Time To Check Your Smoke Detector
This month, March, we will all be setting our clocks to Daylight Saving Time. The time change is a good reminder to check your smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 66 percent of home fire deaths that occurred between 2003-2006 were in homes without a working smoke alarm. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.
A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you are awake or asleep, working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke. Smoke alarms must be maintained!! A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all, so test your smoke alarm monthly by pushing the “test” button, if it has one. Smoke alarms are powered by either a battery or are hardwired into your home’s electrical system. Hardwired smoke alarms are usually equipped with a backup battery. If your smoke alarm is powered by battery, the battery needs to be replace annually unless it is a long-life battery (check the owner’s manual). All batteries should be maintained and replaced in accordance with manufacturer’s guidance.
Choose an annual date, such as the time change, when you will remember to maintain your smoke alarm in tip top condition. Check the manufacturer’s expiration date on the label, replace the batteries if needed, and clean dust away from the slots so that smoke can enter freely. All smoke alarms, hard-wired and battery powered should be replaced every ten years. These simple steps will ensure that you and your family will have the best chance of surviving if fire should strike.
USFA has a fire safety campaign called Install. Inspect. Protect. which provides information about home smoke alarms and fire sprinklers. Please visit the campaign website at: www.usfa.dhs.gov/campaigns/smokealarms
www.anchorrestoration.com 801-269-0343 
FROZEN PIPES IN SALT LAKE CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS
Frozen Pipes Can Lead to Devastating Water Damage
It’s winter now and that means it’s FREEZING COLD! Literally! These very low temperatures can be troublesome when it comes to the pipes in your home. Frozen pipes bursting are among the highest rated complaints people have when it comes to damage restoration this time of year.
When is it Cold Enough to Freeze?
The onset of freezing occurs when temperatures reach 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Why Pipes Burst
Ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs. It’s not the radial expansion of ice against the wall of the pipe that causes the break. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream — between the ice blockage and a closed faucet at the end. It’s this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed. Upstream from the ice blockage the water can always retreat back towards its source, so there is no pressure build-up to cause a break. Water has to freeze for ice blockages to occur. (Pipes that are adequately protected along their entire length by placement within the building’s insulation, insulation on the pipe itself, or heating, are safe.)
?Usually, houses are built with the water pipes located on the inside of the building insulation, which protects the pipes from subfreezing weather. Extremely cold weather and holes in the building that allow a flow of cold air to come into contact with pipes can lead to freezing and bursting. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are all vulnerable to freezing, especially if there are cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to flow across the pipes.
Fixing the Problem
In existing houses, a plumber may be able to re route at-risk pipes to protected areas, although this may not be a practical solution. If the latter is the case, vulnerable pipes that are accessible should be fitted with insulation sleeves or wrapping (which slows the heat transfer), the more insulation the better. It is important not to leave gaps that expose the pipe to cold air. Hardware stores and home centers carry the necessary materials, usually in foam rubber or fiberglass sleeves. Better yet, plumbing supply stores and insulation dealers carry pipe sleeves that feature extra-thick insulation, as much as 1 or 2 inches thick. The added protection is worth the extra cost. Cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes should be sealed with caulking to keep cold wind away from the pipes. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm inside air from reaching pipes under sinks and in adjacent outside walls. It’s a good idea to keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to let the warm air circulate around the pipes. Electric heating tapes and cables are available to run along pipes to keep the water from freezing. These must be used with extreme caution; follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to avoid the risk of fire, and check to make sure the product conforms to UL 2049. Tapes and cables with a built-in thermostat will turn heat on when needed. Tapes without a thermostat have to be plugged in each time heat is needed, and may be forgotten.
We hope the above information provides you with valuable information that is useful. Professional (IICRC Certified) companies like ours, Anchor Water Damage & Restoration, are here for you. We will help remediate your problem quickly and effectively. www.anchorrestoration.com
Clothes Dryers Could Cause Fires…
Clothes Dryers Could Cause Fires:
Lint Build-Up Often Overlooked
Fires in dryer exhaust ducts pose a serious risk to consumers. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there is 15,500 fires annually, 10 deaths and 310 injuries due to dryer exhaust duct fires. These fires result in millions of dollars in property loss. As more homes have clothes dryers and are built of tighter construction, the proper operation of the dryer becomes critical. Dryers are exhausting air from the house while they are in operation. Gas dryers are also venting the products of combustion in addition to the moisture from the clothes. Lint in the exhaust system can easily become fuel as temperatures rise and the duct becomes restrictive. Dryers may be located in an area where they must compete for combustion air with gas-fired water heaters and furnaces or boilers. This can lead to life threatening malfunctions on the part of the heating equipment. Because the dryer duct is usually a 4″ diameter, the slightest amount of deposit can greatly reduce the ability to exhaust. When its starts taking longer to dry the clothes. The problem is not usually the dryer, but rather the exhaust system. Optimum airflow is the key to effective dryer performance. When clothes are given the appropriate amount of air, they dry quicker and are subject to less tumbling. This results in less wear on the clothes and less use of electricity or gas – saving you money. Whether it’s your home or rental property, we can handle the job. Call us to set up your appointment. 801.269.0343 www.anchorrestoration.com
What are the benefits of having my carpets “Steam Cleaned?”
Carpet manufacturing experts agree there is one “best” method for cleaning carpets in your home and that is the steam cleaning method. Check the major carpet mills websites. You will see they overwhelming recommend steam cleaning as the preferred method of cleaning.
- DEEP EXTRACTION- goes into carpet fiber where dirt can be embedded. Soil is extracted from base of carpet not scrubbed in deeper. The dirt and soil are taken out of carpet with hot water rinse action.
- NO SOAPS & DETERGENTS – all cleaning agents are non-residue materials and wash out with the rinse.
- SAFE & EFFECTIVE for all carpet types and fibers including the stain resistant types, like stainmaster.
- SANITIZES – removing 95% of bacteria, dust mites, allergy laden particles, pollens and pollutants in the carpet that can attribute to allergic reactions.
- SPOTS & STAINS – most spots and stains are removed during the cleaning process, we also post spot if needed for difficult stains and spots. Most come out, some don’t.
- CARPET PILE DESTORTION – The powerful vacuum action and hot water used during cleaning helps restore that “like new” look to your carpet. The carpet is clean and standing up like new.
- FAST DRY – most carpets are dry in 4-6 hours
- ECONOMICAL – Helps extend the life of your carpet. It is cheaper to clean than replace.
- NO HARSH CHEMICALS – our main cleaning agents are safe for kids and pets. No enzymes, no bleach, no suds, non toxic, non flammable and no sticky residue. No harsh detergents are used. Green products available upon request.
- 801-269-0343 www.anchorrestoration.com
What do we recommend to keep your carpets looking nice?
There’s no doubt that regular, professional cleanings benefit both you and your carpet. Removing unwanted contaminates from your carpet promotes a healthier indoor environment. Properly maintaining your carpet prolongs its useful life. We can help you determine how often you should clean your carpets during your cleaning visit. Here are a few tips:
- Clean your carpet sooner rather than later. Soil buried in your carpet acts like an abrasive, accelerating the wear of face yarns. Soils are so much harder to remove when they have been ground in over a period of time.
- Vacuum regularly, especially in front of exterior doors where soils can accumulate.
- Clean up spills when they happen.
- Use products intended for use on carpets only. Try water first. If the spot remains use a non-residual product. We can give you some names of products.
- Properly performed cleaning, even frequent cleaning, doesn’t damage your carpet. It also will not cause your carpet to soil more quickly.
- Always consult a professional carpet cleaner if you have questions about the care of your carpet.
www.anchorrestoration.com 801-269-0343
Deodorization, Cooking Odors
All of us grow accustomed to the odors around us. We become desensitized and we hardly notice them. However, step into friends home or apartment and we immediately notice any odor. For this reason lingering cooking odors can make a recently vacated residence hard to rent or sell. “Curry” odors are among the most difficult to remove. Don’t expect a quick spray of a product to remove every trace of odor. We have equipment and products available that will help eliminate all sorts of odors. (curry, spoiled milk, onions, garlic etc…)
If you have questions about a particular odor in your home or vehicle, give us a call @ 801-269-0343 or email us at kris@anchorrestoration.com www.anchorrestoration.com
Ugly Black Lines On Carpet Along Walls
Are you wondering what those ugly black lines on your carpet along your doorways and walls are?? This is called Carpet Filtration Soiling…this can be found along walls, under doors, beneath drapes, around the edge of HVAC registers or anywhere air flow is forced throught the carpet.
When air pressure and currents encounter a restriction, the air will pass through the carpet. The carpet acts as a filter trapping whatever small particulates, oil and other pollutants are in the air.
Filtration soiling is most easily observed on light colored carpet. This filtration soil may include: candle soot, particles from incomplete combustion due to a misadjusted furnace, cooking oils, vehicle exhaust and particles from a myriad of many other sources.
These very small particles and are difficult to remove with agitation. Because the filteration soil will vary from job to job, how well the stain responds to cleaning will also vary. www.anchorrestoration.com