do the task? If you are a do it yourselfer, then you know the worth of having the correct tools and/or equipment to do the task.



Also, analyze the risks if the job is not done correctly. In a water damage situation, if you do not dryout the affected area quickly, the resulting damage could be much more highly priced. Many cleaning and restoration issues can be depressing if things do not happen as simply or promptly as we’ve expected. Some projects with a lot of time and hard work can be accomplished sufficiently by a conscious “do it yourselfer”.



Water damage restoration jobs generally require perfection, because if it’s not done properly, the expenses to fix continue to increase. Whether you do it yourself or you employ a professional the important thing is to remain focused on these three issues; figure out what’s wet, get it dried out quickly, and make sure the drying is complete.

Carpet spot removal can be simple or tedious depending upon the spot and how long it has been on the carpet. At times multiple applications of the spot removal solution, or a second solution is required . Listed below is a general spot removal guide . If the origin of the spot is a mystery, begin with step 1. If the origin of the spot is known begin at the appropriate step. Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this ruins texture. To prevent the spot from wicking, the last step should always be to flush with clear water, blot dry and put a white cotton terry cloth towel over the damp area. Put a brick , or other suitable weight object on the towel to keep the towel in contact with the surface . This allows any stain wicking up from the backing to go into the towels rather than remain on the carpet surface. Allow to dry, take away the brick and towels and brush up the carpet.

**Be certain to try , on an inconspicuous area of your carpet any solutions you plan to use as it might affect color or texture. Do not continue if color in the test area marks off on a paper towel .

Some products to have available to remove spots:

• White paper towels or terry towels (white).

• Powdered laundry detergent without bleach

• Spray bottle for applying detergents and special solutions such as vinegar or Household ammonia solutions.



• Household ammonia , vinegar and isopropyl alcohol.



• Dull knife and a spoon.

• Brick or heavy book ( yellow pages) .

General Procedure

Unknown and greasy spots.

Step 1: Remove as much of the foreign material as you can by blotting with a white towel or scraping with a spoon . Apply isopropyl alcohol or a dry cleaning solvent to a clean cotton ball . If the spot extends deep into the carpet fibers use a blotting motion until the spot is no longer present or no color is transferred to the towel . Do not allow the solvent to penetrate into the backing, as this will damage the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time. Never use a circular motion to remove a spot as this may destroy the pile. Stop if spot is removed. If not, go to step 3.

Water based spots.



Step 2: Blot up as much of the spill as is possible. A wet/dry vacuum is useful if a large amount of liquid was spilled. If spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not over wet ). Allow to remain for around 1 minute and blot. If the spot is being removed using water, continue until the stain is completely gone. Blot dry and apply the paper towels and heavy book . If the stain is not completely gone go to step 3.

Step 3: Remove as much of the material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife . Apply a small amount a detergent* solution to the spot . Use a blotting motion to work the detergent solution into the pile . If stain is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until the stain is removed . Rinse the area with only water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture, spray lightly with only water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry. If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then dampen the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for one (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free . Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary . Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with a brick, book, or other heavy object.

*To make a detergent solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of Non Bleach Tide (or similar) powdered laundry detergent, with 1 quart of water, or use approved carpet spotters available.



Several types of spots require special solutions.

A. Blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, watercolor and white glue.



For large spills use a Shop-Vac to remove the bulk of the spill. If just a small amount was spilled blot with a white towel to remove as much of the spill as possible then neutralize with a solution of 1 tablespoon of clear Household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water . Saturate spot using spray bottle. Do not wet the backing . Blot with a white paper towel to soak up excess moisture. After neutralizing , begin with step 3 of the removal instructions. All solutions for removing blood must be cool .



B. Beer, coffee, perfume, tea and wine.



For larger spills use a ShopVac to remove the majority of the spill. If only a small amount was spilled, blot with a white towel to soak up as much of the spill as possible, then neutralize with a mixture of 1/3 cup of vinegar, 2/3 cup of plain water. Apply to the spot, using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture . After neutralizing , proceed to step 3 of instructions .



C. Egg, excrement, urine, and vomit.



Remove as much of the excess material as you can with a spoon . Soak up as much of the stain as possible, then neutralize by spraying the affected area with an ammonia solution. Care should be taken to remove all protein matter. Blot to remove excess liquid and go to step 3 of the instructions .



D. Candle wax or other types of wax.



Spread brown paper (such as grocery bag, making sure there is no ink on the area you will be using) over the area and iron with the setting on “warm.” . The wax will be absorbed into the paper or towel. You will need to replace the paper as it absorbs up the wax. Remove any traces with isopropyl alcohol or dry cleaning fluid. DO NOT use an iron on carpets with Olefin fibers . Olefin is a fairly raw oil base byproduct and it is easy to melt or distort with heat .



E. Gum .



Use an ice cube to freeze the gum. Break up the frozen gum with a knife handle and vacuum. Some citrus based products Like De-Solv-It® by Orange-Sol have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness so that it can be removed .



F. Mud.



Allow mud to dry . Break up the dried mud with the handle of a knife and vacuum. Go to step 3 of the instructions .



G. Rust.



Apply lemon juice to the area, using a spray bottle, and allow to work for 5 minutes. Go to step 3 of instructions to remove the lemon juice. Most rust removers contain a very strong acid and are not recommended for use by homeowners.



H. Nail Polish.



Remove as much of the nail polish as possible using a spoon or dull knife . Apply a non-oily nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and agitate (in only one direction at a time) or blot the spot. Continue until nail polish is removed. Do not allow nail polish remover to penetrate the carpet backing. Proceed to step 3 to remove the remover.
Water Damage Lawrence Kansas
Water Damage Lawrence KS

I had a friend tell me that he wanted to find another insurance agent. And wanted to know what he should look for in a good agent.



I think as homeowners our relationships with our insurance agents can be very important. Your agent should be more than just a company name to you, and you should be more than just a name & address to them. I am always surprised when a customer tells me they know their agent’s name, but have never actually met him/her. My opinion would be that if you’ve had an agent for more than a year and they haven’t made an attempt to meet or contact you … find another agent!



You should have a comfort level that they are honest and caring. Conversely they should know you by name and sight and they should have a comfort level that you are honest and caring. Why is the relationship so important? I’ve seen a lot of disasters happen over the years including fires, smoke damage, and water damage . Many with clear coverage or clearly no coverage, many with easy understandable explanation of what happened and/or why it happened. But, other times there was a lot of “grey” area of how the policy could be interpreted; many times the explanation seemed somewhat awkward. And those are the times when you want him/her to remember that you are an honest and caring individual. Somebody they are willing to go to bat for in a tough situation. They are your personal contact, your protector, and your defender to a large possibly very indifferent corporate entity. A large possibly very indifferent corporate entity that would rather save money then spend it on you!



Now this doesn’t mean that because your agent is your friend that they will be able to bend the rules or give you something that you are not entitled too. That’s not my point; you should expect them to be fair and honest with you and their company. But, if there is some wiggle room or some timely guidance that can be given, you want them on your side. And you should expect that they “have your back”!
Water Damage Lawrence KS
Water Damage Lawrence Kansas

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