My Home Is Flooded. What Do I Do?
With large swaths of the country bracing for an historic Mississippi River flood, it’s important to remember that floods aren’t just regional.
Flood waters can strike any city, in any state, at any time. According to FloodSmart.gov, floods are the #1 most common disaster in the United States. $709 million in flood insurance claims were paid to households, businesses, and renters in 2010 — more than one-third of which went to people outside of “high-risk areas”.
Should a flood hit your home or place of business, will you know what to do? The first 24 hours are crucial.
First, make sure that your home is safe from danger. Floods can damage a home’s structural integrity, creating cracks and gaps in its foundation, among other problems. If you see any such damage, your home may be unsafe for re-entry.
Next, check for exposed power lines and damaged gas and sewer pipes. Notify your local utility company and be prepared to wait for a service representative. During times of natural disaster, utility companies receive a lot of inbound phone calls.
A good follow-up is to disconnect your home’s power at its circuit breaker. This way, electricity can’t mix with water in your home by accident — a potentially lethal combination.
Once your home is safe, use a camera to document damage. Note: Do this before you start removing water or making repairs because it’s evidence for the insurers.
You’ll also want to throw out food and other items that have come into contact with flood waters. Flood waters may contain raw sewage and other contaminants that can harm you.
Lastly, contact your insurer and explain your situation. Be sure to follow your insurer’s exact instructions because you don’t want to do something that will void your claim. If you plan to make an immediate repair, notify your agent. Document your conversation with date, time, and topics discussed.
Like utility companies, your insurer may be overwhelmed with phone calls during a local flood. Optionally, you may call your insurer’s headquarters instead.
Just one inch of water can cause serious damage to your home. When flood waters hit, know what to do.
How To Find Air-Leaking Windows And Seal Them
Preventative care will minimize your home repair costs and, at this time of year, it’s a good idea to sweep your home’s exterior for sign of air leaks and drafts around windows.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafty windows can account for 30% of a home’s heat loss in winter so it’s best to find them, and seal them.
In this 4-minute video from the DIY Network, you’ll learn how to identify your home’s leaky windows, and how to seal them with caulk. The job requires a little bit of elbow grease, but it’s manageable for even the notice handyman.
Some of the tips include:
- How to use a lit candle to find windows that leak air
- How to remove existing caulk using caulk softener
- How to “push the bead” of caulk for proper application
The video concludes with a brief tutorial on setting your home’s programmable thermostat so, when taken with the window caulking exercise, homeowners in Blairsville and Blue Ridge could stand to save a bundle on their winter heating bills.
10 Ways To Protect Yourself When Buying a Mountain Home – #6
There are few things in life as exciting as buying a North Georgia Mountain Home. However, since homes are one of the largest purchases most of us will ever make, home buyers should take reasonable steps to protect themselves in the home buying process. This series of posts will contain some general suggestions on how buyers can do this.
The information that I am providing to you is taken from Form F-13 Protect Yourself When Buying A Home from the Georgia Association of REALTORS®, Inc.
6. Get A Survey Of The Property
Buyers are encouraged to get surveys of the properties they are considering buying so that they know where the exact boundary lines of the properties are located. Buyers should request that the survey identify the location of any easements of record, whether there are encroachments onto or off of the property and whether the property is in a flood plain. Surveys are not normally done in the sale of condominium units. However, a buyer can review the condominium plat to see the location of the property that is a part of the condominium.
Please check back soon for the 4th way to protect yourself when buying a home. Should you have any questions or concerns before then, please feel free to Contact Me, or call me at 706-994-8686 for any Real Estate advice you might be seeking.
If you missed the First 5 Ways To Protect Yourself When Buying A Mountain Home, Please Click below to catch up on those.
#1 Reason; #2 Reason; #3 Reason; #4 Reason and #5 Reason.
Rid Your Kitchen Of Hidden Dirt And Grime
A kitchen is often a home’s busiest room — a meeting place for meals and conversation. It’s also among the home’s most grimy rooms. Bacteria, dirt and germs collect on floors, on countertops, and inside appliances.
In this 4-minute clip from NBC’s The Today Show, you’ll learn how to rid your kitchen of “nastiness”. The featured fixes use nothing but basic household cleansers and elbow grease, and they include:
- How to clean and restore wooden cutting boards and bowls
- How to remove “burn stains” from the side of a frying pan
- How to eliminate pervasive dishwasher odors
The segment also tackles why you should choose loofah over sponge, and how to catch fruit flies.
For as much time as you spend in your kitchen, it’s best to keep it clean and sanitized.
White Distilled Vinegar : An Environmentally-Friendly Home Cleaning Solution
Supermarket aisles in the Blairsville and Blue Ridge areas are filled with specialty cleansers — some for the kitchen, some for the bathroom, some for the carpets. Loaded with chemicals, these cleansers can be tough on the environment and costly, too.
If you’re in search of an alternative, consider white distilled vinegar. It’s inexpensive, safe to store, and highly effective as a household cleanser.
White vinegar’s strength comes from its acidity, roughly 8%. It’s acidity kills most mold, germs, and bacteria, and can remove minerals deposits from coffee makers and glass surfaces.
Some uses for white distilled vinegar include:
- Cleaning the garbage disposal : 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar + 1/2 cup baking soda. Pour down drain and let sit for 5 minutes. Run hot water to flush it.
- Removing lunch box odors : Soak bread slice in white distilled vinegar. Place it in lunch box overnight.
- Remove dark spots on aluminum pots : Mix 1 cup white distilled vinegar + 1 cup hot water. Boil in pot.
- Brighten carpets : Mix solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar + 1 gallon water. Test on inconspicuous area first.
- Remove water rings from wood : Mix solution of 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar + 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Rub with the grain.
White distilled vinegar is extremely versatile, but it can strip finish from counter-tops and floors if left to soak. Be sure to exercise care, therefore, when using vinegar at home.
