Kitchen Fire Cleanup and Precautions

Photo by Chris Karidis on Unsplash

The kitchen is arguably the hub and heart of every home. Unfortunately, it is the most vulnerable room to fire damage from ovens, stovetops, fryer oil, toasters, and microwaves. Thankfully, most homeowners can contain kitchen fires before it spreads to the entire house. Nonetheless, you will still have to deal with fire-damaged countertops, cabinets, soot, and other forms of damage resulting from kitchen fires. While kitchen fire restoration experts can help you with the cleanup, below are some tips on responding to a kitchen fire.

Dealing with Kitchen Fire Damage

After containing the kitchen fire, consider the following tips when dealing with the aftermath;

• Take Safety Precautions

Even if the fire has been put out, you should observe fire safety tips from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In most cases, damage from kitchen fire isn’t extensive. However, you should invite professional inspection to assess your kitchen since the fire may damage hard-to-see areas, such as electrical systems, ductwork, and gas lines.

• Ventilate the Entire House

Among the first things to do following a kitchen fire or any other fire damage is ventilating the entire house. Open all the windows, use fans, and other options to clear soot and dust particles that may be dangerous. Ventilating also airs out smoke and burnt food odors. Note that smoke and soot from kitchen fire will spread everywhere. Therefore, you should also consider changing your HVAC filters.

• Document the Damage

After ensuring that your kitchen is safe and habitable, you should document and take an inventory of the extent of the damage. Taking photos and documenting all the damaged items can assist when making an insurance claim. Some items to include in your inventory include personal belongings, kitchen appliances, cabinets, and any other item consumed by fire.

How to Clean After Kitchen Fire

Smoke and soot are the main challenges when it comes to cleaning your kitchen after fire damage. If the damage from smoke and soot isn’t extensive, you can DIY-clean your kitchen using the following tips;

1. Assemble Your Gear

If you’ve seen before, the aftermath of a kitchen fire is soot residue, which forms an unsightly greasy film over kitchen surfaces. Soot residue is often sticky and mainly made up of carbon particles that can penetrate the skin, eyes, and lungs. The harmful nature of these compounds requires that you use proper protection as you do the cleanup. Wear face masks, rubber gloves, and goggles.

2. Start by Cleaning the Air

As mentioned, fire damage always contaminates the air, making it dangerous to breathe. Therefore, open all the windows and doors in your kitchen. You can also place fans in every corner of your kitchen to create cross-current airflow that drives out contaminated air. You shouldn’t run your AC when cleaning as it will circulate the contaminated air through the ductwork into other parts of the house.

3. Clean the Surfaces

Removing soot from kitchen cabinets and other surfaces is a real struggle. However, use a strong cleaning product to rinse the surfaces thoroughly and clean the surfaces repeatedly. Note that you may have to repaint flat finishes after cleaning to cover stains from soot. Some of the equipment that you will need to clean the surfaces include;

• Trisodium phosphate – if mixed with water, Trisodium phosphate has industrial-grade strength and works well on soft residues. It is a strong agent, thus use with gloves and avoid splashes. Also, don’t use this agent to clean chrome fixtures and ceramic tiles.
• Degreaser products – though not harsh as TSP, these agents cleans all types of surfaces. However, always check specific details to ensure that you choose the right product for the job.
• Dry soot sponge – soot sponges can clean all surfaces effectively, including fabrics. They are designed to remove soot residue without water or any other liquid cleaning agents.

Freshen Up Your House

Even if the flame were confined to the kitchen, your entire house might be affected by foul odors. Therefore, you should freshen up the house after the cleanup. You can do this by;

• Using an orange citrus cleaner to wipe non-porous surfaces after removing all the soot
• Opening coffee containers and leaving them inside closed cabinets
• Placing bowls with vinegar at different locations to absorb the smells
• Sprinkling baking soda on the carpets
• Contacting a fire restoration company for help in setting up an ozone generating machine that quickly refreshes indoor air

Conclusion

Even though fire hazards are unstoppable, you should implement various fire prevention tips to reduce the risks of encountering fire damage in your kitchen. Regardless, if the situation has already happened, you should be well prepared to handle the aftermath. While you can handle a small kitchen fire outbreak, you should leave serious kitchen fire damage restoration to professionals. Using wrong cleaning products or wrong techniques can lead to irreversible damages.

Pipelining For Homeowners: Are CIPP Lining Cost-Effective?

Broken pipes, water or sewer line, can cause bigger problems if ignored for too long. Homeowners should act promptly and contact a plumbing contractor to handle pipe issues. The two ways of repairing faulty and damaged pipes include traditional excavation-replacement (also known as dig-and-repair method) and CIPP lining. 

What Is CIPP Lining? 

Cured-in-place piping (CIPP) refers to a trenchless pipelining method of repairing damaged pipes. Unlike traditional piping repair methods, CIPP doesn’t involve extensive digging and property damage.  

With trenchless technology, plumbing contractors can repair and replace broken pipes with minimal excavation in less time. They use the advanced equipment such as a max vacuum pump, to ensure a successful pipe repair. 

Is CIPP lining cost-effective for homeowners? Find out the answer to this common CIPP lining question by reading below. Take a look at how the costs differ between trenchless and traditional methods to determine if CIPP lining is more cost effective than what most homeowners are used to go for. 

Upfront Costs Depend On Methods Used 

When it comes to the upfront costs of trenchless lining versus traditional pipe repair, the latter is slightly less expensive than the former. Homeowners have many plumbing contractors to choose from when it comes to traditional pipe replacement, because this is a common pipe repair method. 

The average upfront cost of a traditional pipe repair is between USD$50 and USD$250 per foot. The cost varies depending on several factors such as the materials and the location of the pipes. Most traditional plumbing jobs involve over 10 feet of pipe, and the average upfront cost includes materials and labor. 

For the trenchless pipe repair, the upfront cost depends on the technology or method used. The two trenchless technologies for pipe repair and replacement include the following: 

• Lateral Pipe Lining: In CIPP lining technology, the plumbing expert creates a new pipe in an existing pipe. The CIPP contractor utilizes existing pipes and adds an epoxy resin layer to re-line the pipe, repair cracks, and close gaps. By doing so, soil intrusion and leakage are prevented. The cost for CIPP lining ranges from USD$80 to USD$250 per foot. 
• Pipe Bursting: This trenchless piping technique utilizes a hydraulic or pneumatic head. It destroys the old, damaged pipe and then drags in a new replacement pipe. As compared to lateral CIPP lining, pipe bursting is less expensive. The cost ranges between USD$60 and USD$200 per foot. 

Consider The Hidden Costs  

While the upfront cost of traditional pipe repair and replacement is less expensive than the trenchless method, you also need to consider the hidden or other costs. There could be additional costs not covered by the quoted price above.  

Here are some examples of hidden costs of traditional pipe repair and replacement method: 

• Excavation Cost: Traditional trenching repair methods don’t include the old pipe excavation cost. The cost of trenching ranges from USD$4 and USD$12 per foot.  
• Hiring Another Contractor: The plumbing contractor may ask a subcontractor to perform the digging, which adds to the additional costs.  
• Landscaping: While the price estimate of a traditional pipe method may cover the excavation cost, it may less likely include the cost of fixing the landscape. Homeowners need to hire someone to fix their garden, which may costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. 
• Additional Work: If the contractor encounters large, heavy objects over the sewer pipes, the homeowner may incur separate charges for relocating the objects.  

CIPP trenchless technology doesn’t have the above hidden costs because the procedure is minimally invasive. It eliminates ruining landscaping, driveways, and sidewalks. Trenchless techniques are a more cost-effective and faster solution for residential pipe repair projects.  

Save Time And Save Money 

It’s important to save time in resolving plumbing emergencies and other plumbing-related issues so you can resume your normal routine as soon as possible. Because CIPP lining involves less completion time than traditional pipe repair and replacement, you’ll save more time and use it to focus on your family, work, or business. 

CIPP lining is a cutting-edge technique without open-cut excavation and pipe replacement. It works by inserting an epoxy resin-impregnated liner through the old pipeline. After which, the liner is cured to create a durable pipeline. So, just imagine the time and money you’ll save from trenchless pipe lining over traditional pipe repair and replacement. 

Conclusion  

CIPP lining is cost-effective. Because this pipe repair method doesn’t involve extensive digging, you’ll save on material and labor cost, as well as the cost in bringing back the beauty of your yard after the excavation. In addition, you’ll save yourself from the hassle and stress of overseeing workers within your property with CIPP lining, unlike several days of operations supervision using traditional methods. 

Home Design Tips for Cat Lovers

Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash

If you have a furry friend that follows you around your home, or seems to always be off somewhere causing havoc, it might be time to make a few tweaks to your home.

Taking inspiration from this cat owner’s apartment, we’re sharing several design ideas that your kitten will lap up like a saucer of milk.

Vertical Space

Providing your pet with not just ground-level space, but vertical space will give them the freedom to stretch out, explore and oversee their kingdom. And since very little space above furniture level is used by us humans, there’s no harm in making a little more room for your fur baby. 

Giving your cat lots of opportunity to climb and rest higher up with floating shelves, pet stairs or small cubby holes can be both practical and stylish for everyone involved. Cats tend to prefer sleeping in higher up places, as it allows them to feel a little safer. That, or they just like to keep an eye on humans and their food bowls...

Using staggered shelving across the wall can create a cool and contemporary living space with practical storage while also being a stairway to heaven for your kitty cat. 

Just remember not to over fill the shelving, otherwise you might your belongings all over the floor when you wake up in the morning. 

Toilet privacy

Just like us humans like privacy when using the bathroom, cats are no different. Rather than having the litter tray out for all to see, hiding it in a cabinet with a small entryway for your kitty will give them the privacy they need. It’ll also keep your home looking and smelling much nicer for when guests arrive. 

Sun traps

If there’s one thing cats love, it’s a good nap in the sunshine. Whether you install a cozy window seat or use wooden blinds to bring the sun in, your cat will have a new favorite snooze spot. Because, as we all know, they’ll never use the pet bed you bought them. While they’re not using the window seat, you can enjoy the perks too – if you have permission, of course. 

Their own door

If you want to keep the room warm and toasty in the cooler months, or don’t want to keep getting up to let your cat out, it might be time to upgrade the door. A cat door for a sliding door frames is the perfect way to make your cat a little less high maintenance. Without having to leave the door open just in case they want to come in, you’ll also be able to keep the living room cozier for you and the family. 

Loop-free pile

Carpets with a short or loop free pile are the way to go for cat homes. That way, when they ‘forget’ where their scratching post is, you don’t have to invest in a new carpet. Having a little rug in the room where they can snuggle, snooze, and scratch, will hopefully stop prevent them from using the sofa leg.

It’s time to give your cat the kingdom it deserves. 

How to Redecorate Your Kitchen For a Higher Home Resale Value

When staging a property for reselling, the kitchen is among the most overlooked sections. Floors, walls, landscapes, and doors are always prioritized. But redecorating your kitchen can have a significant impact on your property sale value.

Most people who've never handled a remodeling project before may get confused. That’s because it's a complicated job. In this article, learn the ways you can redecorate your kitchen to improve the selling price. For more information on kitchen redecoration, visit the platforms like https://dressedforsale.com.au/interior-design-services/.

Clean Your Kitchen

The most important thing you should do is clean your kitchen. It's not uncommon for people to bring in potential buyers to an imperfect kitchen, assuming that they wouldn't mind the dust or the dirt.

When cleaning, you should clean everything there is in the kitchen. Wash the floors, paint the walls, wipe the countertops, and organize the silverware.

If possible, you should get a professional cleaning company to clean the kitchen -- especially if you have a bigger kitchen. NKBA estimates the average kitchen to be between 103 and 238 sq. feet.

One advantage is you'll save time and get rid of the stubborn oily stain and odor. It will make your kitchen even more appealing to buyers.

Clear the Counters

The countertop is the main thing potential buyers will look at since it's where they'll be cooking their food. 

So depending on whether your counters need repair or replacement, do it accordingly. For an affordable fix, you can wash and then re-laminate your countertop. 

If you've got a chipped stone countertop, you can repair it by collecting the fragments and using adhesive to glue them at their places.

With budget permitting, you can go for stone or concrete countertops for best results.

Along with countertops, do inspect the cabinets. If they need replacement, don't hesitate to install new components.

Fix the Floors

Similarly, the kitchen floor can have a big impact on your buying decision. So if the flooring is outdated, consider upgrading it too.

If there are chips or cracks, it's a sign that you should get your floors repaired. This type of damage can worsen with time, and buyers know it.

If there has been a water leakage recently and you use hardwood flooring, replacing it is a must.

Outdated style flooring should be replaced as well.

Update Lighting

How the lights are organized within the kitchen can also make or break the deal. If the kitchen doesn't receive much natural light, it's imperative to use current LED bulbs at appropriate places. A dull kitchen will most likely put buyers off.

Daylight-style bulbs are the best, with yellow glow lights being the least preferred. So use them to make space feel more open.

Accessorize and Set the Dining or Bar Area

You need to know that your kitchen, just like other rooms, is ordered and organized. If there's a dining area or bar either within or adjacent to the kitchen, put some effort into organizing things. Ideally, you should have no more than a few items. But don't leave it empty either. A teakettle, fresh flowers and fruits, and water bottles are best.

There are countless ways to redecorate your kitchen for selling purposes. Property stylists help you pick the right ideas. 

Hiring the Best Pipeline Leak Stopping Services

Crude and other petroleum resources though expensive and valuable can be harmful when left exposed. They, therefore, need a safe means of transportation and pipelines are one of the safest means used in the movement of these resources from one location to another.

Pipes are used by most areas of industry in the transportation of substances such as water, gas, waste, or fuel, from one place to another. A lot of money is therefore invested in the construction of pipelines that are safe and reliable. A leak in any of these piping system causes huge loss to the companies and is equally dangerous to those around that vicinity. 

These pipelines, therefore, require a certain level of maintenance to ensure that they are in good conditions. Also, only those with the right skills and knowledge in leak repair for pipelines should be employed for this purpose as doing otherwise could cause devastating results. Thorough research should be done to ensure a professional leakage-stopping service provider is engaged.

Prevention of Pipeline Leaks

Leakage leads to loss of material, damage to the environment, and the company’s image not to mention the additional costs involved in cleaning up the mess and civil liabilities. This can however be avoided by employing safe practices which will put in place measures to avoid such an occurrence. Carrying out the following measures will ensure the safety and durability of the pipes.

Avoid Geographical Hazards

To avoid this danger along pipeline routes, tools such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, and geographical maps should be employed to understand the terrain and to avoid locating designs along with the areas of supply and delivery. These instruments will also aid in identifying other environmental obstacles early enough.

Compressors or Pump size

These need to be properly fitted to prevent leakage. Simulations can be conducted to ascertain the usability of hydraulics and if the pumps or compressors are being employed economically.

Protection from Corrosion

Protecting pipelines by using cathodic protection systems and special coating will prevent them from rusting or wearing away.

Inspection of Pipeline

Advanced forms of non-destructive testing are carried out to check for structural damages on the outside walls. This also includes ultrasonics and testing for magnetic particles. High-resolution forms under the in-line inspection can be used to conduct internal testing and to prevent leaks.

Proper Training

Training should not be for only operators to identify conditions that can cause a dangerous release but also for people who live near pipelines. They should equally be educated on actions that could cause leakage problems and how to avoid them.

How to Stop Leakage in Pipelines

Several techniques can be employed to stop pipeline leakage. Although most of them would demand the system to be partially shut down, some others would not. They are as follows:

Line Freezing

This involves the use of nitrogen in isolating some areas of the system so that work can be executed on the affected part. To do this, a jacket is first wrapped around the pipe before liquid nitrogen is injected into the space between the pipe and the jacket. This automatically builds a freezing plug and enables the repair to be executed.

Hot Tapping

This method doesn’t demand a complete shutdown of the entire system as holes are drilled in a pressurized vessel or line. Certain instruments are then installed through these holes or even to make tie-ins and connect branches. The steam generator of a plant is a perfect example of such a vessel.

If you need more information about hot tapping, you can check here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_tapping.

Bolting Services

This method is often used in refineries and gas plants for operating systems with high pressure and temperature. It involves measuring the bolt stress, tensioning the bolt, and tightening the torque.

Leak Sealing

This is commonly referred to as an online technique since it doesn’t require cutting off the supply of the product. It can be executed while all systems are operational without causing any destruction. It is mostly used on a large system like crude oil piping systems.

Line Plugging

This method works in combination with the hot tapping technique when the pipe is transporting crude oil before the line is plugged with special equipment. This technique also allows for the closing of pressurized pipelines or the separation of certain components. 

It works with a sealing ingredient that is joined to the top-of-the-line plugging machine. It is then positioned in the pipe to prevent the flow of the fluid. This method doesn’t require the complete shutdown of the entire system and saves cost.

Hiring the Best Pipeline Leak Stopping Services

Leak repair in piping systems is expensive and when carried out constantly, causes wear to the pipe therefore, it is vital to employ the services of an expert who will do a proper and thorough job to avoid repeats. There are some basic considerations to bear in mind before hiring a professional, this will aid you in choosing the best service provider for the job.

Research

Carrying out research is important and only takes a little of your time but helps you get the best service. Search for professionals who have a good reputation. This can be known based on the comments of customers who have patronized them before. They must be capable of providing satisfaction.

Knowledge of Techniques

Although, you will employ the services of a professional, having a wide knowledge of the various repair methods available will help in choosing the most suitable option for the repair. It will also enable you to converse properly with the service provider while also asking the right questions. This way you will have your expectations set straight.

Technological Advancement

In choosing a service provider, the type of equipment being used by the company is very important. Is their equipment up to standard with current trends? Modern instruments such as acoustic leak detectors, snake and thermal imaging cameras, and leak tracing gas systems are some of the instruments which are required to effectively and efficiently carry out their job.

Certification and Training

There should be proof of the acquisition of the skills and knowledge being advertised. Certificates give credence to whatever claim is made. Training also shows that additional effort was made to acquire more experience in the field, giving you an edge over others.

Great Customer Service

This is often ignored but it is vital as it goes to show the extent to which the company would go to ensure the satisfaction of their clients. A company with bad customer service may not be willing to go the extra mile to see their clients' satisfaction.

Conclusion

Leaking pipelines are known to cause serious damage to the environment and equally put communities on that route at great risk therefore they should not be taken lightly. Proper maintenance should be carried out on the pipes. 

There should also be the prompt repair of damages to prevent it from worsening. Finally, always employ the services of professionals with a proven track record whose quality of work is guaranteed.