Dryer Safety Tips

Posted on: 05/01/2013

According to the US Fire Administration between 2002 through 2004 there were 15,600 reported structure fires, 15 deaths and 400 injuries caused from clothes dryer fire (Fact: The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them).

1.) Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.

2.) Do not use the dryer without a lint filter.

3.) Clean the lint filter before (or after) each load of laundry.

4.) Turn the dryer off it you leave home or when you go to sleep.

5.) Replace the lint screen if you notice any tears.

6.) Keep dryers in good working order. Gas dryers should be inspected by a professional to make sure that the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks.

7.) Make sure the air exhaust pipe is not restricted and the outdoor vent flap will open when the dryer is

operating. Once a year, or more often if you notice that it is

taking longer than normal for your clothes to dry, clean lint out of the vent pipe or have a dryer lint removal service do it for you.

8.) Make sure the right plug and outlet are used and that the machine is connected properly.

9.) Do not dry items that have been cleaned in, washed in, soaked in or spotted with gasoline, dry cleaning solvents, vegetable or cooking oil or anything containing wax or explosive, flammable substance.

10.) Do not operate your dryer it is is smoking, grinding or has missing or broken parts.

Plus: Dryers should be properly grounded. Check the outdoor vent flap to make sure it is not covered by snow or debris. Keep the area around your dryer clear of things that can burn, like boxes, cleaning supplies and clothing, etc.

Paul Davis Restoration is making HEADLINES! How the Franchise got started.

Posted on: 04/05/2013

This Article was written by Jacksonville Magazine's 904 North East Flordia's Bussiness and Executive Life Authority.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Having turned a small home restoration company into a nationwide franchise, Paul Davis knows sometning about building a business. Despite the success, he remains humble. "l was the most unlikely

person you'd ever find in your life to start a company that now does nearly$1 billion a year in business," he says. ln 1966, Davis found himself at a crossroads. A company he owned with a friend had dissolved, Ieaving him with no source of income and a family to take care of-not to mention a car payment and mortgage that cost $42 a month. "l decided that if I could have a job where I made around $1,OOO a week, l'd be set,"he says. "ln the first 9 months, we had made over $22,000,that number just kept growing."

ln 1969, Davis was approached about franchising the company, and by the end of that year, there were five Paul Davis Restorationlocations in Florida. The company has since grown into a nationwide network of full-service water, fire and mold cleanup and restoration specialists with more than 3OO locally owned franchises in the U.S. and Canada.

Though he sold the company in in 1997, Davis, a resident of Amelia lsland, has remained busy ever since.

He writes a weekly devotional that is sent to more than 200 people a week, and often speaks to crowds interested in achieving business success. On March 21, Davis,85, spoke to a crowd at Jatksonville University at a Chamber-sponsored event about what it takes to grow a company into a nationwide franchise.

"What I recommend to other companies is to grow with integrity," he says. "Companies need to differentiate themselves from their competition. Our mantra has always been that 'PaulDavis Systems isn't about doing things better, it's about doing things differently, in order to get a better result.'"

Paul Davis Makes it in BIG News CNN Money: Paul Davis Tops List as New Restoration Industry Franchise

Posted on: 03/27/2013

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

In just over four years since its first franchise opened, Paul Davis Emergency Services (PDES) has topped the list as the leading new restoration industry franchise concept according to Entrepreneur Magazine. In the March issue, Entrepreneur ranked Paul Davis as number eight among 75 U.S. new franchise brands launched less than five years ago. The primary quantifiable criteria used in determining the rankings included financial strength and stability, growth rate, and system size. Other factors considered included startup costs, litigation, percentage of terminations, and whether the company provides financing.

Paul Davis Emergency Services shares the heritage of Paul Davis Restoration, Inc., a national franchise company and leading provider of fire, water, mold, and damage restoration services for residential and commercial properties in North America since 1966. Paul Davis currently has more than 310 franchises in the network with locally-owned Paul Davis Restoration, Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling, and Paul Davis Emergency Services offices.

With 168 fully equipped PDES trucks and owners, the franchise company's mission is to help customers while building a business with experts who are highly trained, fully mobile emergency responders. In 29 states, certified PDES owners and technicians restore residential and commercial property damaged by water, fire, smoke and mold in the aftermath of severe weather, crime and trauma scene bio-recovery, vandalism damage, and other catastrophic events.

"We are honored to be at the top of our sector in the recent rankings. We saw a market for a lean modern business run by highly-skilled owners using the latest in technology, restoration science, and damage mitigation practices," said Robb King, Senior Vice President, Franchise Development and Director of PDES. "The rapid growth and success of this business platform confirms there's a market demand for the franchise model and cutting edge services," he said.

King notes that a PDES start-up is far less costly than other franchise business opportunities and ranges from $45,000 to $148,000 depending on market size and other factors.

"Our franchise owners benefit from the resources of an almost 50-year-old parent company, including technical, business, back office and IT support. At the Paul Davis National Training Center in Jacksonville, Florida, new owners and technicians learn the latest techniques in fire damage cleanup, mold removal, water cleanup, and more," said King. "The PDES business can be home-based and owners have the ability to run and operate their business virtually from their vehicles through remote technology," he said. "Throughout the years in a tough economic environment, the concept has proven to be a recession resistant business and a fantastic opportunity."

Many of the PDES franchises are owned by husband and wife teams in the demographics of 30 to 45 years of age. For many, the decision to purchase a PDES franchise has been a good move financially and personally liberating. Most of the franchise owners have a career history as highly-skilled professionals and when established, often hire staff to assist with company growth including marketers, field technicians, office administrators, and other support personnel. They also grow their business by investing time and energy in their communities as business leaders and humanitarians. King added that the successful PDES office owners thrive in a fast paced problem solving environment, enjoy people, get involved in their community, and thrive on helping others. "This business is a good fit for insurance professionals, sales and marketing professionals, retired military, golden parachute executives, construction industry professionals, and family-owned business professionals." For more information about Paul Davis Emergency Services, call 1.800.722.5066. Visit the website at www.pauldavis.com.

About Paul Davis:

Paul Davis Restoration, Inc., a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (Nasdaq:FSRV) (TSX:FSV), is a national franchisor and leading provider of restoration services for residential and commercial properties since 1966. Paul Davis Restoration also provides complete remodeling services and has franchise locations throughout North America with owners and technicians who are certified by The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Visit the website at www.pauldavis.com.

The Paul Davis Restoration Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11820

About FirstService Corporation:

FirstService Corporation is a global leader in the rapidly growing real estate services sector, one of the largest markets in the world. As one of the largest property managers in the world, FirstService manages more than 2.5 billion square feet of residential and commercial properties through its three industry-leading service platforms: Colliers International, one of the largest global players in commercial real estate; FirstService Residential Management, North America's largest manager of residential communities; and the Property Services, one of North America's largest providers of essential property services delivered through company-owned operations, franchise systems and contractor networks.

FirstService generates over $2.3 billion in annual revenues and has more than 23,000 employees worldwide. More information about FirstService is available at www.firstservice.com.

CONTACT: Robb King

904.737.2779

rking@pdrestoration.com

Social Media Tips for Parents

Posted on: 03/11/2013

I am not a parent, but I am an aunt to many nieces and nephews. This article by Alison J. Herzog, opened my eyes to how sneaky kids can be. How to teach children and teens to understand the risk associated with social media, and protect them from potential dangers. Not only that but, do you know all the current social media's out there?

My 17-year old niece was recently grounded. Part of her grounding included the restriction of internet usage. What did not occur to her father (my brother) was that teens are smart – and may be on social platforms that parents are less familiar with. I spotted a picture posted on Instagram during school hours, notified my brother (yes, I’m a narc), and thus began a conversation with my brother on being informed and involved in his children’s internet and social media use. (Also, a conversation about what devices can access the internet. read: more than laptops and pc’s).

Set expectations: Make sure your children know what they can and cannot do and how you will be monitoring their online activity (you WILL monitor their online activity). This is not a breach of privacy, but a practice to make sure your children are safe. I also think it prudent to ask your children to keep you informed as to what platforms they are on. Of course, this assumes a certain level of trust and honesty.

Educate your kids: Make sure they understand bad guys exist and that they should use care and judgement when utilizing social media. Set aside a family night to present a recommended social media and internet usage plan. The FBI provides a parent’s guide that can aid your lesson in internet education. NetNanny is another great resource. One reason I brought up the issue of my nieces’ accounts on Instagram was that the younger one loves to post pictures of herself with a high frequency.

Think about content: This ties into point #2. I have a 15-year old niece that loves to take pictures of herself. Call me old, but today’s teen generation is far more narcissistic when it comes to social media. I struggle to friend or follow any teens for the simple reason that it grates on my nerves. Too many photos. The reason I bring this up is that, teens (and children) don’t think about the dangers of the world. Why does this matter? Because there are bad guys out there and they know how to find your child based off of information found in your teen/child’s photo stream. Teach your children about what is safe to show in videos and photos and what content to never share in any medium.

Know the platforms: My brother’s problem was that he a.) did not consider my niece being able to use her iPod for internet and b.) was unaware of her account on Instagram. Or his other daughter’s account, for that matter. If you aren’t aware of the social platforms out there, take some time and become familiar. A few for your consideration are: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, MySpace, Vine, Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo, FourSquare, Tumblr, Snapchat. The top three are: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Snapchat is also very popular with teens right now.

Make sure your child’s account is set up safely: Today’s generation wants to share everything (literally, everything – there is no such thing as an overshare in their world) and be a part of every single cool, new social media application. It drove me crazy that my nephew (and many other friends’ children) have ignored Facebook’s 13+ age rule and input a fake birth year to gain access. My nephew was 11 at the time but his Facebook account said he was 21. Advertisers can target age groups. A 21-year old would be subject to very different content than a 13-year old (or in this case, an 11-year old who should not be on Facebook). If your child is under 13, keep them off of Facebook. Other platforms, like Instagram and Twitter offer private accounts, make sure your child has this type as opposed to a public facing account.

Follow your kids: Be where they are. If you truly want your children to be smart and safe, friend and follow your children. Not only will you know what they are posting to the world (and be able to deem appropriate vs. inappropriate), but you will also help them to pause before posting. If a parent can see a post, a child will be less likely to post “no-no” items. My above mentioned 17-year old niece became angry when my brother joined Instagram and called it a violation of her privacy. But guess what? Parents aren’t meant to be friends and her account is public facing. There will be no more “tramp stamp” pictures posted on Instagram any longer. My very mellow and very funny brother now tags his photos on Instagram with the hashtag, #ionlyinstagramtostalkmydaughters. He really is a cool dad.

Be flexible but firm: Look, parenting is never easy. In today’s world, we have very different challenges than our parents did. The parents that I have found to be most successful with their children, tweens, teens, and now adults, are the ones who were clear about expectations and rules, participate alongside children on social media , use it to be more involved in their children’s lives, and who have regular and open discussions about content, changes, and whatever else might come up.

Alison J. Herzog is an eater, shopper, traveler, and most of all, a proud mama to Baby Zog. She pays for these by working as a social media strategist. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram or at In The Land Of Zog and catch ramblings about all of the above.

This Article was brought to you by

NOT ALL THIEVES ARE STUPID!!

Posted on: 02/19/2013

A very interesting article. The electronic age has produced electron criminals.

NOW HEAR THIS...NOT ALL THIEVES ARE STUPID!!

1. A friend of a friend left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car. Using the information on the car's registration in the glove compartment,they drove the car to the people's home in Pebble Beach and robbed it. So I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should not leave the registration/insurance cards in it, nor your remote garage door opener. This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

2. GPS.
A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the

football stadium and
specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard. When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it... Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but

no one else would know
where you live if your GPS were stolen.

3. MOBILE PHONES

I never thought of this.......

This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. 20
minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago.' When they rushed
down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of the lesson:

    a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the

people in your contact list. Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc....

    b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.

    c. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.

*PLEASE PASS THIS ON

* I never thought about the above!

As of now, I no longer have 'home' listed on my cell phone.

Even if this does not pertain to you....Pass it on to your family and friends.

This was origanlly an email sent to us at Paul Davis, we thought it would be important to share.

New Social Media Scam..

Posted on: 02/07/2013

Scammers are using personal data available through Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn to pose as your friends in fraudulent emails. Watch out for these personalized scam messages and follow these steps to avoid becoming a victim:

• Watch for emails that appear to be sent by a friend or family member and address you by name. These emails usually just include a link to a strange website. DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK! It could end up downloading malware to your computer or take you to a malicious website where your personal information will be requested and stolen.

• Check the header field. Even though a friend's name is in the "from" field, spam email won't be from their email address.

• Review your security settings and make sure you are not sharing personal information with strangers.

• Don't accept friend requests from unknown people. Some scammers will set up fake accounts and send out friend requests.

• Accepting requests from strangers gives them access to your personal information as well as your friends.

• Report scam profiles and other suspicious activity to the social media host.

• When accessing Facebook from public Wi-Fi in places like hotels or airports, text "otp" to 32665 to receive a one-time password to your account.

• If you accidentally click a strange link in an email, run a virus scan on your computer.

If you have any questions or think you may already be a victim of ID Theft, please feel free to give us a call at 800-356-4282. customerservice@idexpertscorp.com • Zander Insurance↘.

7 Water Damage Scenarios, Are YOU Covered?

Posted on: 02/06/2013

Water damage is one of the most common reasons people make claims on their home insurance. Burst pipes, leaky appliances and flooded basements often lead people to discover the details of their home insurance policies. Although insurance companies may pay to replace a carpet damaged by your dishwasher leak, you'll probably have to replace or repair the damaged hose at your own cost. If a sudden, unforeseen problem such as a frozen pipe leads to water damage, your home insurance covers repairs to both the broken pipe and your home and furnishings. Here are common water-damage scenarios and their insurance consequences. Be sure to check with your insurance agnet, to make sure your policy covers these scenarios.

Scenario No. 1: The temperature drops to 10 below zero, causing your water pipes to freeze and burst. Your floor is now covered in 6 inches of water.

Are you covered? Yes, you're covered for water damage from burst pipes, but most policies won't cover you if you've left the house unoccupied and without heat. If that's the case, your claim could be denied because you've failed to perform the necessary upkeep that would prevent the accident.

Scenario No. 2: Water leaks from your backyard pool, ruining your manicured lawn and flooding your basement

Are you covered? The damage to your basement and your personal property are covered, but not the damage to your lawn. According to a sample policy, "We do not cover land, including land on which the dwelling is located." However, your lawn is covered if it's damaged by certain "named perils." These include fire, explosion, riot, aircraft, vehicles not owned by you and vandalism. The amount of coverage for lawns and plants is small — usually only up to $500. Swimming-pool leaks are not a named peril. But if your leak was caused by a tree falling on the pool, it would be covered.

Scenario No. 3: Your washing machine overflows, flooding the basement.

Are you covered? Yes. But it depends on your home insurance company's view of the problem: Did you fail to maintain the washer properly or did sudden, accidental damage cause the flood? Usually, water from a broken appliance will be covered.

Scenario No. 4: A sewer backs up, flooding your basement.

Are you covered? No. Standard home insurance policies don't cover sewer backups, and many specifically exclude damage from sewer back-ups. Special endorsements are available, at added cost, for sewers and drains.

Scenario No. 5: Water seeps from the ground into your basement, damaging your foundation and interior.

Are you covered? No. Seepage is considered a maintenance problem, not "sudden and accidental" damage, and is excluded from home insurance coverage.

Scenario No. 6: During a heavy rainstorm, water leaks through your roof. The roof is damaged, as is furniture.

Are you covered? Somewhat. You're unlikely to be reimbursed for roof repairs because that's a house-maintenance issue. But the water damage to your home is covered. Damage to your furniture is also likely covered if you have a standard H0-3 home insurance policy, but not if you have a generic HO-1 policy (which many insurers don't even sell anymore).If your neighbor's tree falls on your roof, the damage to your roof, home and belongings is covered. Your policy also reimburses you up to a certain amount, usually around $500, for the cost of removing the tree.

Scenario No. 7: A nearby lake or river overflows its banks, causing a flash flood in your living room.

Are you covered? No. Flood damage is not covered by home insurance. You must purchase flood insurance for that. You can purchase flood insurance as long as your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake, we’re here to help keep you safe through each new season. (801)561-4900

The Potential Dangers of Icicles..

Posted on: 01/17/2013

Icicle my look pretty, but may be creating a serious problem; ICE DAMS.

Winter time icicles may look charming, but they usually signal a serious — and potentially costly — problem. Often lurking behind that thick ridge of ice on your roof is a pool of melted water, hence the term ice dam. That accumulated water can work its way under roof shingles and into the home, causing significant damage to ceilings, walls, and floors. Additionally, the sheer weight of the ice dam often causes gutters and downspouts to pull away from the house, sometimes bringing the fascia boards with them. Preventing ice dams helps avoid damage and costly repairs.

What causes ice dams

As heat rises from a home, it melts the accumulated snow on the roof. That melted snow travels down the roof in liquid form until it reaches the eave line and gutter, where it refreezes due to colder temps. This ice ridge continues to expand, blocking the flow of subsequent snow melt. As water continues to melt higher up the roof, it collects behind the ice dam in the form of a puddle. Because that water sits over the warmer portion of the roof, it doesn’t freeze. In order for ice dams to form, there needs to be roof snow buildup, home heat loss, and subfreezing temperatures. The more snow, the larger the heat loss, and the longer the subfreezing temperatures remain, the higher the likelihood that ice dams will materialize.

Preventing ice dams

Homeowners can’t control the weather, but they can do something about heat loss. Proper insulation and ventilation of the attic space is intended to keep the roof surface at or near outdoor temperatures. Typical steps include insulating the attic floor and installing soffit, gable and/or ridge vents to expel heat. Folding attic stairways and recessed light fixtures also need to be insulated. All penetrations into the attic from the heated living space need to be addressed. The process is a bit more involved for homes with finished attics. To facilitate sufficient cold air flow from soffit vent to ridge vent, baffles or tubes are installed between the ceiling insulation and the underside of the roof. This might involve opening up the ceiling.

Insulation means savings

According to the U.S Department of Energy, adding insulation to an unheated attic will have a greater impact on energy consumption than placing it anywhere else in the house. A properly insulated and ventilated attic not only reduces winter heating bills, it will trim summer cooling bills by expelling heat buildup. You can expect to save 10% to 50% on your heating and cooling bills. In addition, you may qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $500.

Deicing alternatives

In theory, roof rakes, brooms, and other long-handled devices can be used to remove snow before it has a chance to melt. In practice, however, the scheme is difficult to pull off, considering that most homeowners can’t reach all areas of the roof. Electrically-heated deicing cables, which install along eave lines to inhibit water freeze, are only moderately effective, says Bruell. “These heat cables often just back up the problem, forcing the dams to form higher up the roof.” In addition to the purchase price ($150 to $300), and installation ($300 to $500), these cables require electricity to run. They also can shorten the life of roof shingles.

Ice dam removal

Homeowners suffering the effects of an ice dam—or those who fear a leak is imminent—can hire a roofing company to remove the ice buildup. Rather than employ hammers, chisels, and salt, which can damage the roof and gutters, technicians will steam away the ice and remove any remaining snow. Expect to pay around $500 or more for the service. It goes without saying that do-it-yourself removal can be dangerous when it involves ladders, heavy ice, and slippery roofs. ↘.

If you need help removing your ice dams, please call Paul! (801)561-4900 we service Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything inbetween,

Practice Safe Snow Removal!

Posted on: 01/11/2013

Most Utah homeowners enjoy a nice white blanket of snow in the wintertime, but at some point, it’s got to move. Removing snow pile up from your driveway and sidewalks can be hazardous if you don’t take special precautions. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 5,740 Emergency Room visits are made nationwide due to snow-related injuries. Here are some tips to remember before you start shoveling away.

1. Wrap Up – Wear multiple layers of water repellant clothes and always cover your extremities. Hats, gloves, and socks are critical.

2. Stretch Out – This may sound silly, but tight muscles combined with strenuous activities can create pulled muscles and strained backs. Walk or stretch for 10 minutes before heading outside.

3. Pace Yourself – Start shoveling slowly at a moderate pace and take breaks frequently.

4.Fill Up – Always hydrate before heading outdoors and avoid caffeine which can elevate your heart rate.

5. Tool Time – Pick a shovel that fits you. Smaller shovels are recommended over larger ones. Curved handles on your shovel are also preferred over straight ones.

6. Leg Work – Shovel with your feet apart and your shovel close to your body. Bend with your knees and avoid lifting anything you can push with your shovel.

7. Twist then Shout – Don’t twist at your torso. Take several steps forward and dump your snow. Don’t twist your body and throw it to the side.

8. STOP – If you feel dizziness, shortness of breath, nauseousness, or sweaty stop immediately and go inside. These are signs of over-exertion and can be dangerous.

People who are over weight, elderly, sedentary, or smokers should use extreme caution before taking on that mountain of snow. Anybody with a history of heart disorder, heart attacks, elevated blood pressure, or high cholesterol should always check with their doctor before considering lumbering through that pile of snow. ↘.

Written by: Paul Davis Restoration of Louisville

The five most destructive storms of 2012

Posted on: 01/08/2013

2012 was a year for the books; from a superstorm to a super-hot summer, we’ve seen record after record shattered by Mother Nature. Take a look at the following clips to see some of the year’s most destructive storms and their aftermath—and our tips to help you weather these types of events safely next year!

1. Hurricane Sandy

On October 29, Hurricane Sandy came ashore near Atlantic City, N.J. The storm devastated the eastern seaboard and caused an estimated $63 billion in damages, making it the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history (second only to Hurricane Katrina). For a sobering look at the storm’s magnitude, take a look at this ABC News video of the wreckage from one of Sandy’s hardest-hit coastal towns, Seaside Heights, N.J.

Play it safe in 2013:Due to the extended electricity losses and flooding during Sandy, hypothermia became a health risk during and after the weather event. If a storm leaves you without electricity, make sure you layer plenty of warm clothes, move around and wear a hat to help keep warm. Always listen closely for and follow evacuation protocols to avoid being stranded.

2. The November Nor’easter

Ten days after Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S., a powerful nor’easter swept through the Northeast, dumping inches of snow and rain on already-battered communities. The nor’easter produced 8-foot waves along the coast and set snowfall records in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Watch this ABC News video for a glimpse of the Nor’easter experience.

Play it safe in 2013: If you have a generator you’re planning to use the next time a weather event knocks out the electricity, make sure to install a carbon monoxide detector. This little hero of a device might have saved several lives during November’s storm.

3. June Derecho

A derecho is a set of severe thunderstorm complexes, and in late June, one of the most destructive derechos in North American history hit the Midwest from Indiana to Virginia. The derecho resulted in one tornado, winds in excess of 90 mph and hail up to 2.75 inches large; more than 3.7 million customers lost power. All told, the damage was estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. Watch this video by toobmonstah to see the storm raging in Maryland, including two transformer explosions.

Play it safe in 2013: The majority of the derecho’s fatalities were the result of falling trees. If 2013 brings thunderstorms your way, retreat indoors immediately. If possible, take shelter in a basement or away from windows to best protect yourself.

4. Colorado Wildfires

After an unusually dry winter, a set of wildfires burned throughout Colorado during heat wave-riddled June and July, destroying more than 600 homes and 200,000 acres in the process. 34,500 residents were evacuated as a result of the fires. One fire, the Waldo Canyon Fire, was the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history—it destroyed 350 homes and almost 20,000 acres alone. In this video captured by LuvinMusicMan, you can see the Waldo Canyon Fire progressing.

Play it safe in 2013: When wildfire season rolls around, make sure to heed any public service announcements and leave your home immediately when ordered by authorities. As demonstrated by the Colorado wildfires of 2012, high winds can shift a fire’s course much quicker than you’d expect!

5. March Tornado Outbreak

On March 2^nd and 3^rd, a tornado outbreak hit the Ohio River Valley, resulting in 70 confirmed tornados during that two-day period. The tornados caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damage. The March tornado outbreak is the second-deadliest early-March outbreak on record, behind only the 1966 Candlestick Park tornado. Watch as the strongest tornado of the outbreak hits Henryville, Ind. in this CNN video.

Play it safe in 2013: Many of the March tornados were large enough to lift and toss vehicles—some more than 100 yards away. If you’re driving and a tornado touches down nearby, immediately pull over and find shelter in the nearest sturdy building. Your car is not a safe place to ride out the storm!

At Paul Davis, our first priority is to help keep you and your family safe in every kind of weather event.

7 Ways To Use Space Heaters Safely

Posted on: 12/19/2012

Feel that? It’s the chill of fall hitting homeowners across the country—brrr! If your home has inconsistent or poor heating, purchasing a space heater isn’t a bad idea. Before your family members (including the four-legged furry ones!) come flocking to your cozy new friend, make sure you’ve read our seven tips for safe space heater use.1. Pick the right heater for your home. Space heaters come sized for different spaces; make sure to choose the correct heater based on the dimensions of your room. TIP: If your space heater is too small for the room, it’s more likely to overheat as a result. If it’s too large, it’ll consume more energy (a big hit to your wallet!). 2. Quality matters! Older space heaters may not meet current safety regulations, so it’s worth it to purchase a new one now instead of digging out the one your grandmother bought back in 1975.TIP:Make sure your heater has the latest safety features and is lab-tested and certified. Some newer models have automatic shutoff features should the unit overheat or upend, preventing space heater damage. Others will shut off if they detect an object is too close (great for households with pets or children).3. Clear the area. There should be at least three feet of open space on every side of your space heater. TIP:Make sure you place the unit far from any curtains, bedding, furniture or other flammable materials. Keep the room tidy as well—you don’t want any stray newspapers or old report cards coming into contact with the heater!4. Position it correctly. You should place your heater on a flat, level surface that isn’t flammable. TIP:Experts recommend a ceramic tile floor. This will keep your heater upright.5. Plug it in safely. Never plug your space heater into a power strip or extension cord—this could overload the circuit and start a fire. TIP: Plug it directly into the wall and avoid using other high-wattage appliances simultaneously! 6. Don’t leave it unattended. The number one key to space heater safety is TURNING IT OFF when you leave the room. TIP:Always turn off a space heater when you leave the room for any reason and when you go to bed at night. To be extra safe, unplug it—that way there’s no risk of a fire starting. 7. Keep your home’s safety measures up-to-date! There should be a working smoke alarm in every room you plan to use a space heater. Test the batteries once per month and replace them biannually or as necessary! TIP:If you opt for a gas space heater, install a carbon monoxide alarm as a smart precautionary measure. At Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake, we’re here to help keep you safe through each new season. We serve the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between!

Personality Type of your Home, and Things to be Prepared for.

Posted on: 09/17/2012

Your home – and everything you choose to place in it – says a lot about your family. And whether or not you realize it, your home’s personality says a lot about you! At Paul Davis Restoration / Emergency Services of Salt Lake we see examples of this everyday as we go from home to home to help families recover from weather events and natural disasters. We see how much energy, time and money many families spend to keep their homes in good condition, and we also see how lack of preparation can lead to even a worse outcome after a disaster! We’d never name names, of course, but we did pull together a list of 10 types homes and their owners. Find your match and then tell us: Do you agree?

The Master of Disaster
Your garage is stocked to the rafters in anticipation of Armageddon (maybe a bit too much—when was the last time the family car fit inside?!). But being reasonably prepared for an emergency, particularly if you live in regions prone to natural disasters, is a smart way to protect you and your family.

With that in mind, here’s a look at some statistics about your chances of being caught in a weather events:

· Hurricanes. According to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, if you live in Miami, FL, you have a 48% chance per season of experiencing a hurricane. That’s tied with Cape Hattaras, NC, as the highest average in the nation. San Juan, Puerto Rico residents have a 42% chance and New Orleans residents have a 40% chance per season!

· Tornados. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, on average 1000 tornados hit the U.S. each year!

· Earthquakes. Alaska and California experience the most earthquakes per year. SoCal has an estimated 10,000 earthquakes, but of those, only several hundred have a magnitude of greater than 3.0 and only 15-20 are greater than a 4.0, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That said, earthquakes happen everywhere in the world—so a little preparation to keep your home safe is good common sense.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Your family is rough-and-tumble and er, your home is showing it. It looks like a shootout might've occurred in your living room! Sometimes cosmetic fixes can wait until the kids and the puppy have matured. But here are some important structural things you should take care of today.

· Mold grows quickly. Did you know it only takes 48 hours for mold to start growing after water damage and/or exposure? So if you have a leak in your bathroom, dry it immediately to prevent mold growth. And if you already have a mold problem, call in a professional immediately to get it taken care of!

· Ladders are dangerous. Each year, Americans make more than 164,000 emergency room visits related to ladder falls, and most ladder deaths result from falls of 10 feet or less. If your roof needs patching or resurfacing, be safe and call a trained professional to make the fixes for you.

· Wires cause fires. More than half a million Americans seek treatment for burns each year, and more than half of these injuries happen at home. One major cause? Electrical fires. If you notice a frayed cord or smell smoke when you plug an appliance in, stop using it immediately until you have it evaluated by a professional. If your light switches feel hot to the touch, this is a sign your wiring may be faulty and it’s time to call in someone to evaluate your electrical system.

The Hostess with the Mostest
You know how to throw a great party—your food is delicious, décor classy and playlist perfect! Everyone clamors for an invitation; often, your home is filled to the brim with your friends. While you may have prepared for the arrival of adults, take a few moments to make sure your home is ready for kids, too! These are the three biggest no-nos for hosting whole-family parties:

1. Adult food only. Sure, some of your friends’ kids may have sophisticated palates, but we can’t imagine many children who’d be happy eating foie gras and caviar for dinner! Make sure you provide plenty of kid-friendly options along with your adult fare.

2. Not enough entertainment. Since you and your friends are happy to gab until the sun sets, it’s easy to forget that kids bore easily and need activities (or at least, a good climbing tree!). Set out coloring books, puzzles and toys for kids to play with.

3. Inviting too many guests. In a sea of unfamiliar faces, many children become shy or downright scared. Don’t invite so many guests that the children might feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed.

The Gadget Genius
What can you say, you love technology! Your home office looks like an extension of the electronics store and you’re always on the hunt for the next greatest gizmo. But if you find yourself running to the basement far too often to reset the circuit breakers, your gadgetry may have gone too far! You may be a tech whiz, but how much do you know about home electronics safety? Check out these common myths and misconceptions:

· Plugging your gadgets into a power strip doesn’t have a safety benefit. False! A power strip, also known as a surge protector, will protect your sensitive tech toys from over-voltages of power, which could result in a fried laptop or smartphone.

· Turning off your toys is the final step for safety. False! After you’ve finished using and turn off your gadget, there’s still one final step: Unplug it! Not only are you saving on energy costs, you’re also eliminating potential fire hazards and protecting your toys from electrical surges.

Animal Farm
Your house resembles a farm, and you love each and every animal dearly. That’s why it’s so heartbreaking for you when your pets are frightened from a storm! But there are some ways you can be prepared to help your furry friends feel calmer:

· Dogs. According to the Humane Society, dogs will try to reduce their fear through destruction and escape. Barking, chewing, howling and digging are all ways your dog demonstrates his fear. The Humane Society suggests creating a safe place for your dog to retreat to during a storm, and distracting him or her with an activity or toy right when he or she is beginning to get anxious. Never punish your dog for being afraid, or force her to experience or listen to the noise that frightens her—this could increase her aggressiveness or destructiveness.

· Cats. Cats tend to display fewer outward signs of fear during storms than dogs, but this doesn’t mean they’re comfortable or fearless! Cats tend to hide during storms, and experts agree the best method of handling a frightened cat is to provide a safe haven. If you can bring your cat into a contained room (like a basement), this will help reduce their anxiety.

Top Chef
Anyone can see from your kitchen that you’re a master cook—you’ve got the mess from constant activity (and something delicious simmering on the stove at this very minute) to prove it! But even top chefs need some safety reminders every now and then. Take a peek at these three tips:

1. Use a glass, not wood or plastic, cutting board for meat and veggies. The surfaces of wood and plastic cutting boards can be nicked, allowing bacteria to hide and potentially make you ill.

2. You may be busy cooking up a storm, but leaving your dirty knife out anywhere in the kitchen—even the sink!—is dangerous. Instead, take a minute and wash, dry and put away your knife immediately after you’re finished using it to prevent accidents.

3. Taking your cooking to your outdoor kitchen? Keep a plastic spray bottle of water next to the grill to manage any flare-ups.

Mr. Clean
You believe everything has its place, and your home is a perfect reflection of that mantra—it’s spotless! But all that cleaning may have potential hazards for your health. If you store or use your chemicals and pesticides incorrectly, you could inhale or absorb them through your skin with potentially fatal consequences. Plus, who wants to breathe in hundreds of unpronounceable chemicals every time they clean the bathtub?!

The next time you’re scanning the detergent aisle, look for product with “green” labels. You’ll find brands covering a variety of cleaning needs from detergents and soaps to traditional bathroom and kitchen cleaners, all of which are nontoxic and natural. Many companies with traditionally “harsh” chemicals in their products are jumping on the green bandwagon. Now you can feel good about getting your scrub on!

Some Like It Cool
Your home’s chilly 60-degree temperature is a year-round indicator that you hate being overheated. But in the stifling summer months, running your air conditioner constantly can make a serious dent in your wallet! In fact, the average homeowner spends roughly $375 (or 17% of their total energy costs) per year cooling their home! How does your energy bill compare?

The Fish
From the Pacific Ocean to your bathtub (with some toy sailboats afloat in it), you love being in the water. But traveling to the Florida or California coast (and stops at big-name parks your kids are desperate to visit!) for a summer getaway costs some serious cash. A 2010 American Express survey found that the average family of four spends $4000 on summer vacations, including airfare. Ouch!

Instead, plan a staycation: Purchase a guidebook or surf the net for fun facts about your city. Visit all the historical monuments and attractions (think zoos, aquariums and national/state parks) — they often offer discounts to locals. Time your vacation around a local event your family would enjoy, whether it’s strawberry picking when the weather warms up or your city’s annual food fest. Splurge on things you normally skimp on when you travel – a short stay at an upscale hotel (yes, in your own city!) or a Kobe steak dinner at a five-star restaurant. Make sure to treat your staycation like a real vacation—that means no checking your work email or tackling the leaves in the gutters!

The Chronic DIY-er
The welcome mat made out of corks? You made that. The farmhouse table in your kitchen? You made that too. You are a DIY master, and your home is filled with beautiful projects you created using love and a whole lotta elbow grease. Check out these potential projects:

· Hardwood floors. You’ve gotta love the appeal of sleek hardwood floors, especially on the first floor of a home. If you already have hardwood floors, consider re-sanding or replacing them for maximum visual appeal!

· A finished basement. Who wouldn’t want to add extra space to their house? A comfortable basement not only adds square footage to your home, but it’s the perfect opportunity for you to invest in some “fun” spaces like a media room.

· An upgraded kitchen. Perhaps the most popular focal point for American upgrades is the kitchen. After all, you and your family spend hours preparing and eating delicious meals there, so why not make it an efficient, attractive space? Consider granite countertops, new appliances and an island to boost your kitchen’s value.

Paul Davis Restoration / Emergency Services of Salt Lake services the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park city, and any cities in-between.

7 Things to Buy for Your Home at the End of Summer

Posted on: 09/05/2012

Summer is on its way out and fall is just around the corner! While it may be tempting to spend every free moment at the pool or park soaking up the last of summer’s rays, the end of summer is the perfect time to prepare your home for the onslaught of winter. At Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake, we know it can be tough to discern which projects you need to accomplish now and which ones can wait until a little later in the season. We compiled this list of 7 things to buy now. You’ll be thanking yourself when winter rolls around!

1. Weatherstripping and/or caulk. If your windows or doors are drafty, you’ll really start to feel it when the cold weather hits in a few months! Buy some new weatherstripping or caulk and apply it to your windows and doors now (bonus: It’ll save you a little extra cash on your energy bill during that last heat wave of summer!).

2. Furnace filters. Be honest—when was the last time you replaced your furnace filter? If you can’t remember (or didn’t know they required replacing), it’s time to head to the hardware store! Dirty filters inhibit air flow, so you’ll get better heating for better prices this winter if you change your filter now. Plus, you’ll actually increase the life of your furnace if you regularly replace your filters. If your furnace hasn’t had regular maintenance work done in over a year, it’s time to call a professional.

3. Hardy winter plants. It’s time to clear the annuals out of your window boxes and invest in some hardy winter plants to keep your yard bright during the colder months ahead. Plants like chrysanthemums, cabbage, fuchsias and hollies blossom late into the winter and stand up well to cold temperatures.

4. Candles, flashlights and matches. Remember last winter, when the windstorm knocked the power out and you couldn’t find candles or flashlights anywhere in your home? Don’t let this year be a repeat performance! At the end of summer, take the time to stock up on these key items. Store them together in a specific, waterproof, easy-access spot in your home. When this year’s “big one” hits, you’ll be glad you planned ahead!

5. A storm door. If you have an older home, your front and back doors may be made of uninsulated wood—not the best material for keeping windstorms and freezing temperatures out! You might want to consider installing a storm door, which helps seal the entrance, making your home more comfortable and fuel efficient during the winter months. Storm doors are installed outside of your exterior doors; while you don’t have to remove your interior door to do so, you do have to keep the doors open during installation, so it’s best to do this project now before it gets too cold!

6. Deck sealant. Does your wood deck look graying or faded? Is it starting to crack or grow mildew? If so, you need to reseal your deck before fall begins; otherwise, you risk snowstorms and subsequent snowmelt ruining your deck beyond repair (resulting in exorbitant replacement costs). Also, now’s the time to check for mold growth and call in a professional if hazardous spores are spreading within your deck.

7. Canned food and bottled water. At the end of summer, do an inventory of your emergency food and water stash. Toss any expired cans, and make sure to replenish your food and water supplies—experts recommend having enough to last each member of your family for three days. When the blizzards do hit, you won’t have to fight the crowds at the supermarkets and risk the stores being sold out of necessities.

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake services the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between.

5 Things You Would NOT Expect to Melt in the Heat.

Posted on: 08/30/2012

Whew! Is it hot out enough for you? It’s the tail end of summer and as heat waves (and wildfires) sweep across the country, our homes are getting a little warmer than we’d prefer. Even if you’re accustomed to extreme temperatures, you may be surprised by what household items can get damaged by the heat. At Paul Davis Restoration / Emergency Services of Salt Lake we want to help you eliminate those unpleasant discoveries and any potential hazards that may come from these unplanned meltdowns. Check out these 5 surprising items that can melt in the heat and how to keep them properly stored.

1. Vinyl siding

Yep…even your house can melt during a heat wave. Melting vinyl occurs during house fires or when grills are placed to close to your home, but it can also occur in hot weather. If you have vinyl siding, constant exposure to harsh sunlight (usually caused by reflections from house and car windows) can make your siding warp. There’s even a phrase for it: “thermal distortion.” This is a tricky phenomenon to prevent, but you can always check your home for reflected light from parked cars and move your vehicles to a designated spot during the summer months where no reflection occurs. If your siding has already started sliding due to excessive heat or wildfire damage, call in a restoration professional for wildfire clean up assistance and get your home’s exterior back in tip-top shape.

2. Candles

Candles are supposed to melt…but not when they’re unlit! If your house doesn’t have air conditioning, you may find your candles drooping over in extreme heat (particularly soy-based candles, which have relatively low melting points of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit). If you do get melted wax on your furniture or other soft material, a company specializing in “Soft Contents Restoration Technology” could potentially save the day.

3. Crayons

Decorative melted crayon art may be all the rage among DIYers right now, but your kids probably won’t see the artistic merit in accidently melted crayons when they just want to color! Be sure to check the car seats for stray Crayolas before they get molded into the fabric—crayons start to soften when temps reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Crayons aren’t your kids’ only possessions that will melt at relatively low temperatures—plastic toys also are quick to melt in the heat.

4. Cheap grills

You would think that a grill would be able to withstand extreme temperatures—after all, that’s what they’re made for. But cheap grills sometimes have major meltdowns (there’s a reason they’re $9.99). The heat from the charcoal can melt an inexpensive grill’s lid or interior, resulting in minor fires. Unfortunately, even high-quality grills can melt—grease fires can raise the heat of the fire to extreme temperatures, melting the internal parts of the grill (as in this photo). If you’re shopping for a portable grill, be sure to read customer reviews first before you hit the “purchase” button.

5. Steering wheels

Picture this: You gingerly get into your car after it’s been sitting in the bright sun all afternoon. You put on your seatbelt, turn on the engine and touch the steering wheel…ouch! Surprisingly, steering wheels actually can start to melt and warp in hot and humid conditions. To prevent yours from doing the same, try using a windshield sunshade whenever you park, and consider purchasing a wheel skin. Remember, if it’s hot out enough to melt your steering wheel, it’s too hot for a multitude of other household items left in your car—makeup, food products and chemical products. Always bring hazardous materials such as paint and cleaning supplies into a cool place like the garage and store them carefully to avoid any accidents.

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake services the following locations: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything inbetween

10 most common questions people have after a weather event

Posted on: 08/21/2012

Picture this: A big storm hits your city. The question on everyone’s mind is: Now what? You’re not sure where to begin with the cleanup—or if it’s even safe to return to your home at all. At Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake, we know how stressful a weather event can be whether water, wind or fire related. To help relieve some of your anxiety we’ve put together a list of answers to the 10 most common questions people have after a weather event. Store this list in a safe place, and the next time a storm hits you’ll be better prepared to deal with the aftermath.

How do I know if my water is safe to drink?
Immediately after a big storm that has caused citywide damage (such as a hurricane), you should not use tap water for brushing your teeth, preparing meals, washing fruits and vegetables, ice or as drinking water (for you and your pets). Your city may issue a boil order, meaning all water should be boiled for at least one minute before consumption. Your local media outlets will provide you with information on the state of the city’s water, including when it’s finally safe to drink it again!

If you have a well that was flooded, don’t drink the water or use it for bathing until you have checked with your local health department about disinfecting it.

How do I contact a loved one who's in a storm-struck area?
When you’re watching a storm unfold on television from hundreds of miles away, it can be heart wrenching to think of your loved ones who are riding out the storm. Naturally, you will want to get in touch with them to make sure they’re safe. The first step is a phone call directly to your loved ones. Be aware, however, that electricity—including landlines—may be knocked out, and that the cell networks may be overwhelmed. It may be difficult to reach them directly. The good news is that cell phone providers are working on strengthening their networks in storm-prone regions for emergency situations, so this may not be as problematic as it has been in the past.

In the event of a major disaster, the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System will be activated to help you find individuals and families displaced by the storm. The Red Cross also maintains a searchable Safe and Well list that you can check to see if your loved ones have registered themselves.

How do I begin drying out my home after it’s been flooded?
If you happen to return home after a storm and find that it’s been flooded, it’s natural to want to eliminate the intruding water as quickly as possible. If you pump all the water out of your basement or first floor at once, though, the pressure from the water-heavy soil outside could cause the entire structure to collapse! In the event that your home is severely flooded and you’re feeling overwhelmed, call a professional to help you survey the damage and restore your home to its former state.

How do I find a missing pet?
If poor Fido or Spot managed to get loose during the storm, first take a look around your neighborhood for any signs of your beloved pets. If you still can’t find them, call your local animal control office—they should have information on where lost pets are being housed, and you can make a trip to see if your pets are boarding there.

When is it safe to return to my home after a weather event?
Although it’s tempting to head to the comforts of home immediately after a traumatic storm like a hurricane, do not return to your home until officials determine that it’s safe to do so. Their evaluation will take water and sewage levels, electricity, natural gas levels and accessibility into account. The Environmental Protection Agency will likely be in contact with these officials and will announce when it is safe for residents to return to their homes.

How can I rid my home of smoke after a wildfire?
Cleaning your home after a wildfire depends on the amount of smoke exposure your home had. If the wildfires weren’t in your immediate region and the smoke smell is faint, you can use an air purifier to clean and remove pollutants from the air. If, however, your home was significantly affected by the fires, you need to call in a professional to restore your home and help protect the health of your loved ones from the effects of smoke damage.

What should I do if I smell gas or suspect a leak after a storm?
If you smell natural gas (which smells like rotten eggs), hear a hissing sound or see a broken gas line in your home after a storm, ventilate by opening a window or door and evacuate immediately. Do not turn on the lights, light a match or use the telephone in your home. Call the gas company immediately from a neighbor’s house or a local business; if you cannot get in touch with the gas company, call 911. Finally, don’t return to your home until you’ve been told that it’s safe to do so.

How should I evaluate my home after a weather event?
After a big weather event has passed and it’s safe to return home, you’ll have to evaluate your house for damage. Make sure you wear sturdy shoes and protective clothing, and bring a flashlight (not candles!) in case your electricity is out. You also should bring a camera and take photographs of every room to document the damage for insurance. Be cautious when entering your home, and be on the lookout for any frayed wiring that you’ll need to report to your electrical company. Watch out for broken glass and nails, and report any larger issues—downed power lines, gas leaks, or structural hazards—to the proper authorities immediately.

How do I help my children cope with what’s happened?
A natural disaster is frightening for everyone, but it’s especially traumatic for children who may not fully comprehend what has happened and why. After a storm, explain to your kids that storms are natural events. It may help to read a book with them that’s specifically geared toward the type of storm you’ve experienced. Listen to their fears and offer reassurance that the situation isn’t permanent. Finally, include your child in small clean-up activities—it can be comforting for kids to have something to do after the storm, and can help them feel like everything is returning to normal.

How do I cope after a disaster?
After surviving a terrifying natural disaster, it’s normal for you to feel dazed or numb. You may find you have trouble sleeping or experience frightening dreams, a loss of appetite, and you may even develop a shorter temper than usual. These are all natural reactions to stress.

To cope, try sticking to your regular schedule as much as possible. Do what’s best for your body—eat right, get enough sleep and exercise frequently. Talk through your feelings with a family member or friend, and limit your exposure to news stories revisiting the event. Finally, if the stress is too much for you to handle alone, seek help from a professional immediately. It will take time for you to heal from the weather event, and you don’t have to do it alone!

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and any cities in-between.

Surprising facts you may not know about home injuries

Posted on: 08/14/2012

Sometimes dangers can lurk in your house without you even knowing it! Home injuries in the U.S. cause as many as 20 million hospital trips each year. At Paul Davis Restoration / Emergency Services of Salt Lake, we care deeply about the safety of you and your family. Here we’ve put together a list of common home injury facts. Take a look and make our suggested upgrades to your home—your family and house will be all the safer for it!

Look out below!
You may think your toddler is the only one taking tumbles around your home, but be careful: Falls actually are the No. 1 cause of unintentional home injury-related deaths. One of the most dangerous spots in your house? It’s not the kitchen or even the garage that’s chock full of power tools. It’s the slippery tub or shower inside your bathroom — because the hard landing surface causes injuries upon impact.

How to stay safe: Experts recommend installing support bars in the tub and shower to help you enter and exit safely. You also can use non-slip mats on the bottom of the tub and shower to help reduce the amount of slippery surface area you come into contact with.

Outside the bathroom, staircases are another particularly dangerous location where falls at home often occur. Don’t let your kids stash books and toys on the stairs—someone might trip over them. If you don’t have handrails on all of your staircases, now is the time to install them! Finally, if your stairs are wood, start taking off any lightweight slippers, UGG-type boots or socks before going up and down. These simple safety measures could help prevent a world of hurt!

Be wary of what you ingest
Now that your kids are old enough to know the difference between mouthwash and toilet bowl cleaner, you might think you don’t have to worry about accidental poisonings in your home. Unfortunately, accidental poisoning is not only a leading cause of death for young people but also for older adults who may mix up or accidentally overdose on certain medications. To help prevent a poisoning in your home, lock up all cleaning supplies and chemicals (such as laundry detergents, pool cleaners and pesticides). Do the same in the bathroom with medications, mouthwash, and hair products.

How to stay safe: In the kitchen, keep food extracts, such as vanilla, out of reach of children and teens. Finally, store all products carefully—don’t keep the cleaning supplies in the same cabinet as food products, for example. And always store chemicals in their original containers to avoid a dangerous leak or accidental ingestion!

To keep yourself safe from an accidental drug overdose, always read the labels of every medication you take. Make sure to follow all directions carefully, and ask your pharmacist before taking more than one medication at a time. If you are ill or sleepy, double check the dose you are taking with another member of your household before taking the pills.

Call the Poison Control hotline (800-222-1222) for definitive answers about taking certain combinations of medications, or what to do if a member of your family has swallowed poison – it just might save a life!

Cease fire
It’s a sad truth: Accidental firearm shooting rates remain much higher in children than adults, and nearly all childhood accidental firearm shootings occur in or around the home. Yet an estimated 3.3 million children live in a house where guns are never or rarely locked and often are kept loaded.

How to stay safe: If you own a gun, hide it from your kids and always keep it unloaded. Store it in a locked container well out of reach of your children. These simple steps will help prevent a heartbreaking accident or injury.

No burns, baby
Burns are a common household injury, but one surprisingly common type of household burn comes from an unexpected source: Water. Every year, 3000 children require hospitalization for burns caused by water that is too hot (children tend to burn faster than adults because they have thinner skin). Water heaters typically leave the factory pre-set to a temperature of 140 to 150 degrees—a child can receive a third degree burn in just two seconds in 150 degree water. And adults aren’t immune, either: 130 degree water can scald your skin in just 30 seconds.

How to stay safe: To prevent dangerous burns from hot water, check your water heater temperature: It should be between 120 and 125 degrees. Never place a child directly into water without first feeling the temperature—if it feels too hot to you, it most likely will burn your child. Put protective knobs on faucets so children cannot turn on the water if unsupervised. Finally, always bathe children with their backs to the knobs so they can’t accidentally turn the hot water on themselves.

Paul Davis Restoration / Emergency Services of Salt Lake services the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between..

Mold and allergy tips for homeowners

Posted on: 07/31/2012

Breathing. It’s something you rarely think about, yet do thousands of times per day. We all know how important it is to breathe clean air, and most of us associate air toxins—like acid rain and smog—with the world outside our homes. But the air you and your children breathe in your own house might be more dangerous than you think! We at Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, care about your family’s well being. We’ve put together a list of tips to help you keep the air in your house clean so you can breathe easy!

There’s a fungus among us!

You’ve probably heard about the dangers of black mold, or toxic spores that cause asthma and respiratory problems that can jeopardize even the healthiest individual’s constitution. But even common household molds can cause serious allergies, not to mention destroy the structure of the materials they infest (goodbye sturdy shower curtain!).

Here are the scary-sounding names of the most common molds:

· Alternaria

· Aspergillus

· Cladosporium

· Penicillium

What to know: Mold becomes a problem in parts of the U.S. where humidity levels are above 55-60 percent for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, this describes the majority of the country during the course of a year! Every home—whether you live in the humid Southeast or the dry deserts of the Southwest—is at risk for mold infestation in bathrooms, basements, poorly-ventilated rooms and anywhere where there’s a leak.

So how can you prevent this fungus from making you and family members sick? Keep the humidity low in your home. Dehumidifiers that keep humidity below 40 percent help to limit condensation and thus make it harder for mold to form. Mildewcides are a good preventative measure, as is using ultraviolet lighting (mold is particularly susceptible to high levels of UV rays). Unfortunately, if you already have a well-established mold problem, particularly if you think it might be dangerous black mold, you’ll need to call in the professionals to eradicate it and help make your air safe to breathe again.

What to do with all the “achoos”!

Has your youngest been sneezing for weeks on end? There may be something inside your home that’s triggering an allergic reaction. The most common household allergens include:

· Dust. Dust mites are the most common cause of chronic sneezing. Vacuums, allergen-free bedding and air purifiers all can reduce the number of dust mites in your home, potentially lessening the severity of allergies.

· Pets. Sure, you may have had Fluffy for years with nary a sneeze, but allergies can take two years of exposure to develop. Cats are the pets that most frequently trigger allergies, and not only do fur and dander cause the sniffles, so too do cat mucus and saliva. Air purifiers and frequent vacuuming can help alleviate your symptoms if you can’t bear to find a new home for Fluffy or Fido!

· Smoke. Cigarette smoke can irritate the respiratory system even with extremely limited exposure. If someone in your family develops a mysterious allergy, limit smoking to the outdoors and see if it reduces their symptoms.

· Chemicals. That product you use to clean the bathroom may be making you sneeze! Formaldehyde—found in air fresheners, toilet cleaners, paint, adhesives, liquid cleaners and carpet backing—is known to be particularly irritating to the throat and respiratory system (and is extremely dangerous at high levels of exposure). If you can identify a particular product that irritates you, stop using it; if not, an air purifier or a specialty chemical purifier can help reduce your symptoms.

· Pollen. Yep, the pesky particles that make your eyes water outside can follow you into your home, too! Make sure your windows and doors all are airtight, and use an air purifier to ensure you’re not breathing in pollen inside your home as well as outside it!

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling /Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between.

8 Twitter feeds every homeowner should follow

Posted on: 07/27/2012

Picture this: You’re looking for a fun little home improvement project to tackle over the weekend. You click on over to Google, type in “home improvement tips”…and get 34,500,000 results! Where do you even start?! At Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling / Emergency Services of Salt Lake, we know how hard it can be to narrow the search for quality home improvement and inspiration tips, so we’ve done the work for you. Check out these eight Twitter feeds every homeowner should follow. They’re filled with great ideas to help you keep your home safe, fully functional and looking fabulous! And don’t forget to follow @PDRestoration for all of your home restoration needs.

DIY Network – Fun, affordable DIY projects
@DIYNetwork

“If you are thinking kitchen remodel, add character, go green and save money with salvaged items.” https://twitter.com/DIYNetwork

Looking to freshen the paint in your kitchen? Is there a tile loose in your bathroom? The DIY Network has directions for successfully completing all of these projects and hundreds more. Its Twitter feed is full of inspiring ideas—one recent tweet suggests creating a mosaic patio, while another links to a list of flowers that bloom in the summer so you can add pops of color to your front yard. @DIYNetwork is the perfect place for homeowners looking for a daily dose of inspiration!

ENERGY STAR – Energy (and $$$) saving tips
@ENERGYSTAR

“Try it Tuesday: Plug your electronics into power strips and turn the strip off when not in use.”
https://twitter.com/ENERGYSTAR

You might be expecting your energy bill to shoot through the roof this summer once your air conditioner is on a constant hum. Luckily, @ENERGYSTAR is here to help you cut back on energy costs! This Twitter feed has great practical tips for homeowners—a recent one explained (complete with an interactive tool) how to update the settings on a programmable thermostat to save money. @ENERGYSTAR tweets also include fun energy-saving ideas for families and interesting fast facts!

Safety at Home – Home safety help
@SafetyAtHome

“Is your backyard safe for outdoor entertaining? Double check here! #SummerSafety”
https://twitter.com/SafetyAtHome

Did you know that Americans grill approximately 3 billion meals per year? That’s just one of the facts you’ll learn on Safety at Home’s Twitter feed—along with how to stay safe while you’re doing the grilling! Check out these practical home safety tips to help keep you and your family injury-free and having fun all summer long.

Bob Vila – DIY master!
@BobVila

“Gutter basics: Avoid water intrusion in your home with the right storm drainage system.”
https://twitter.com/BobVila

You may be familiar with Bob Vila—he’s hosted numerous TV shows over the past 30 years and calls himself the “dean of home renovation and repair advice.” Well, he’s spot-on with that description! The @BobVila Twitter feed is chock-full of great advice: everything from creating a soothing outdoor environment to reorganizing your kitchen to choosing the right countertop materials. Plus, there are tons of great kid-related projects to choose from. Have your kids been pestering you for a sandbox? Learn how to make one here!

Garden Know How – For all your backyard needs
@gardenknowhow

“#gardening article: Wild Strawberry Weed Control: How To Get Rid Of Wild Strawberries http://bit.ly/J7aqmL”
https://twitter.com/gardenknowhow

If you feel more at home in your backyard than inside your house, you’ll definitely want to check out the Garden Know How Twitter feed! @Gardenknowhow offers great tips for growing certain types of plants, planting inspiration, pest control and managing plant diseases. Got a question that isn’t answered on the feed? No problem—just ask them! If you want to know how to grow a Mexican Sunflower or how frequently to water potted plants, @Gardenknowhow is the feed for you to follow!

Cindy Dole – Giveaways and DIY inspiration
@CindyDole

“Who says a historic home can’t also be green? Check out the updates on this 100 yr old beauty. If they can we all can!”
https://twitter.com/CindyDole

Cindy Dole is the host of the Home Wizards radio show in Los Angeles and a DIY master! Her Twitter feed, @CindyDole, gives great advice about everything from de-cluttering your garage to properly cleaning your grill to attracting Monarch butterflies to your garden. She also offers giveaways and is very responsive to readers’ questions. If you need some DIY advice or inspiration, @CindyDole is your source!

The Money Pit – Saving you $$$ on all your home projects
@moneypit

“Proper pool fencing is the key to the ‘layers of protection’ strategy to preventing pool accidents.”
https://twitter.com/moneypit

Radio hosts Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segreteof The Money Pit are here to answer your home improvement questions! @moneypit shares tips and tricks to help you spruce up your house without draining your bank account. Recent tweets include how to redo your shower without retiling, how to choose replacement windows and how to correctly plant a shrub. The links include both the audio segments and transcripts, so you either can listen or read based on how you best like to absorb information.

This Old House – Old house projects galore!
@thisoldhouse

“Home Inspection Nightmares http://buff.ly/Lj8b1C Have a look. IF YOU DARE.”
https://twitter.com/thisoldhouse

Is your house, well, old? Then you don’t want to miss the tweets from @ThisOldHouse (the account of the magazine and television series of the same name)! The feed offers advice and tips specifically geared towards older homes. Whether you need to install a ceiling fan to escape the heat or want to create an outdoor dining space, you’ll be inspired and assisted by these timely tweets!

Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling / Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between.

Tips for staying safe with water

Posted on: 07/11/2012

Although water brings to mind all the fun of summer for your family—running through sprinklers, splashing in the pool and jumping in the lake—it also can be dangerous, even in your own home. At Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake, we know how hazardous even one inch of water can be, and our goal is to make sure needless tragedies don’t happen to you. Take a look at our safety tips to help you avoid potential water-related injuries in the home—and have a happy, safe summer!

Bath time basics

It’s one of life’s sad truths: Drowning can happen in the blink of an eye and in less than an inch of water. If you have children or babies in the home, it’s particularly important to heed these words: Never leave a bucket or any other container filled with water unattended. Always keep your bathroom doors closed and consider installing a toilet-lid lock if you have a curious toddler.

Finally, never leave a baby unattended in the tub—even if it’s just for a minute, and even if he or she is in a bathtub seat. If the phone rings or you need to answer the door, wrap your baby in a towel and bring him or her with you. It may be an extra step, it may make your shirt wet, but it will keep your child safe and prevent potentially fatal accidents.

Fish out of pool water

Got a bright, sparkling pool out back? You may be the envy of the neighborhood, but remember that extra caution is needed if you have children or non-swimmers in the house. Consider installing a high fence (at least 4 feet) around the pool, with a gate that’s out of a child’s reach. Make sure there’s always supervision for any pool-related activity, and keep horseplay at a minimum to avoid dangerous situations.

Finally, always remove any pool toys from the water after your kids are done playing—they may try to fish out the toys later while unsupervised. As for wading pools, take safety one step further: Empty them out at the end of every cooling-off session so kids aren’t tempted to jump back in.

Unfashionable high waters

It can happen in any home—you head down to the basement to grab a hammer and find yourself standing in ankle-deep water. Looks like you’ve got a flood on your hands! Any standing water is a breeding ground for microorganisms and bacteria; this is particularly true for water that may have come into contact with sewage or toxins, but even rainwater can carry bacteria and viruses.

Your entire family—particularly the most vulnerable members, such as children and the elderly—should avoid direct contact with any floodwaters in your home. If you must come into contact with the water, wear protective clothing, gloves and a mask to minimize your risk of contracting a virus.

After a flood, do not drink your tap water until it’s been tested, and don’t eat any food (even boxed or canned!) that has come into contact with floodwaters. Finally, get a professional to survey the damage and restore your home—this is too big (and dangerous!) of a job for you to undertake on your own!

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake serves the following locations: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and any areas in-between.

5 Tips for Fire Safety in Your Home

Posted on: 06/11/2012

The importance of fire safety cannot be underscored. At a recent press conference hailing his heroics in saving a neighbor from her burning home, Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker was pictured holding a DVD set called “Fire Is…”. These now famous DVDs were conceived by Dr. Frank Field, a retired reporter and meteorologist, to help combat fire ignorance. He designed the video series for children age 5-7 in the hopes of preventing more needless tragedies. You can see a compilation of the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMs6RgsGBnE

At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake there’s nothing more important to us than your family’s safety. We’ve put together a list of fire safety tips drawn from Dr. Field’s videos that you can use in your home right now. Although simple, these tips may surprise you and are certainly extremely important—they could mean the difference between a tragedy and a close call.

Check your smoke alarms…and keep checking them!

Time is of the essence in a fire, and the quickest (and noisiest) indicator there’s a fire in your home is your smoke detector. Your smoke alarm just might save your life, so it’s important you change the batteries regularly. Experts recommend replacing all your smoke alarms’ batteries twice a year. An easy way to remember is to swap out the batteries when you change your clocks forward and backward every March and November. And do a monthly test of your alarms to make sure they’re working properly—it takes under five minutes and will help keep your family and home safe!

Keep potential dangers out of reach

As the video notes, fire is fascinating to young children. But when a child gets his or her hands on a match, tragedy can strike in the blink of an eye. If you have children, store all of your matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of curious eyes. Even better? Consider purchasing a lockbox and placing all potential fire starters in it. Lock it up and place it on a high shelf—and then have a chat with your children about the dangers of playing with fire!

Test your escape routes

When smoke detectors sound, you and your family need to be prepared to escape as quickly as possible. Test escape routes from every room in your home. Do your windows and doors open easily? Are they big enough for everyone to fit through? Do you have fire escape ladders if you need to exit from the second or third floor? Map out a potential escape route for every room and make sure your entire family knows how to safely exit and where to go in case of an emergency.

Be prepared

A house fire isn’t like the fires we see in movies—as the video explains, real house fires are dark and smoky, not bright. Keep a flashlight and small bell in every bedroom in your home. If there’s a fire, you’ll be able to use the flashlights to see when escaping. Teach young children not to hide from the fire, but to escape with the help of the flashlight. The bells will help your family find one another if the smoke makes it difficult to speak or if anyone is injured; it also can help firefighters locate a trapped member of your family.

Be smart

Many house fires are preventable, so make sure you’re making smart decisions to protect your family! If you’re using a space heater, keep it at least three feet away from anything flammable, and never leave it on overnight or when you’re out of the house. If you or someone in your home is a smoker, take extreme precautions; never smoke in bed and always make sure every cigarette is fully extinguished before throwing it away. Also, the chef in your family shouldn’t wear shirts with baggy or billowing sleeves, and he or she should never pour water on a grease fire—always smother the fire with a pan lid, then turn off the burner. Finally, be wary of any appliance that starts smoking or smells odd. Stop using it, unplug it immediately and take it to be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. These small precautions could mean the difference between life and death!

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and Everything in-between.

Tips for home improvement month: 5 contractor nightmares and how to avoid them

Posted on: 06/04/2012

Hiring a contractor to work on your home can be a nerve-wracking experience—how do you know you won’t be cheated? If the contractor comes cheap, will they do a good job, or will your home end up looking worse than before (and be unsafe to boot)? At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, we understand the many stresses that a homeowner can experience when opening your doors to a service professional. In honor of home improvement month, we’ve put together a list of contractor nightmares and tips on how to avoid them.

1. They ask for a lot of money—upfront
Of course, any good contractor will want to be paid some money upfront. But if your soon-to-be contractor demands the full cost of the job before any work has begun, it’s a serious red flag. Sadly, many unsuspecting clients will pay the money, only to never hear from the contractor again. The best way not to be cheated? Before signing your contract, make sure they’re asking for a reasonable amount and never pay with cash—if they demand cash, they could be operating “under the table” and likely will refuse to provide you with any paperwork or written guarantee to do the job. If they won’t bend on the upfront cost, find a new contractor and consider yourself lucky for dodging a bullet!

2. Quality isn’t their concern
Is cracked drywall or a leaky roof standard work for your contractor? You could end up hiring a subpar or sloppy contractor if you only speak to them by phone and never check their references or see any of their finished work. Before signing a contract, call the listed references and ask them not only about the work’s quality, but about the contractor’s customer care and problem solving throughout the project. If possible, visit some of the homes they have completed and inspect them. Is the work up to your standards? Finally, do a background check on the contractor—have they ever been sued? How’s their credit history? Are they fully licensed by your state? Doing this legwork before signing on the dotted line will help ensure that you don’t make a costly mistake!

3. They’re unscrupulous with the contract
Picture this: You approach the contractor about when your building permit will be ready. Their response? “That’s not in the contract, but I’ll do it for an additional $1000.” Any scrupulous contractor should handle all building permits—it’s a key part of the job and you shouldn’t have to pay more money to get it taken care of! The lesson? Read your contract carefully, and then read it again. Make sure you know what is and is not the contractor’s responsibility. If you need help, consider hiring a construction attorney who can look over the contract with you and make sure it’s sound—and that you’re protected. Finally, never assume any oral agreement holds; always get everything in writing!

4. They drag the project on…and on…and on…
Was your project supposed to be finished in “two weeks?” If “two weeks” has turned into “in the future” with no explanation, your contractor is unnecessarily dragging out the project—probably in an effort to charge you more. The best way to avoid this money pit? Get the daily start and stop times for work on your project written in your contract (for example, the workers will be there Monday through Friday, 7 am to 3 pm). This will ensure that the contractor has his crew at your house working to complete the project on time. You also can consult with an attorney about adding penalty clauses to the contract in case the start and stop times aren’t observed in the future.

5. Contractor? What contractor?
Perhaps every home remodeler’s nightmare is waking up to find your contractor has disappeared. If your contractor is dodging your calls and has stopped showing up to work, or if things seem strange around the work site—vendors claiming not to have been paid or installations only half-complete, for example—there’s a chance your contractor might have abandoned the job. Preventing a project meltdown requires due diligence on your part: Be sure to check your contractor’s references and previous projects before hiring them, and read the contract carefully before signing. During the project, make sure to touch base with your contractor frequently and check in on your home’s progress regularly. If something seems wrong or strange to you, voice your concerns. Finally, consult an attorney if necessary and file claims with the state licensing board—taking action might be the only way to see your project finished, whether by your contractor or a more scrupulous one!

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between.

Got Mold? Things to make sure of when you hire a mold remediation company.

Posted on: 05/29/2012

Building materials and building science is constantly evolving while buildings themselves are constantly degrading. Keeping up with building codes, maintenance, remodeling projects and unreasonable tenant requests can be a real head ache.

When mold is discovered or suspected in a property, that is just another headache that you don’t need.

Add to this the fact that there is more than one standard practice for the removal of mold (IICRC, NY City Guidelines, EPA) and multiple certifying bodies and organizations, and it isn’t long before you’re reaching for the extra-strength Excedrin and/or a glass of your favorite Chardonnay.

As if this wasn’t enough, how do you know that your contractor is giving you the straight goods when they inspect your property and give you an astronomical quote to remove the ‘black’ mold devastation and solve your mold problem? While there are many excellent, trained, ethical mold remediation companies, there are also contractors will exaggerate or overcharge for mold remediation or abatement services.

But being overcharged and over-remediated are not your biggest problem. Not by a long shot. My opinion is that the biggest problem in mold remediation is under-remediation.

By under-remediation I mean a really cheap, poor mold remediation job. This is usually a non-specialist mold remediation general contractor who gives you a very good looking, one or two line, ‘mold remediation’ bid. The price is right, and you sign on the dotted line. The contractor performs the work, everyone is happy, and life goes on as usual.

However, 6 months later, the tenant says that her kids have developed asthma and have headaches, runny noses and a constant cough. She’s not sure, but there seems to be a musky smell coming from the area of the house that was ‘mold remediated’ six months ago. So you call in the contractor that remediated the mold, and they say that’s not the problem, spray some bleach on the wall and leave.

12 months later you’re in court with the tenant and $25,000 of medical expenses and $100,000 of damages.

If this has never happened to you, it may sound outrageous. Believe me, it is not outrageous. Happens all the time.

Contractors that aren’t trained in mold remediation think that any place with mold on it just has to get ripped out and put back. Makes sense right? Take the mold out and put back non-moldy building materials.

NO!

If it was that simple then the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, the leading organization in the migitation industry), wouldn’t have a 3 day ‘beginners’ course in mold remediation, and a 5 day Advanced Microbial Remediation Technician course. And Florida wouldn’t have strict requirements for obtaining a Mold Remediator’s license.

Bearing all this in mind, here is some information to help you if you feel you are being taken for a ride, or want to avoid being taken for a ride!

Before we begin, you should know that there currently are no Federally mandated regulations or standards that apply to the remediation of fungi in indoor environments. There have been established guidelines by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, Restoration and Certification (IICRC).

There is also no official state or federal certification program for this industry. Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake has gained its certifications through IICRC due to its reputation in over 22 countries and the fact that the State of Florida has sought the IICRC’s input in creating mold regulation for Florida.

Here is a short list of warning signs. If you notice any of these in your contractor, be sure to investigate further.

- Doesn’t have specific mold remediation training certification

- Doesn’t find the source and cause of the mold and make specific recommendations on removing said source and cause.

- Uses bleach on mold (this is the biggest warning sign. If you see this, run for the hills!)

- Doesn’t use HEPA air-scrubbers, containment and other engineering controls to prevent cross contamination

- Can’t name at least 2 of the 4 molds typically found in contaminated homes (Aspergillus, Stachybotrys, Pennicillium, Poria)

- Uses regular dust masks instead of full flow P100 or higher facemasks. (Proper face masks have detachable filters in the form of ‘pancakes’ or round canisters. White paper type ‘painting’ masks are useless against mold)

- They do not have the proper insurances, to remove mold. The proper insurance needed is Pollution Insurance; this is a highly specialized insurance. Property owners should get a copy of this before they allow work to begin!

When a mold remediation project is completed, the contractor should recommend clearance testing. Clearance testing is designed to determine the effectiveness of remediation efforts and to document the absence of microbial problems before renovations begin.

This testing should be conducted as follows:

1. It should include visual inspection of both the remediated areas and non-remediated areas to check for cleanliness and all affected materials have been removed. This prevents the homeowner from paying for tests when they would obviously fail.

2. Air sampling should be performed in all major areas where remediation was performed, an outdoor control sample should be taken for comparison to the indoor samples and a sample should be taken in a non remediated area to insure no cross contamination occurred during the project.

3. At least one settled dust sample from a representative cleaned surface in each remediated area should be performed, as well as, a surface sample in major areas, such as HVAC system, which are at particular risk of having been cross-contaminated by inadequate dust containment measures during the cleanup.

4. An inspection should be performed for any ongoing issues that may continue to put the building at risk and should include recommendations.

Your testing company should provide you with a written report which contains a pass/fail, any areas that are at risk with recommendations, and a copy of the test results for all samples taken. If not, then you have just been taken for a ride!

Another way property owners are spending money is on unethical contractors who perform both the mold testing and mold remediation. You should never use the same company for both. Why? It’s a major conflict of interest! The potential for abuse for a company performing both services is huge. With the cost associated with mold remediation, you want to ensure that your mold tester has no reason to find problems that don’t exist. In Florida, it is illegal to be the mold assessor and remediator on a mold project.

Furthermore, your mold remediator should not perform his own clearance testing. Most mold companies strive to get the project done right the first time, especially when they are on the hook for the test if they fail, like our company offers. If the contractor is offering free clearance testing, it is a great way to control their profit margin by ensuring their work passes and they get paid. It is always in the property owners best interest to have the original testing company perform the clearance testing. If it was not originally tested, a non-biased third party Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) should be consulted for clearance testing.

Some common scams to look out for are:

Sample Loading: Lower priced samples, but convincing the homeowner that your personal belongings need to each be tested for contamination. You can avoid this by knowing that you do not usually need surface samples at the beginning of a project. Air samples will suffice.

Swapping Samples: This is when an inspector changes your samples with another project they know has high mold levels. To protect yourself from this scam, make sure you higher an IEP that has no interest in the results of your sample. This falls under the category of never use the same company for both testing and remediation.

House Cooking: If you see a tester turning on the ceiling fan or furnace, this is a scam. This will elevate the mold spore count in the air before taking samples. If you see a tester patting down your furniture to get the air dirty, this is a scam. To protect yourself, ask the tester to leave your property immediately.

For additional information about mold remediation Call Paul of Salt Lake (801)561-4900.

Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling of Salt Lake

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24/7 Emergency Services

www.restorationsaltlakecity.com

P: (801)561-4900

F: (801)561-4911

9 Carpet Cleaning Myths

Posted on: 05/24/2012

Water has damaged your carpets. Maybe you had a toilet leak, maybe your water heater burst, maybe your kid left the faucet running in the sink for hours.

What should you do to dry your wet carpet to minimize damage to your carpet and pad?

We have Carpet Cleaning training, and over 10 years real world experience cleaning carpets, drying flooded carpets and removing smells from carpets in all sorts of situations - residential, commercial, thick pad, thin pad, no pad, berber, cut pile, area rugs,etc.

First of all, here's some basic information you should know that applies to all the answer below.

Important Information about Water and Carpets

Residential carpet usually has a pad underneath it. The pad can be anywhere from 1/4 inch to almost an inch thick. The pad provides cushioning and gives your carpet that comfortable, soft feel when you walk on it.

Commercial carpet in offices and stores generally doesn't have pad underneath it.

Carpet pad absorbs water like a sponge: The problem with pad under a carpet is that it is a sponge and can hold many times its own weight in water.

Pad is designed to cushion your feet, so it is spongy by nature and will soak up water like the cleaning sponge in your kitchen sink.

Carpet doesn't stop or hold much water: Although your carpet may feel very

solid under your feet, it offers very little resistance to water passing through it.

Carpet is actually like a sieve to water. A typical carpet will not hold more than a few ounces of water per square foot of carpet before it is saturated. After these initial few ounces of water have entered the carpet, any further water filters straight through the carpet and into the pad.

Water likes to travel: Water doesn't stay put. It travels. The rule to remember is "Wet goes to Dry". Water will automatically move towards a dry building material.

Water at the center of a room will flow through the carpet and across the pad to the walls. It will migrate to the edges of the room in a matter of minutes or hours depending on how much water was spilled.

When you touch the carpet at the edge of the room, it may not even feel damp, but the pad could be saturated. This can be seen using an infrared camera. An infrared (or Thermal Imaging) camera is useful in finding the real area that the water has damaged, even if you can't see or feel it.

Below is a floor layout showing a flood cleanup job. The red circle is the source of the water - a broken toilet supply line.

The blue areas are the areas with carpet that felt wet and the home owner was worried about and wanted us to dry.

The orange areas are the areas that were actually wet as shown by the infrared camera and moisture meter.

The top 'actual wet' area is tile and cabinets. Although there was no visible water on the tiles, it had soaked through the grout and was under the tiles. The cabinet was also wet. The lower 'actual wet' area is carpet and was found by the infrared camera and confirmed with a moisture meter. You can't see it clearly in the picture, but water had actually gone through the walls into adjoining rooms.

Flood cleanup. Orange areas felt dry but were actually wet.

The picture below shows what a normal camera sees on the right The carpet looks and feels dry. But it's not dry, it is wet.

The infrared image on the left shows the pad underneath the carpet is wet. The darker the area is, the wetter it is. You can see how the water has traveled under the carpet along the wall. This is in the hall, 2 rooms away from where the source of the water was.

Bearing the information above in mind, here are some common myths about wet carpets and how to dry wet carpets

Myth #1. The carpet will dry by itself

This is actually true, just like it is true that you could win the lottery with one ticket.

Yes, the carpet will eventually dry by itself. However, will it smell bad or have mold on it by the time it is dry? What other damage will occur while the carpet dries by itself?

Unless you live in someplace like Arizona or the desert where you have high temperature and low humidity, there is VERY little chance that the carpet and pad will dry before mold starts growing or bacteria start creating that wet carpet, damp smell. Typically you have about 72 hours to dry wet building materials before they start growing mold.

Even if the carpet itself dries, does that mean the pad is dry? There is very little chance that the pad is dry. The pad holds more moisture than carpet and is prevented from easily releasing the moisture due to the carpet above it and the sub-floor below it. So even if your carpet is dry, the pad is probably not dry.

Which brings us to another point. What about the wet sub-floor? Remember that carpet is like a sieve, and the carpet will pass water down to the pad very quickly. A saturated pad can then release water into the sub-floor.

Drying Sub-floors

Sub-floors are usually either woood or concrete.

Concrete subfloors are sponges too, except they are very slow sponges. They absorb water surprisingly quickly, but release it very slowly. So even if the carpet and pad are dried quickly, the concrete sub-floor could still release moisture for weeks.

Wood sub-floors hold water too. If they're made of chip-board/particle board/press-board (small chips of wood held together with glue) and they are wet for more than a few hours they absorb water, expand, and lose their structural integrity.

When wet particle board dries it has almost no strength and you will find yourself stepping through your floor if you're not careful. On the right is a picture of wet particle board from a bathroom cabinet (I didn't

have a picture of particle board sub-floor, as it's not very common). You can see how the board has disintegrated.

Plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) are much more hardy choices for a sub-floor than particle board. If they get wet, you can dry them, as long as they haven't been sitting wet for long enough to warp. This falls loosely under the 72 hour rule. Another concern is dry rot which is a bacterial deterioration that takes 21 days to manifest at lower moisture levels.

Determining whether the sub-floor is wet or not can only reliably be done with a penetrating moisture meter as shown in the picture. Different building materials have different acceptable levels of moisture, so you use the meter to tell you if the material is acceptably dry or not.

Depending on the region you live in, plywood is dry at around 20% Equivalent Moisture Content (EMC).The picture shows perfectly dry looking and dry to

the touch plywood.

However, when the pins of the penetrating moisture meter are inserted, you can see that the plywood is at 57% EMC, i.e. very wet. In as little as 4 days, mold can start growing on this wood if not dried correctly. Chipboard quickly disintegrates when wet.

So, we know that the carpet and pad are unlikely to dry quickly enough by themselves. But even if they did, is that all you have to concern yourself with when your carpets are wet? No, it's not.Like I said, WET goes to DRY. What this means is the water keeps spreading outwards from the source. The picture below explains it. This is the same house that is shown in the diagram at the top of this page. The pictures below are the area at the top right corner of the big blue "Feels Wet" area in the diagram at the top of the page. This is the door from the bedroom to the bathroom.

The carpet first got wet about 12 hours ago. During that time, the home owner used her wet vac to suck up as much water as possible from the wet carpet - about 100 gallons.

However, if you look at the infrared view of that area (the black and white picture on the left) you will see that even though the water has been sucked out of the carpet and has only been there for 12 hours, the water has wicked up the wall about 6 inches.Infrared Image on the left shows wet drywall, while in the regular image on the right the drywall appears dry.

Wet drywall, what's the problem?

The problem is the usual 72 hour problem.

In as little as 72 hours mold can start growing on that wet dry wall. Mold

especially likes dark, warm places with no airflow. That describes the wall cavity - the perfect place for mold to grow.So that's the problem - wet carpet creates wet drywall which can create mold. Below is a picture of a wall after water had been standing for a long time.

To summarize. Yes, the carpet will eventually dry by itself. But you'll more than likely have mold and smells by the time it is dry, and then you'll be ripping walls and carpet out to fix the problem.

Myth #2. You have to remove the wet pad underneath your carpet

There is a myth that you can't remove water from a wet pad, even with

commercial extraction equipment. People who say this are talking about the

standard carpet cleaning 'wand' shown on the left. It is what is commonly used to clean carpets. It sprays hot water onto the carpet and then sucks it back up again.The wand is designed to pull water out of the carpet fibers, not the pad and it does a good job at that. So if you have water damage on commercial carpet without a pad, the wand is a good tool to use.

However, on residential carpet with a pad, it extracts almost none of the water from the pad.

So how do you get water out of the pad so you don't have to remove and discard the pad?

There are a number of new commercial extraction tools that will remove water

from the pad. Our favorite is the Xtreme Extractor shown on the right. It is a wonderful piece of equipment.

Before tools like the Xtreme Extractor came out, there was a technique called "floating the carpet" which was used to dry carpet and pad due to the poor job the wand did of extracting water from the pad.

To float a carpet, you pull up a corner of the carpet and stick an air mover or carpet fan under the carpet to blow air under the

carpet and onto the pad. While this method still works it is slower, less effective, and often stretches the carpet so that it doesn't fit properly when restretched.

Floating the carpet is an old school technique that is unnecessary if you have the right tools, ie a deep extraction tool such as the Xtreme Extractor.

To complicate matters, bear this in mind. While you can dry wet pad, it doesn't always mean you should.

If you have contaminated water in the pad you can dry it, but you will be leaving at least some contamination in the pad and over time, it will start to stink and rot. In contaminated water situations you will have to remove the pad because you can't effectively decontaminate it while it is underneath the carpet. In the water restoration industry, contaminated water is called Category 2 (gray water) or Category 3 (black water).

Myth #3. You can't dry a wet pad under a carpet

The truth to this myth is the same as for the question above. Basically, you can dry a wet pad, even without floating that carpet, but that doesn't mean you always should. See the answer above for details.

Myth #4. You have to lift the carpet and 'float' it using blowers

The answer to this question is in the answer to question 2 above. To summarize, you don't have to float carpet if you have a deep extraction tool and know how to use it.

Myth #5. You have to remove and discard wet carpet.

Sometimes.

If you have a black water situation (Category 3 water - contaminated water such as sewage, toilet leak or rising ground water), according to the industry standard IICRC S500, you have to discard the carpet. I believe this is because there is no EPA registered disinfectant for carpet.

However, if you have Category 2 water (gray water such as washing machine waste water, shower runoff,etc) you have to discard the pad, but you can clean the carpet and keep it.

Category 1 water (clean water - toilet supply line, fridge ice maker, etc), and it hasn't been sitting for more than 48 hours, then you can extract the water and keep the carpet and pad.

The other reason water damage restoration technicians sometimes believe they should discard wet carpet is because the backing of the carpet will delaminate when it is dried. The backing is the lattice webbing on the back of the carpet that holds the carpet fibers together. It is glued on. If it gets wet and stays wet for a long time it can separate from the carpet fibers and start to disintegrate. How long is a long time? It's hard to predict - depends on the carpet, the temperature, how wet it was, etc. Normally by the time the carpet delaminates you've got a black water situation anyway, so the carpet has to go.

Myth #6. Professional Carpet Cleaning will dry your carpet and pad

No. Not unless they use a deep extraction tool that is designed specifically to remove water from the pad. A regular carpet cleaning wand will not remove significant water from the carpet pad.

Myth #7. To remove the wet carpet smell, you should have it professionally cleaned.

Yes, with a 'mostly' attached to it. The carpet cleaning machines and methods available to most home owners aren't very effective. Compared to commercial carpet cleaning equipment, the carpet cleaning machines you rent from the local supermarket are like a moped is to a Harley. They're the same thing, but not really.

Getting anything other than a light smell out of a carpet requires the high pressure and suction of a commercial machine. It also requires the expertise of a trained and experienced carpet cleaner. There are many causes and solutions to different smells in a carpet and knowing what to do and when to do it requires training and experience.

If baking soda and vacuuming don't work, your best bet is to call a trained and experienced carpet cleaner, preferably one that is also an IICRC certified Odor Control Technician.

Myth #8. If you dry a flooded carpet, you will not get a moldy wet carpet smell

Depends. If a carpet is dried quickly and properly there will be no smell. In fact, if anything, there will be less smell because the carpet has effectively been cleaned.

If the carpet and pad are not dried quickly and properly you will probably have a problem with lingering musky smells and mold.

See question 2 for more details.

Myth #9. You have to use a truck mount carpet extractor to dry or clean a carpet properly

False. This is an ongoing debate that I don't think will ever be resolved completely. Portable carpet cleaning machines have the advantage of short hose runs while truck mounts have the advantage of high power.

What it comes down to is really the technician holding the wand. A good technician on a bad machine will get a better result than a bad technician on a good machine.

Tips for home improvement month: 5 smart upgrades that can protect you should disaster strike

Posted on: 05/21/2012

May is National Remodeling and Home Improvement Month, so there’s no better time than the present to make those home upgrades you’ve been putting off! Sometimes, though, that task list can feel overwhelming. How do you know which upgrades need to be done first, and which ones can be saved for another day? At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, the safety and security of your home, not only today but also many years down the road, is the most important thing to us. We’ve put together a list of five smart upgrades you can make on your home to help protect you in case disaster strikes. Start with these home improvements first—your family will thank you!

1. Upgrade your roof to downgrade wildfire damage

California residents have seen the terrible damage wildfires cause, but wildfires can pop up in any part of the country. To help protect you during a fire, upgrade your roof to an ignition-resistant, non-combustible material, such as concrete tile or asphalt composition shingles. In the event that a fire does come into contact with your home, a non-combustible roof will greatly increase the chances that your roof won’t catch fire or cave in, giving you and your family additional time to evacuate.

2. Install impact-resistant windows to protect yourself in a hurricane

It’s tough to fight back against one of Mother Nature’s most powerful forces, but one step you can take to keep safe during a hurricane is to install impact-resistant windows, particularly if you don’t have a storm shelter or any windowless rooms. Windows are your home’s weakest point, so hurricane winds often shatter them, flinging glass and debris everywhere. Impact-resistant windows have sturdier frames than traditional ones and feature multiple layers of glass to keep the inner pane intact. This is one simple upgrade that will give your family peace of mind during hurricanes, tornadoes and straight line wind storms.

3. Cool upgrade for heat wave season

Even if your home has air conditioning, you may find yourself overheated when the mercury rises. One quick upgrade to protect you during a heat wave is to install weather stripping around all windows and doors. If you already have weather stripping installed, carefully check each section for any leaks and caulk holes. If you have a window-mounted air conditioner, make sure the unit is snug against the window. Finally, keep your shades closed during a heat wave to eliminate any excess sunlight.

4. Keep dry in a flood with a battery-powered sump pump

The 2011 Mississippi River floods were some of the most damaging floods in the past century. An easy preventative upgrade to protect your home in a flood is to buy a battery-powered sump pump to treat pooled waters in your basement. Because it’s not run on electricity, you can use it even when the power is out. This way, a great deal of damage to your home can be easily avoided.

5. Clean and protect your gutters
Falling leaves and winter storms can cause leaves, branches and dirt to clog your gutters and downspouts. When spring and summer rains come, it can cause water to back up under your shingles. This is a great time to clean your gutters out and protect them with a gutter guard. Gutter guards act like a filter, preventing leaves, twigs and other debris from entering them while allowing water to flow freely. They are inexpensive and can be picked up at most home supply stores.

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following locations: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and anything in-between.

Top 4 Disastrous Family Reunion Mistakes

Posted on: 05/10/2012

Summer is the quintessential time to kick back and relax with the people you love, which is probably why so many of us are busy planning family reunions this time of year! In your haste to meet your cousin’s new wife or reconnect with your beloved grandma, you may forget how important it is to find a location that accommodates everyone from Great-Aunt Margaret to your infant nephew. As families grow bigger, logistics also become more complicated. You have to ensure that no unfortunate surprises ruin your joyous gathering. At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, your family’s safety is our number one priority. We’ve put together a list of the top four disastrous family reunion scenarios—including wildfires and picnicking misadventures—and how to plan ahead, just in case!

Dangers out and about:

You’ve scouted the local national parks and finally found the perfect spot for a relaxing family picnic. But if you live in parts of the Far West, you might be setting your picnic blanket down in a flash flood or mudslide zone! Flash floods can occur from July through September, so call your local park rangers ahead of time to make sure the area you’ve chosen is safe in the event a flood or mudslide does occur. And if it’s stormy the morning of the party, consider postponing it for at least six hours.
Picture this: Your entire family settles down into a leafy spot under a redwood tree at your reunion picnic. The next day, everyone is covered with inflamed bumps and itching like crazy—that leafy spot was Western poison oak. Carelessness in nature can lead to disasters more dangerous than this one, so if possible, scope out your reunion site ahead of time. Bring a field guide and identify any plants you’re unsure of; check the terrain for rockiness or holes someone could stumble in; and make sure there are no berries or plants that may look edible to children. These quick precautions will mean a safer and happier party for everyone!

Dangers at home:

If you haven’t used your deck much this spring, make sure to give it a good inspection before hosting the family reunion on it. Otherwise, you may wind up with your rotting deck collapsing underneath your guests! Wood tends to rot in damp conditions, so after a wet winter in (city), test your deck for warped or discolored wood, or soft spots that give under pressure. If you see any of these signs, call in a professional to replace the wood before your family gathers out back!
Those who live on the coast from Seattle through San Diego know how popular the locale can be for visiting family—the fresh ocean breeze and mild weather can turn you into a perennial party host. Just be sure that when family drops in, it isn’t dangerous wildfire season. If you take a chance and bet on stable conditions during a particularly dry and windy season, you risk smoke inhalation and an evacuation fiasco. If your reunion location isn’t flexible, make sure to pay attention to any wildfire warnings. If fires are raging nearby, keep your guests inside and provide dust masks to help protect them from inhaling debris. Finally, evacuate immediately if ordered to do so!

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake assists the following communities with water, fire, mold and storm damage clean up and repair: Salt Lake, Provo, Park City, Ogden, Tooele and any cities in-between.

Interesting Gagets to do House Work

Posted on: 05/01/2012

Prepping the home for warm weather can be a chore that makes the average homeowner drag their feet. But the good news? There may be an interesting product out there tailored to getting the job done for you! At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, we’re invested in seeing your family and home receive the quality attention you (and it) deserve. Here, we’ve reviewed a list of four unusual (and sometimes hilarious) home improvement and safety gadgets. Before you get excited—not all of these novelty doodads are up for the “big” tasks that require serious help from home restoration professionals, but we do admit they certainly would make things entertaining around your home! Take a look at these household contraptions that promise to refresh a smoky room, clean up after windstorms and keep you safe. Would you use these??

Yard Duty

1. After the wind storm that plagued Northern SLC in past months, your yard probably needs some TLC to get it looking barbeque-ready. This next gadget begs the question: Why not combine a chore with a hobby? The Weed Whacking Golf Driver is, well, a weed whacking golf driver. Although it’s intended for less-than-honest moves on the golf course (perfect for surreptitiously trimming the terrain when you end up in the weeds), there’s no reason you can’t repurpose this handy device for prettying up the lawn while practicing your swing in the sun. Who knows, it just might improve your game.

Indoor Solutions

2. After being shut in all winter, you probably need to give your vacation home a good airing out! Enter the Clean Air Ball! This little air purifier removes indoor pollutants and maximizes airflow to keep your home fresh and nontoxic. If your home has recently been marred by smoke damage from wildfires, however, don’t attempt to rid the smell with the Clean Air Ball. Smoke can enter into porous material, such as wood and drywall, during a fire. As the material cools, the pores close and trap smoke inside. While the house may smell clean, once the warm weather hits, those pores will open up again, releasing the smell of smoke into the air.

3. If you’re ready to give your home a nice scrubbing up, what could be a more festive way to clean than with bubbles? While the Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner apparently has a short battery life and expensive product refills, watching it spin 360 degrees and delightfully spray bubbles up to eight feet away is certainly intriguing. Plus, let’s face it, the term ‘automatic cleaner’ makes any homeowner’s ears perk up. For a property that’s been shuttered for several months, though, be sure to check your home for any serious clean up issues before handing the job over to a novelty device. If you’re suffering from allergic reactions like eye and nasal irritation or respiratory problems, for instance, this could be a sign of black mold and requires the assistance of a professional.

4. If a storm blew grime all over your hardwood floors, you might have more fun cleaning up in a pair of Slipper Genie cleaning slippers! Simply put on the slippers and walk around your hardwood floors—the microfiber “fingers” pick up dust and hair. But if your home has suffered damage from a flash flood or mudslide, it’s time to hang up the Slipper Genie and pick up the phone and contact a professional to avoid mold, warping, electrical hazards and a cornucopia of other issues that crop up with water damage.

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake assists the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and of the cities in-between.

Myths in Predicting the Weather

Posted on: 04/24/2012

Sometimes it’s easy to predict an incoming storm—all you have to do is look outside and see the first dark clouds gathering in the distance. But for homeowners in the Far West, high winds and sudden rains can appear out of a string of sunny skies and perfect temperatures. Preparation is key to staying safe in a storm, and at Paul Davis, we are invested in your safety. The sooner you know a storm is on the way, the sooner you can take the necessary precautions to protect your family and your home. Take a look at our list of how centuries of people have predicted the weather—and how today’s experts really do it!

6 Mythical Ways to Predict a Storm

MYTH: If a dog starts to whine for no reason, you can expect a major storm.

Before computers, radars, televisions and radios, our ancestors relied on their furry buddies to help warn them of incoming disasters. Many of their predictions were based on an ever-present barometer, their animal’s nose—they thought that if Fido was wailing, a major storm was on its way.

MYTH: Cats can predict windstorms....

Is the cat scratching up a post like crazy? Then Utah better prepare for wind! At least, a cat scratching a post was the most telling sign for farmers that an impending storm was near. Good old Patches also could warn them of snow (if she was turned away from the fire) or rainstorms (if she was washing her face).

MYTH: If a cat licks its fur against the grain, a hailstorm is coming….

Before radars existed, sailors brought cats on board to help predict the weather (and to chase the rats that made their way into the sailors’ food supplies!). Hail was on the way if the cat licked its fur against the grain. If the cat sneezed, the sailors knew to prepare for rain, and if a cat was acting frisky, a windstorm was brewing (take note, Utah)!

MYTH: If the anthill is closed, a thunderstorm is on the way.

During the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in China, people perfected the art of weather prediction via animals. But they weren’t drawing conclusions from cats and dogs—they were using insects! According to this proverb, a closed anthill indicated a thunderstorm in the near future.

MYTH: Aching knees predict a storm.

How many times has your grandma claimed to predict an incoming storm—rain, snow or even a blizzard—with her aching knees? Research has shown that a change in barometric pressure can cause joint pain, so while grandma’s predictions certainly aren’t scientifically accurate, there may be some truth in those sore knees!

MYTH: A ring around the moon means rain is coming.

An old folk legend states that if you see a ring around the moon, you can predict rain. Unfortunately, the ring around the moon is an optical illusion—you’re actually seeing diffracted light rays hitting ice crystals in our own atmosphere. So while the ring may indicate that rain is on the way, you’re better off checking the radar to make a firm prediction!

How the Experts Really Do Predict West Coast Storms

No cats, ants or knees here—today, meteorologists predict the weather using radar, satellite and light detection (LIDAR) technology. With these devices, meteorologists can see large air masses and where they’re forming over the earth. Because air masses typically move quite predictably, scientists can predict weather patterns and types fairly accurately. It’s when they try to predict specific storms that things get a little less certain.

Hail

Although hail isn’t as common in the Far West as it is in Midwest, hail prediction is fairly routine. Hail looks like heavy rain on a Doppler radar, and a very science-y sounding Hail Detection Algorithm allows meteorologists to analyze hail size data over time to determine which parts of the storms will come with large hail and how severe the storm will be. If your local weatherman is predicting hail, pay attention. He’s probably right!

Wind

Herriman residents who are familiar with wildfires know that winds have the power to cause a lot of damage. Luckily, meteorologists use a variety of factors to predict windstorms. Besides the typical satellites and radar measurements, they also look at ocean currents to see how rough the surface is. Weather balloon data also measures and transmits wind speeds to scientists. So when you see reports of high winds, pay attention and take precautions to stay safe! If a wildfire warning sparks in your neighborhood, be sure to have emergency contacts on hand, including professionals who can repair your home from smoke and soot damage that can be hazardous to your health.

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following communities: Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, Tooele, Park City, and any cities in-between.

4 Outstanding Children's Books About Safety for Families

Posted on: 04/20/2012

We all know how much joy, love and fun a house full of children can be—but they also get into (and create) messes at an astounding rate! Even when your whole property is meticulously childproofed, any parent can tell you you’re never totally in the clear. Fatal injuries in the home are still a leading cause of death in the U.S. Yes, maybe teaching your children the basics of home safety is a huge bore, but we here at Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of (location) still think your family’s safety is our number one priority…boring or not! To that end, here’s how families in the Northwest can turn their kids into experts and budding scientists about home safety, thunderstorms, fire safety and more!

Basic Home Safety

1. Claire Llewellyn’s Watch Out! At Home is a great way to start kids on the path to home safety awareness. With cartoon illustrations and short, informative passages, it’s appealing to elementary-aged kids while teaching them to avoid the stove, electrical appliances, sharp objects and to generally turn them into little home safety crusaders!

2. It’s never too early for kids to learn about fire safety, particularly if you live in the Far West where wildfires are a constant concern. Stop Drop and Roll (A Book about Fire Safety) by Margery Cuyler is a funny, fictional book about a young girl who worries about everything—including having to demonstrate fire safety at an all-school assembly. But will her worrying keep her from succeeding? This great read teaches kids fire safety lessons and even includes a list of 10 safety tips.

The Wild World Outdoors

3. Kids who live in the Far West region may not be used to thunderstorms, so they could be quite surprised the first time they hear thunder booming! Help lessen their fear with Flash, Crash, Rumble and Roll, also by Franklyn M. Branley. The beautifully-illustrated book teaches new readers all about thunderstorms, how to perform your own weather experiments, and, of course, thunderstorm safety.

4. In the mild weather states that are found along the West Coast, outdoor family-friendly gatherings are abundant and more and more people include their furry family members in on the fun. To keep your child safe around dogs, check out Be A Dog’s Best Friend: A Safety Guide for Kids by Renee Payne. It’s told in the voice of 10-year-old Ema, who shares her knowledge of how to safely play with dogs you do know, steer clear of those you don’t and how to safely approach a new dog. With playful illustrations and lists of dos and don’ts, this fun read will help keep your kids safe in any situation involving dogs.

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake serves the following cities Salt Lake, Tooele, Park City, Provo, Ogden and anything inbetween.

4 Worst Southeast Mudslides and Other Wet Weather Disasters

Posted on: 04/16/2012

Have you ever seen video images of a mudslide in action? The power of all that wet soil bearing down on houses and other buildings is immense. Mudslides in the Southeast affect homes in several significant ways: structural damage to the foundation and load bearing walls from the weight of the mud, water damage from related flooding and infiltration with bacteria and sludge from broken sewer lines in the affected area. At Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of Salt Lake, we have experience restoring all of the types of damage your home may sustain in a mudslide. We want you to know that you can pull through disasters like this with help from our experienced and compassionate restoration professionals.

Flooding from wet weather happens in the most fertile areas of the country (along rivers and coastlines) and poses the biggest mudslide danger for Louisiana and other areas of the South.

Most landslide or mudslide events are also precipitated by heavy rainfall events like hurricanes and natural disasters such as flooding. Broken dams or levees can also inundate a town with muddy water. And that’s not all! This danger can occur anywhere there is steep terrain or unstable soil such as the sinkholes in Florida.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina left 80% of New Orleans under 15 feet of sewage-contaminated water. The storm left 81.2 billion dollars in total damage in its wake. Conflicting death tolls that include seven different states range from 1,464 to 1,836. However, 135 people remain missing to this day and are not included in the official death totals. Many of those deaths occurred away from the immediate coastline. Lingering health problems associated with the aftermath may have killed more people. The area affected encompassed over 90,000 square miles. Over one million residents were displaced because of this storm.
An unnamed 1938 hurricane hit the Eastern seaboard of the US and killed 494 people in associated floods. It caused 306 million dollars in damages. The Southern states are notorious for being affected by weather events that begin in other regions. Therefore, it’s vitally important for residents in this region to weatherproof your homes way advance of the changing seasons and always be vigilant of weather patterns in surrounding areas such as along the East Coast.
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 resulted in 400 million dollars in damage and 246 deaths in 7 different states. The Mississippi valley and along the Red River are areas that flood frequently (not that we have to tell you that!) If you live in a coastal area that is subject to hurricanes, along a lakeshore or by a river, be sure to take basic safety precautions against wet weather disasters and potential mudslides by creating an evacuation and communication plan and listening for reports about contaminated water if you’re staying in the area.
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Flood of 1993 was one of the worst floods in US history with property damage of about 15 billion dollars. A total of 50 people were killed throughout a wide area of the country. Be sure that if you live in or near a storm-prone region that your home is prepared in advance for several different kinds of weather events — you never know when one will hit, only to trigger another!

The scope of these disasters makes them difficult for any community (or even the federal government) to manage. This is one good reason to have our number. That way, when a mudslide or wet weather disaster strikes, you can call someone who cares and start restoring your home as soon as possible.

*All dollars are unadjusted unless otherwise noted.

Paul Davis Restoration/Emergency Services of [location] assists the following communities with mudslides and other weather disasters: Salt Lake City, Park City, Bountiful, Layton, Provo, Orem & the entire Salt Lake, Utah, & Davis Counties.

September is National Preparedness Month

Posted on: 09/09/2011

Every year, Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling of Salt Lake City participates in National Preparedness Month in September to spread the word to individuals and families about the importance for being ready for disasters.

The program is sponsored by The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Ready Campaign. Visit www.Ready.gov for information.

The key is to be informed and have a plan that you and your family discuss and practice. It is equally important to have an Emergency Ready Kit stocked and ready in case a disaster strikes. Below is a quick list of the items that every Emergency Ready Kit should contain.

Water – one gallon per person per day for at least three days
Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
First aid kit – to include bandages; sterile gloves; antibiotic ointment; iodine/alcohol pads; medical tape; pain reliever; emergency blanket; thermometer; prescription medications, and other prescribed medical supplies.
Clothing – A change of clothing and a sleeping bag for each person
Battery-powered or hand crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio, extra batteries
Cell Phone and charger
Flashlight and extra batteries
Filter masks – to cover mouth and nose
Heavy weight garbage bags, plastic sheeting and duct tape – to protect against debris and toxins
Waterproof, portable containers – for critical documents such as IDs, insurance policies, bank account records, computer backup files, emergency and law enforcement information, and other priority documents. Store a second set of records at an off-site location.

See our Emergency Ready Kit video.

Water Clean Up	Mold Damage & Remediation
Water Removal	Reconstruction Services
Fire & Smoke Clean Up	Contents Cleaning
Fire & Smoke Repair	Wind & Storm Damage

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4 Outstanding Children's Books About Safety for Families

4 Worst Southeast Mudslides and Other Wet Weather Disasters

September is National Preparedness Month

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