5 common causes of water damage

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Water damage is a result of excess water accumulating for long periods in damage-prone areas. Several factors can cause water to pool leading to water damage. It is important to know what these factors are and take precautionary measures to help protect your home from avoidable disasters. Below outlined are common undetected causes that contribute massively to water damage.

Pipe bursts or leaks

Pipes that burst or leak are one of the most common factors that lead to water damage. These often happen as a result of pressure in pipes caused by a blockage or back up in the toilets and drains. Pipes that are old and worn out can also contribute to leakages.

Plumbing issues/failures

While some plumbing problems are hard to identify as they occur within the walls, many issues arise when hoses and pipe joints are not attached properly. Regular inspections under the sink can help keep plumbing problems in check.

Household appliances

Over a period of time, washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters, and refrigerators start to deteriorate. As a result, pipes develop a rust build up and tend to crack, while the hoses become weak. Of all the appliances, the most common ones that contribute to water damage are hot water tanks and washing machines. It is important to perform timely checks for any possible hazard.

HVACs

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning units are likely culprits that could cause considerable water damage. Air conditioners in particular need to be serviced regularly, drained and maintained well to avoid any moisture build up within them. If not done, once the moisture cools, it can come in contact with mould spores in ducts and promote mould growth.

Natural disasters

When it comes to natural catastrophes, all you can do is take precautionary measures to mitigate their impact on your home. Floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters can all lead to a dangerous accumulation of contaminated water. In such cases, it is important to contact a water damage restoration company immediately to have the property remediated before the situation worsens.

If your home is in a bad state due to the above or any other reasons, call our expert team for effective water damage restoration services on 0427411789.

How an unattended death clean-up is handled by professionals

When a deceased person is discovered after a period of time, the whole situation can be intense and overwhelming. But what's challenging is the cleaning up after the unattended death. Apart from the biohazard dangers that arise from a situation like this, there is considerable damage done to the premises as a result of the decomposition process. For times like this, the cleanup and remediation of property should be handled by an expert biohazard cleaning team. Always reach out to a professional that will ensure extensive cleaning and remediation to rid your property of all biohazard dangers.

Below are the steps followed by a biohazard cleaning company to ensure the clean-up is done well.

Site examination:
Firstly, the cleaning crew will investigate and analyse the scene/area to determine the extent of the damage. A number of factors could influence the extent of contamination, from the kind of death to the time period since the death occurred. This study helps the cleanup team to design a plan of action that is best suited to eliminate all odours and decontaminate the area and materials present.

Cleaning up the area affected:
Next comes the cleaning of the decontaminated area. In this step, the cleaners will clean, decontaminate, sanitise and deodorise the area including surfaces, and carpeting. They follow strict procedures to ensure all contaminants are removed entirely from the site. In certain cases, the carpeting and subflooring will also be removed. This is to ensure no contaminants that could give rise to health dangers remain. The whole affected area is treated with advanced odour removal techniques to get rid of unpleasant odours completely.

Removal of contaminated materials:
At times, there are items that are highly contaminated making them difficult to salvage. It becomes necessary for the cleaners to remove and discard such materials. Cleaners follow strict protocols while discarding these. This is to ensure that the community surrounding the site are free from the risk of biohazard contamination.

Are you are facing a traumatic situation like an unattended death in your family or property? Don’t let the clean-up stress you out. At Bio Cleanse Services, we are always ready to help you in times like this. Contact us or call us on 0427 411 789 for any unattended death cleanup requirements.

How can you control mould growth in your home

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Mould has been there on the surface of the earth since the beginning of time. It is always present in the air and needs only some humidity and moisture to thrive. Although it is a part and parcel of nature, you obviously do not want it growing in your home and ruining your pretty walls. Below outlined are ways on how you can control mould in your home.

1. Since mould thrives in humid and damp areas, keeping a watch on the humidity level can be a good preventive measure to avoid mould growth.

2. Promptly fixing any leaks in the roof or any pipe can prevent mould from growing since you eliminate the possibility of a damp environment that mould requires to grow.

3. An area must be thoroughly cleaned and dried up after a flood. By not getting a complete or a professional cleanup done, the area might still have traces of water from the flooding which will eventually give rise to mould.

4. Since showers, laundry area, and kitchen deal with water the most, keeping them properly ventilated will allow most of the water vapours to escape thus reducing the chances of mould growth in these commonly affected areas.

Most of the times, if the mould problem is small then the cleanup can be done by yourself. If you decide to use bleach to do the cleanup, then there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Mixing bleach with ammonia or other household cleaning solutions is a big no-no. 
• Keep the windows and doors open to allow fresh air to enter. Make sure there is proper ventilation in the area being cleaned. 
• Don’t forget to wear protective gloves and eyewear. Remember, safety comes first. 
• Follow the instructions given by the manufacturer when using bleach or any other cleaning product.

See Also: Different Types of Mould that Grow at Your Home

Mould can become a serious problem if not tackled in time. It is advised to get a professional mould cleanup as soon as you spot mould in your home. We at Bio Cleanse Services provide expert mould testing and mould cleanup services. Call now on 0427 411 789 or visit our website to know more.

Understanding Dry Ice Blasting and its benefits over other cleaning methods

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Dry Ice Blasting, also known as CO2 Blasting, is a non-invasive method of cleaning. Dry Ice Blasting is an efficient and cost-effective way for industries to maximise production capability and quality.

Much similar to sand blasting, plastic bead blasting, or soda blasting, in Dry Ice Blasting, a solid media is accelerated under high-pressure air stream and made to hit the surface with a velocity causing the extra layer of dirt to fall off with the extra force.

Dry Ice Blasting is a shortened precision based cleaning procedure which leaves no residue except for the material to be disposed of. Upon hitting the surface, due to the heat present on the surface of the body, the ice evaporates, leaving no residue to be separately cleaned. CO2 is a non-poisonous gas which is both, inexpensive and easy to store in the worksite. Paint, oil, grease, asphalt, tar, decals, soot, dirt, ink, resins, and adhesives are some of the materials removed by this procedure.

Dry Ice Blasting has several benefits over other cleaning methods:

• Pellets are FDA, EPA, and USDA approved. 
• It is a non-flammable, non-abrasive and non-conductive cleaning method. 
• No secondary contaminants/solvents/grit media. 
• Environmentally friendly & safe as the ice sublimes into the atmosphere. 
• No harmful solvents – increases employee safety and longevity of equipment. 
• Faster & more productive than manual cleaning. 
• Allows cleaning in place without disassembly. 
• Reduced labour & other extra costs. 
• Can be as gentle as dusting smoke damage from books or as aggressive as removing weld slag from tooling.

At Bio-Cleanse Services, we provide exceptional customer service for Dry Ice Blasting to all of our valued clients in Sydney, Canberra, Goulburn, Batemans Bay and surrounding NSW. You can count on the quality cleaning and service. Call 0427 411 789 or email us at info@primerestorations.com.au

7 Ways to fireproof your house

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We are all no strangers to fire damages. Accidental fires can devastate large amounts of valuable property leaving behind not only ash and debris but also toxic gases. Often a lot can be done beforehand to prevent everything from going down in flames. Simple changes like using more non-combustible materials and being a little bit more cautious could make your home less vulnerable to fire damages. Here are a few ways you can fireproof your home.

1) Use fire-resistant/redundant materials

Although there is a fine line between fire resistant and fire redundant materials, replacing your homes with either of these materials can reduce fire-risks by half. Fire resistant materials are designed to resist burning and withstand heat while fire redundant materials slow down the burning process. Such materials may include glass, asbestos, brick, and perlite. Replace roofs made of wood with tiles or concrete.

2) Build a fireproof barrier around your house

Having a house that is fireproof wouldn’t suffice alone. Surround your houses with less inflammable materials like gravel and concrete ground. All vegetation can be a good fuel for a fire. Get rid of excess. Have branches and twigs trimmed from time to time. Create a fireproof barrier around your house by using fire-resistant vegetation. Rockrose, ice-plant, aloe, cherry trees, pine, maple and bush honeysuckles are to name a few.

3) Install fire alarms

Have smoke alarms installed at every level of your house including the basement. Have them checked by a recognized testing laboratory. Make sure everyone at home has a basic understanding of handling a fire extinguisher. It might come in handy.

4) Declutter your surrounding

Get your homes and workplaces decluttered of all the things you don’t necessarily need. It’s easy for fires to spread through superfluous junk. Household items like disinfectant sprays and aerosol sprays are highly inflammable, and so are food items like dry powders. Take extra precaution especially in the kitchen.

5) Check for electrical wiring

Make sure the wiring of your home is safe and properly insulated. Repair faulty wires. Avoid plugging in too many devices/appliances at one point, it may cause an overload and lead to a short circuit breakout.

6) Have many exit doors

Design your homes to handle accidental fire breakouts. Have a good exit strategy planned to ease getting out in case of a fire breakout. This could include multiple exit doors and hallway.

7) Don't be careless

Often fire at homes can be caused by straight up carelessness. Be responsible when you smoke. Do not smoke when you are tired. It's easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning only to wake up to the smell of burning fumes. So also, keep curtains and dish towels a safe distance away from stoves. Avoid wearing loose fitting and dangling clothes while near the stove.

Fire prevention isn't that complicated. It just involves a few easy but smart precautionary steps to avert a great disaster.

At Bio Cleanse Services, we deal with all kinds of fire damages. We can restore your home to perfection. Call us on 0427 411 789.

Fire Damage and the Need for Restoration

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Fire can lead to significant damage to the property and a number of significant other problems which can cost you a lot of money until you get everything restored. Many people still fail to realize the amount of damage fire can do. And most people do not know of the vast number of services offered by fire damage restoration experts.

In case of a fire, the damage is most evident on the walls, furniture, and other upholstery. Fire damage restoration companies will most certainly address this. The best fire damage restoration companies will offer a full restoration of the area and help you redecorate your house including your furniture and upholstery so that your rooms look better than what they did earlier.

Fire damage just doesn’t only cause burn damages. It can also cause odour and stains which won’t go away with conventional cleaning methods. Fire damage restoration services are fully equipped to take care of this as well, making sure no trace of the fire is left lingering in the house. Also, fire can cause short circuits on various electronic machine boards. Fire damage restoration technicians will make sure these are properly cleaned before starting them up. Thus avoiding any additional damage to your property.

Although water damage and fire damage are two edges of a very long pole, they can actually occur together more often than not. In case of a fire, the heat could break burst a pipe or cause a leak in the overhead tank, causing flooding in the house. Fire damage restoration companies are equipped for this hurdle as well since they are trained to handle fire as well as water damage.

If you have experienced a fire, you should get a restoration done as quickly as possible. Always have the contact details of a good fire damage restoration company close by. Make sure the company provides 24-hour services, having a quick response team on its toes all the time. Also, ensure that the company has a good track record with other customers. Check for reviews on various websites on the internet which can give more credibility to the company.

Having said all this, take all the necessary precautions required to avoid fire damage altogether. This includes following safe cooking methods as well as taking extra precautions with other fires and open electric plugs. Regularly checking the fire alarm can greatly reduce the chances of having fire damage.

Bio Cleanse Services is available 24x7 to solve your Fire damage problems. You can reach us on 0427 411 789 or visit our website.

How is Hoarding a Mental Illness?

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Hoarding is the persistent reluctance in discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their value. This behavior usually has harmful effects - emotional, physical, social, financial, and several times even legal - for a hoarder and family members. Commonly hoarded items can be newspapers, furniture, clothes, household supplies and even food items. There are cases when a house is filled with so many pets that they’re often left uncleaned and uncared for and subsequently, they fall ill.

Hoarding is considered to be a derivative of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It is reckoned that about one in four people with OCD are also compulsive hoarders. In future, hoarding might be in a league of its own. In the meantime, it is a serious issue and people are opening up about the difficulty and problems hoarding causes them in their lives. It can be difficult to determine if someone is a hoarder or if they just like to hang on to things. One of the main determining factors to identify if it becomes a disorder is to know, whether or not, and to what extent, 
the behavior has started negatively affecting daily functioning.

Here are some of the recognized symptoms of hoarding:

• Cluttered living spaces
• Unable to discard items, regardless of their value
• Keeping stacks of newspapers, magazines, boxes or junk mail
• Shifting items from one pile to another without essentially discarding anything, even the things that need to be thrown out
• Acquiring unnecessary or useless items, including trash
• Difficulty in doing the daily activities, procrastinating and having a hard time making decisions
• Difficulty organizing items
• Perfectionism - Expecting everything to be flawless
• Over-attachment to possessions and experiencing discomfort when someone else touches or borrows belongings
• Limited or no social interactions

Reasons for hoarding:

People tend to hoard because they believe that the item will come in use in the future and hold it dear to themselves with a unique sentimental value to them. Sometimes they also consider the item as a memory of a person or an event, thinking that they will not remember the event without the item. Hoarding often causes anger, resentment, and depression among family members, and it can have a great effect on the social development of children. Unliveable conditions may lead to separation between couples or divorce, eviction from the property, even loss of child custody, and can give rise to some serious financial problems.

If you are in need of a hoarding clean-up, Bio Cleanse services is who you should contact. Our years of experience, coupled with the high-tech equipment used, will most definitely give you the best customer satisfaction. Head over to our website or call us on 0427411789.