Born Montreal Canada, grew up in the states. Married 16 years writer, father, friend and small business owner
San Bernardino
The southern California lifestyle is alive and well in San Bernardino County. Good jobs, beautiful weather, affordable housing, and recreation galore continue to attract new residents. The flipside is equally attractive; for those wanting less hustle and bustle, numerous communities in the county offer a quieter pace. The county of San Bernardino is located in sunny, southern California. This huge
Hurricane Response Teams-Who are These Responders?
So, who are these responders? Typical first responders include law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. Occasionally, branches of the military are mobilized for additional support. What happens once a hurricane makes landfall and then slowly moves on? The various hurricane response teams spring into action. Like a well-oiled machine, these teams know their purpose and carry out their missi
Look What Crawled out from the Storm Debris Pile – A Scoundrel!
Scoundrels are everywhere but they love to descend upon areas that are ripe for exploitation such as areas devastated by flooding, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and earthquakes. No matter what disaster has affected you, beware of the scoundrels that are sure to emerge from the debris. Everyone knows that hurricanes and major storms bring with them a rising tide of floodwaters, torrential rains,
Perfect Conditions Make for Perfect Storms – How Hurricanes Form
If you’ve ever wondered why hurricanes arrive like clockwork during “hurricane season,” it’s because conditions are just right. With the warm waters of late summer, low pressure systems, and other conditions in place, hurricanes are born. Hurricanes start out as low pressure weather systems over Africa and emerge as tropical disturbances over the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean during the late s
Hurricane Gustav Cleanup Begins
Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf Coast, making landfall in Cocodrie, Louisiana on Monday, September 01, 2008. The nation has learned a great deal since Hurricane Katrina set her sights on the City of New Orleans. A second monster, Hurricane Gustav, put the Gulf Coast on alert just three short years later. With the lessons learned still lingering, a mass exodus took place. This time, there wo
Yolo County Flooding
So, what do you do if you live or work in Yolo County? Stay informed and prepare for the worst. By staying informed, you will know where to look for the latest flood threats and when to flee. By being prepared, you will know what to do should a flood occur. Yolo County, California has a history of flooding including levee breaks, Cache Creek overflows, and numerous floods along the waterways surro
How to document your way to a bigger insurance check
Okay, so you have a loss but you didn’t think ahead and you do not have a video. It’s not too late. Document the damage now. Take pictures and video of everything, again paying attention to details. For example, if your home is flooded, take pictures of the standing water and the damaged contents as well as the structural damage, inside and out. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: docume
How to Boost your Insurance Payout on Property Damage Claims
In order to boost your insurance payout, you must not sit back and let the insurance adjuster tell you what they will pay. Instead, you need to take an active role or hire someone to act on your behalf. Remember that the insurance adjuster, no matter how nice he is, serves the insurance company whose goal is to make a profit by minimizing losses – including YOUR losses.
Mopping up Water Damage
Whether your home or business has been swamped with floodwaters or has suffered a plumbing accident, mopping up the water and drying out the structure is a high priority. However, safety must come first.
Every heard of software that swaps out your words?
This morning I was treated to the handy work of the word swapper software, a butcher program at best. An alert popped into my e-mail, so I opened it, through the mist of a fresh cup of Joe, and not enough sleep, I began to read what used to be my story.
Is Water Damage Really A Part Of Life?
Powerful storms are responsible for closing oil platforms, disrupting transportation; they have the potential to cut off the flow of crude oil to refineries, causing the price of oil on the spot market to jump affecting everyone by raising the price at the pumps.
Washing Machine Water Damage & Your Neighbor's Ruptured Hose
It happened last night my neighbor’s washing machine hose rupture in the middle of my perfect night sleep and flooded my unit and the unit below ours. If this sounds familiar too you, you are not alone. It happens everyday of the year, allover the country.
How to install a water filter and not get water damage
If your drinking water is not as clear as it used to be, maybe it’s time to replace the water filter or add one. To do this without flooding out your home, consider this question. What is Teflon tape? If you know the answers get started this weekend, on the new filter. If you think Teflon tape is something you cook with, well maybe you should call a plumber to install the filter.
How the Little Things Add Up
It finally happened to you, your home got flooded, now what do you do? The first thing is to stop, get control and think. Number one your list is to locate all your family and animals that were in the home, do you have everyone? Is anyone missing, is everyone accounted for?
After the flooding, How do we start cleaning up the water damage?
Safety, the first consideration is safety before returning to your property check with the local authorities, and make sure it’s safe to go home. Ask, do you need any identification to return to your property? Ask about utilities such as drinking water, electricity and sewage removal. Your local police and town hall will have this information.
Why my dishwasher didn’t come with an electrical cord
didn’t really mind so much, we have a 12 year old dishwasher on summer vacation from school. So I delayed in replacing the old lady. I was thinking that my son could learn something from a little work in the sink. How wrong was I?
Some basics of water damage restoration
The cross venting idea of drying out a flooded property is a bad one. The idea of opening up the windows and doors to dryout a property is foolish, in theory this may sound good but, consider the outside humidity, in most cases it is greater than the indoor humidity-save a few locations nationwide.
Tips and Tricks for the Weekend Water Damage Dad
The flood waters have receded and the basic mop up is complete but yet your work has just begun. If you’re on your own for repairs and must take it one weekend at a time, here’s a basic plan to get you through the process.
Detecting Hidden Water Damage
Did you know that water damage can occur without your knowledge? Not all water damage comes from floods. While not nearly as dramatic, the results can be disastrous. Water damage can accumulate up in your attic or down in the basement without your knowledge as well.
How to “Do it Yourself” – Water Damage Cleanup for Dummies
While hurricanes and floods are the cause of thousands of water damage claims each year, water damage isn’t limited to the wrath of storms. Burst pipes, clogged water lines, toppled water heaters, overflowing toilets, and automatic fire sprinklers also cause their fair share of flooding. Not only must you stop the water from flowing, you must also mop it up. Where to start? Here are a few pointers
Water Damage 101
The best way for a beginner to deal with water damage is to be prepared before your living room gets turned into the world’s most shallow swimming pool! One night I was awakened by the sound of hissing coming from downstairs in my two-story home.
Chlorine Bleach Is the Best Way To Kill Mold – Right? Wrong!
So there is some black mold in your basement, laundry room, bathroom or around that pesky damp spot in your ceiling. No problem, just grab some of that mold killer you bought at the local grocery store, spray the black stuff and in a few minutes it turns brown, then vanishes – voila! You have killed the mold and have nothing more to worry about – right?
Tips for the Motivated Homeowner with Water Damage
So, you’ve got water damage. Now what? If you’re a motivated homeowner who wants to take charge of the situation, it’s important to understand what you’re about to experience. Water damage cleanup involves more than simply drying out soggy carpets. You’ll also have to deal with all kinds of flood-related problems including malfunctioning electrical systems, replacing damaged drywall, and preventin
Mold Removal
Even the most spotless of homes can have mold. In fact, mold is everywhere! It occurs naturally both indoors and outdoors and actually plays a vital role in the environment. For example, mold, which is a type of fungus, breaks down dead leaves and other organic material.
Basement Flooding & Water Removal
Do you have the flooded basement blues? Due to their nature, being underground structures, basements are prone to water damage. It doesn’t take a river overflowing its banks or a major hurricane to flood a basement. In fact, basement flooding often occurs due to water build up in the surrounding soil.
