Blog : Do It Yourself | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 18Flooring Supplies

Removing Mold From Your Attic

What are Molds?

Mildew and molds are fungi – simple microscopic organisms that thrive anywhere there is a moist environment. Molds are a necessary part of the environment; without them, leaves would not decay and aspects of soil enrichment could not take place. It is their ability to destroy organic materials, however, that makes mold a problem for people – in our homes and in our bodies.

A common issue bothering many homeowners these days is mold and mildew problems in the attic. These problems are caused due to various reasons, which need to be dealt with immediately. Some of the reasons that can lead to mold problem include excess moisture, poor attic ventilation and roof leakage. Moisture, which is a leading cause for mold problem, can also lead to other difficulties as well, such as, it can make the building material to crack, rot, warp and stain.

If appropriate measures are not taken in time and the mold sets in, it can lead to serious health problems as well. Some of the health problems that can be caused due to mold include respiratory problems, allergy, and skin, eye & throat irritation. Continuous exposure to mold can even be fatal as it can cause cancer. In order to avoid these problems, it is very important to remove mold at the earliest.

In case you are also experiencing the mold problem, be it white, green, black or any other color mold, fix it as soon as possible. However, do not commit the same mistakes that most homeowners do; removing mold on their own. You should leave this job for mold remediation contractors. These professionals are licensed by the state to tackle the mold problem in an efficient manner.

Foremost, the mold remediation contractors ascertain the reason behind mold problem; which more often than not is moisture. Once the source of moisture is fixed, they subsequently strive to remove mold. Irrespective of whether the mold is black, white or green, the mold remediation steps are same; starting with sealing off the area. The area is sealed off with plastic sheeting and tape, which help to keep the mold spores contained in the attic. This prevents mold from spreading throughout the house and worsening the situation.

Next step is to ‘wet vacuum’, which sucks up water from all the water soaked surfaces and also cleans mold. Dry vacuum is always avoided because it launches mold spores in the air, instead of removing it. The molds which are not removed by wet vacuum are killed with the help of an approved fungicide; which can either be applied through a sprayer or fogger. Many people have the misunderstanding that bleach can kill or keep away mold; however it is not effective method.

Once the mold is killed, it is time to clean up the area thoroughly. Mold remediation contractors generally prefer HEPA vacuum for scrubbing, scraping and cleaning up dust and debris. They may sometimes even ask you to remove furniture, building material or any other thing that is contaminated by molds. Before disposing it, the contaminated material should be sealed in plastic bags and subsequently labeled. Lastly, dry out the attic with the help of dehumidifiers or fans. It is essential to dry the area completely to avoid mold from resurfacing again. Once done, the restoration work can be done.

If there is mold in your attic and you do not want to risk serious structural and aesthetic damages to your home, along with health damages to yourself; remove mold from your attic as soon as possible.

Choose the right flooring option to enhance the value of your house

Flooring is one of the most prominent aspects of a house that a potential buyer considers before making a purchase decision. It is for this reason that upgrading or renovating the flooring is essential before putting up the house in the real estate market. Aesthetically appealing and high utility flooring would not only enable you to sell your house quickly but would also increase the value of your house.

Utility of a floor refers to its ease of maintenance and high durability. Certain floors are resistant to spills and stains while there are some that can be refinished a number of times. Although such high utility floors might be expensive, they would enhance the value of your house, thereby allowing you to sell it at a much higher price.

Color of the flooring is can play a major role in persuading a buyer to select your house. Light colored floors are considered to be the best option, since they make the room look larger. Furthermore, a light colored floor would also enable the buyer to visualize their furniture over the floor, thereby assisting their final decision.

Different rooms in a house require different flooring options for visual appeal. It is for this reason that you should select the right flooring option for each room in your house. Areas such as the bathrooms and the kitchens, which are extensively used, should be fitted with low maintenance flooring. Vinyl and tiles are considered to be the two best flooring options for a bathroom.

Houses with wall to wall carpeting would definitely attract potential buyers; however, stains of dirt on the carpets can be a big turn-off for them. It is for this reason that properly cleaning the carpets is essential before showing it to the potential buyers. Replacing old carpets with new ones would be an ideal option for enhancing the value of your house.

While selecting the flooring for your house you should always weigh the ‘Cost VS Benefit’ ratio to make the right decision. For example, using marble in the kitchen would enhance the visual appeal of the area but the initial price and the subsequent maintenance costs could be too high for this option.

Along with the traditional tiles and stone flooring you should also consider contemporary flooring options like bamboo and cork. Flooring material such as these would offer an environment friendly as well as cost effective option. You should also keep in mind the lifestyle habits and the income level of the prospective buyers while making the final choice.

If the perceived value of a house is higher than its price, there is a good possibility of it, getting sold off quickly. It is therefore important to make such changes to your house that increases its value for the buyers. Flooring is one of the most essential aspects of a house; it not only provides a visual appeal, but is also the factor that determines the strength of the house. Therefore, it is essential to wisely select the flooring option that is right for your house.

Introduction InvisaTread Anti-Slip Solution

New Product Introduction InvisaTread® Anti-Slip Solution

The InvisaTread® line of anti-slip products provides a safe and easy to install solution to all of your slip problems.

InvisaTread does not change the look or feel of most surfaces and is safe for self-install.

Our slip resistant treatment increases the coefficient of friction on your floor making it less slippery when wet. InvisaTread is not a coating that will rub off, but rather a safe and effective process that will last for multiple years depending on traffic – you won’t even know it’s been applied to your floor until you feel the increased traction you get while walking on the wet surface. Everyone knows that the floors around your home, work or pool area are dangerous and slippery when they get wet.

Did you know that slip and fall accidents are the 2nd leading cause of emergency room visits in the United States? Applying InvisaTread to your floors will help reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents on wet floors and make your floors and surfaces a safer place for your friends and family and employees. InvisaTread can be applied to bathtubs & showers, porcelain, ceramic tile, granite, terrazzo, limestone, pool areas, honed stone, concrete, acrylic, slate, glazed brick, glass and more.

The InvisaTread® family of products is not recommended for Polished Marble.

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WaleTale Vacuum Attachment Dustless Mixing

WaleTale Vacuum Attachment is an important tool which every tile setter should have. This effective tool helps in eliminating dust at the time of mixing mortars and grouts in buckets. It is a well known fact that inhaling dust is harmful as it can lead to various health problems, like eye irritation, sneezing and coughing. Not only does dust worsens the existing heart disease, but also damages the lung tissues and aggravates lung diseases, like asthma. To prevent such scenario, it is advisable to use the WaleTale Vacuum Attachment for avoiding these health problems.

Some people do not realize the seriousness of the issue, unless they themselves suffer from these problems. Dust sometimes contains free crystalline silica that can lead to chronic lung disease silicosis, which causes irritation in the respiratory system. People develop this lung disease on continuous exposure to crystalline silica for a period of five years or more.

The invisible silica dust is so light that remains suspended in the air for a long time and hence travel long distances in air, affecting many individuals, especially tile setters. This health problem is incurable as well as irreversible, where the condition continues to deteriorate even when the exposure stops. Hence, you must take appropriate measures to avoid generation of dust to eliminate the chances of developing this lung disease. Furthermore, prolonged and repeated inhalation of dust can also lead to lung cancer, which can be fatal.

Along with minimizing chances of developing health problems, WaleTale Vacuum Attachment also provides various other benefits. Since it eliminates dust, the surrounding remains clean and you do not have to worry about cleaning the work area after completing the job. As it is compact and effective, you can easily carry and use the WaleTale Vacuum Attachment anywhere, even indoors. It is also not very expensive and suits everyone’s pocket.

WaleTale Vacuum Attachment has also gained popularity because of its various other attributes, like durability, optimum performance, and no maintenance requirements. Moreover, the WaleTale Vacuum Attachment is easy to use; you just have to attach it to the bucket and forget about dust. It effectively pulls dust and does not allow it to escape from the bucket. The attachment sucks up the dust generated while pouring the powder into the bucket, without affecting the powder flow into the bucket.

Many people argue that one can use dustless mortars instead of WaleTale Vacuum Attachment, but such mortars do not eliminate dust completely. Furthermore, dustless mortars are more expensive than the effective and efficient vacuum attachment. Few other people would suggest that you can use mask while doing the job. Though it is effective in protecting you from various health hazards caused due to dust, but it does not protect others on the job site. People working around you will inhale dust and subsequently develop health hazards. Hence, be considerate and responsible; use WaleTale Vacuum Attachment which completely eliminates dust, thereby protecting you as well as those around you.

Owing to all these benefits, more and more people are increasingly using the WaleTale Vacuum Attachment while mixing mortars and grouts for tile setting.

Proper Care for Your Sub Floor

Sub floor is one of the most important elements flooring. It is the immediate layer above the floor joists and beneath the flooring that you walk on. It is the base on which the finished flooring is laid, such as laminate, linoleum, hardwood or carpet. Sub-floors are made up of different material including concrete and plywood. The sub floor needs to be stable and leveled to ensure the longevity of the flooring laid upon it. However, like other things at home, sub flooring can also get damaged over period of time.

Sub floor is one of the most ignored areas of your home and you often do not pay enough attention unless the problem is serious. Fixing a big problem can be expensive as well as tedious; to avoid this, you need to pay attention to your sub floor from time to time. The problems may vary depending upon the age and type of your sub floor. There may be a problem with the sub floor if there is a persistent musty smell which does not go way even after you have tried everything. A dip or a gap in your flooring also suggests that there is something wrong with the sub floor. It is advisable that the moment you experience a problem try to resolve it as soon as possible.

Depending upon the extent and type of problem the solutions vary. In case of tile flooring over sub floor, you may be able to remove the tiles, resolve the problem, and reinstall the tiles back. However, if you have vinyl or laminate flooring, then you will have to rip out the old flooring and install new flooring after repairing the sub floor.

After you remove the finished flooring on the sub floor take a closer look to find out the cause of the problem. Most of the homeowners use plywood sub floor as it is cheap, light and easy to install. A common problem caused to plywood is rotting, which happens due to water or moisture damage. To overcome this problem you may either have to remove the damaged portion or the entire sheet of plywood; hence proving to be an expensive and taxing option. There may be certain types of damage which you can deal with on your own, but there would be certain problems for which you will need professional help. Therefore, it is highly recommended to keep a check on your sub floor from time to time in order to prevent any severe damage from even occurring.

Like every other part of the house, flooring too is a key part, which carries the weight of walls, roof, furniture and other interiors. In order to have a strong foundation which can withstand weight of everything inside your home, you need to take care of the sub floor as well. Along with providing the strong base to your home, proper care for your sub floor can help you save time, effort and money.

Category: Do It Yourself

Removing Mold From Your Attic

Choose the right flooring option to enhance the value of your house

Introduction InvisaTread Anti-Slip Solution

New Product Introduction InvisaTread® Anti-Slip Solution

WaleTale Vacuum Attachment Dustless Mixing

Proper Care for Your Sub Floor

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