Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Dry Ice Blasting Smoke Damaged Books


Dry ice blasting log cabin, smoke damaged books and lead-based paint from the Utah State Capitol Restoration Project

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Our Estimates Using Xactimate Software

Xactware® is recognized in the claims industry and used by many insurance providers. All of our restoration scopes and reconstruction estimates are generaged using Xactimate estimating software or Xactcontents for personal property.
With our estimating staff's knowledge, combined with the power of Xactimate, our estimates indicate exact quantities and materials & labor. This is accompanied with a clear description of work to be performed and graphical reference providing you with a clear concise scope of repairs that ECG will perform on your project.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Wildfire Ember Highlights


 Xactware is one of the founders of the Institute for Business & Home Safety's new state-of-the-art, multi-peril research center in Chester Country, N.C. At this facility, researchers simulate disaster conditions — including heavy winds, droplet-sized rain, realistic hailstones, and firebrand/ember generation — to test building materials and structure components. They record the tests on high-speed, high-definition cameras to analyze the results.

In this experiment, researchers recreated an ember storm to study how a typical home holds up in wildfire conditions. The U.S. Forest Service and the International Association of Fire Chiefs have verified that the ember storm simulation is a realistic demonstration of a typical wildfire event.

For more information about IBHS, check out http://www.disastersafety.org.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Emergency Services - We're Here To Help

We are here to help when you need it. Providing first response to your needs 24 / 7. Our team will be dispatched to your loss, will assess the damages, explain the course of action required and with your approval start immediately preventing further loss and damages.

Post loss condition of a structure or dwelling can vary and is specific to each type of loss and the severity of the damage that has occurred. Determining the cause of the loss and the effected area is the first step and often most important. How and what steps are taken have can major impact further damages and what is necessary to prevent or limit further damages to a structure. ECG provides all emergency or temporary service solution which your property may require.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Easton Construction Group Specialties

Easton Construction Group, Inc. ( ECG INC ) specializes in property and structure restoration. ECG INC is a full service restoration provider.

ECG INC provides a single claim solution (SCS) for all property and structure damages resulting from fire damage, water damage, smoke damage, storm damage, Vandalism and structures damage cause by vehicle impacts.

Call us at 925-757-6000, or 510-473-5070, or 209-910-5070 for more information.

Friday, November 4, 2011

How To Spot Water Damage Before It Wrecks Your Home

Water just may be your home's worst enemy; and it's a sneaky, insidious foe. Your home could have a slow leak for weeks before you see the first signs of damage.

Take the case of my friend Tom, who recently spotted a strange puddle outside his brand new townhome. For some reason a small, hand-sized pool of water would sometimes appear on his back porch next to the bedroom wall. He didn't think much of it, until he spotted water stains on his inside wall, directly opposite the puddle. Uh-oh.

When workmen pried the planks off his exterior wall, they found a PVC drainpipe that had been sliced-through during construction. Workers installing the hardy plank exterior during construction had trimmed the planks in place with a power saw, not noticing that there were slashing the drain pipe in the process. The entire time Tom had lived in his home, water had been leaking into his wall.

Unless you are alert for small signs like this, water damage can go unchecked, emerging only when it has caused serious damage to your home.

The key is to spot telltale signs of damage before they turn into big problems. Here are a few things for which you should be on the lookout.

Finding Interior Leaks

Leaks can happen anywhere inside your home, but they are most likely to occur where water pipes and drains connect to appliances. That means your kitchen, bathroom and laundry room are the most likely problem areas.

1) Water Stains

Stains on your drywall are the most obvious sign of interior water damage. Check your window frames and exterior door frames for any sign stains, and apply caulk or molding as needed.

Any unusual stain on your interior walls should be investigated immediately since, as my friend Tom learned, they could be a sign of a leaky pipe or drain inside the wall.

2) Warping or Buckling Floors

Also keep an eye out for any buckling or warping of your wooden floors. Even if your home doesn't have hardwood floors, vinyl, tile surfaces and carpets are often installed on top of a wooden particle board layer that will swell and warp when exposed to water.

3) Meter Readings

If water lines inside your home are leaking, you may be able to tell by reading your water meter. Turn off all the water inside your house, and then check your meter's current reading. Wait about an hour, and then check it again. If the meter reading has changed, you've got a leak.

Spotting Exterior Problems

A leaky roof, poor drainage around your home and clogged or leaky rain gutters are the biggest causes of exterior leaks. The key to detection is to check your home during a rainstorm. If you can't wait for rain, spray your roof with a garden hose.

1) Check the Attic

It's a good idea to periodically inspect your attic for stains and other signs of water infiltration. Pay special attention the valleys where two roof planes intersect. Also check the flashing where the roof meets a wall, and flashing around any chimneys and roof vents.

You should also check your roof from the outside for damaged flashing and missing, cracked or curled shingles.

2) Standing Water

If you see standing water anywhere outside your home, it's cause for worry. A puddle could be due to poor drainage in your yard that makes water flow toward your house. It could also be a sign of leaky rain gutters or gutter downspouts that don't carry water far enough from the house.

3) Drip Lines

Water dripping off your roof can cause erosion on your patio or driveway. This issue is tricky, because by the time you see erosion in the stone or concrete, the damage is done. You need to spot drip lines before they do damage. Walk around your house when it's raining and look for drip lines.

Check how your home's gutters handle a heavy rain. Do the gutters overflow? Your gutters need to be cleaned periodically to keep them free of leaves, or you may need to install gutter covers or screens to keep leaves out.

Check the gutters themselves for leaks. Many homes still use old-style seamed gutters with welded joints. Check these points for signs of rust or separation.

These simple checks can go a long way toward keeping your home safe from water damage and the mold infestations that can come with it. Try to make them a regular part of your home maintenance.

Mike Milliman is a managing partner of GutterSupply.com, the leading online seller of gutter supplies and copper gutters.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1195898

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Water Damage to Your Home

Many people have no clue as to what types of water damage is covered under their home or business insurance policy. Homeowners and business owners are becoming confused, hearing about mold insurance claims getting denied, and lots of questions arise about water damage to their homes. This article will go on to explain what types of damage is covered by your home insurance or your business policy and what you should do if your house has damage.

What Water Damage will your Home Insurance Policy cover?

Homeowners policies don't cover damages from a flood, you would need to purchase flood insurance if you want to be specifically covered for water damage caused by a flood. Your home insurance policy would pay for damage from rain coming through a hole or a window if the hole had been caused by strong storm winds. But if you have a pipe leaking inside your house that created water damage over time, that wouldn't be covered. It simply comes down to if your water damage was caused by a covered event such as a storm or if the water damage happened because you failed to keep your house repaired which would not be covered. If you are unsure as to what kind of water damage is covered, carefully read through your home insurance policy or call your the company.

Avoid Mold: Cleaning Up After a Disaster

It is very important you take steps to repair your water damage because if you let the damage linger it could cause further damage as well as health risks. Don't ignore obvious signs of a water problem in your house! You need to immediately try to find any leaks and repair them from the source. When you let water leak in your house, moisture builds up and mold will grow. Mold will eat through the building's structure and gradually cause health problems that could become serious. Mold exposure causes a wide variety of health effects such as coughs, nosebleeds, runny noses, sinusitis and congestion and even more serious upper respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma. Many insurance companies don't cover mold damage but it might be covered if it was caused by a covered peril such as a storm. As soon as you discover any water damage, report it to your insurance agent before it gets any worse.

Water Damage Caused By a Storm

When there is a storm, if water gets into your home, you need to dry up all the wet areas and set up air circulation to help everything dry. Water can come into your house or place of business from roof damage, or damaged gutters, or from a leaking basement. To prevent additional damage, cover all areas with a tarp. By drying, covering and dehumidifying all wet areas you can attempt to minimize the chance that mold will form from the water damage. Flooding can happen if a storm causes a river level to rise. Of course, always contact your insurance agent as soon as possible so that you can begin the homeowners insurance or business insurance policy claims process.

Moisture Damage Over a Period of Time

If you find water or moisture damage that appears to be from a leakage existing for a period of time, mold might have developed and the chances your claim will be covered are very slim. In this situation, trying to cleanup the mold now will spread the mold spores and cause more property damage and increased health risks. Mold is extremely dangerous to your health and it is crucial that you have a professional restoration expert come to cleanup the damage. Obvious damage from flooding can be cleaned up but mold growth isn't always apparent. Moisture behind drywall can be detected using specialized equipment from a certified disaster restoration contractor. Typically insurance policies have a cap or limit of what the insurance company is willing to pay towards mold removal. Prepare to cover at least some of the clean up expense out of your pocket, that means shopping around on search engines to select a competent disaster restoration company in your area. Contact your home insurance company to check if any of the damage is covered with your policy and call a professional disaster restoration company immediately.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Bruce