1. Look for mold in your own by scanning the wet areas which are conducive to mold growth. Look at places like the ceilings floors, basement walls etc and cardboard boxes within the basement. Mold can be in the form of green, white, black and yellow growth and can have a slimy, furry texture and a musky odor.
2. Spray water on the surface to dampen mold and mildew areas. This will make these spores wet and prevent them from being transmitted in the air.
3. Use a scrubber to remove hard, non porous surfaces like countertops, shower tiles , concrete floors with ammonia-free detergent and water. Then, you can use a plastic bristled scrub brush to make the mold loose without scratching fragile surfaces.
4. Dilute ½ cup of bleach in a gallon full of water. You can apply the solution to surface that had been previously infested with mold growth for about 15 minutes to effectively disinfect the surfaces. Then add an extra cup of bleach to disinfect the concrete and wood surfaces.
5. Fix plumbing leaks, clean spills and check other forms of water leakage. This will prevent future mold growth. You can run a dehumidifier to take care of excess moisture from the air to create an environment that will resist mold and mild growth. Clean mold prone areas with a disinfectant regularly to keep mold growth to a minimum to prevent future growth.
6. Dispose carpets, ceiling tiles and other absorbent material that allow molds to growth. Absorbent material traps in mold, which can be difficult to remove; the best thing to do is to dispose it off. You can wash towels, launder clothing and such other fabrics in detergent and water. Remove extra stains after washing and before drying, you can apply some lemon juice and salt to the stain. You can also get a hidden area of the fabric tested to avoid the shirt or skirt from getting bleached.
7. It is important to ventilate the room and the house while disinfecting. For this, you can run a dehumidifier and large fans. Also keep a cloth facemask and a ventilator while cleaning mildew and mold to prevent breathing in mold spores.
8. Borox is known to be a natural cleanser that is used to clean toilets and sinks. You can remove mold from basement walls or furniture by mixing borax with water. Use one gallon of water and 1 cup of borax and mix them together. Dip a brush in the solution and use a scrubber to clean the item with it, till the mold has been removed totally. Then wipe the mold with paper towels.

Four people lost their lives in fires the Twin Cities since this past weekend, including an early morning blaze Tuesday that claimed one woman’s life in Edina. There have been dozens of less serious building and automobile fires that has kept emergency crews busy in the sub-zero snow and cold from the weekend blizzard. A big fire totally destroyed a furniture outlet store in St. Paul this week.

The reason why winter fires are more common and usually more deadly in the winter is because people spend more time indoors and use their fireplaces and space heaters routinely. They also cook more and stoke up wood-burning stoves, many of which have not been properly cleaned and maintained. Further complicating matters is the fact that fire crews often have trouble locating hydrants in deep snow. In the Twin Cities, fire officials are asking neighborhood residents to help clear snow from the between 7 and 8,000 hydrants in St. Paul and Minneapolis so fire departments can locate them. This will undoubtedly help to save precious time during a fire and can save both property and lives.

Another reason there are more fires during the winter is that more people are smoking indoors and using candles. Homeowners should remember never to leave a candle unattended and to clear snow that is piling up outside exit doors. A door that is snowed in may as well be locked and if a fire is threatening lives indoors behind locked doors, death is a very real possibility.

The Midwest is under the grips of a severe cold snap which stretches as far south as Florida. The first blizzard of the season crippled several Midwestern states from parts of the Dakotas, western Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and sections of northern Ohio. Wind gusts exceeded 50 mph in Chicago over the weekend where many downtown roofs fell in from the weight of heavy, wet snow. Frigid temperatures are expected to remain as will strong winds for the good part of this week. The 17.1 inches of snow that dumped on Minneapolis was its largest, single snowfall since 1991 and the 5th biggest snow on record for the Twin Cities.

The weather service also issued a high wind warning for southeastern Michigan that will remain in effect until 9 pm tonight. The winds are expected to remain blowing at around 35 miles per hour with strong gusting taking place throughout the day and evening hours. Students in the small town of Hudson, Michigan took shelter in the middle school gymnasium this afternoon as a tornado was sighted near the town.

This mighty storm is more than capable of producing winds of up to 75 miles per hour. Marine warnings are in effect for Lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron. In total, eleven states in the Midwestern United States are under a high wind warning. A low pressure system is to blame. This system developed in the Rockies and High Plains and is being pushed eastward by a powerful jet stream, bring with it high winds and cold temperatures.

Chicago was hit hard earlier today as strong winds topping 50 miles per hours and pouring rain pounded the metro area. Commuters were late arriving to their destinations and many flights at O’Hare International Airport were canceled causing havoc and disappointment for many. Many city commuters were huddled under train overpasses to stay out of the pounding rains and gusty winds, making a mad dash to the train platforms at the last minute. Detroit Metropolitan Airport fared a bit better than O’Hare as there were just five outgoing flights put on hold, two were heading for the Windy City and the other for Traverse City, Michigan.

This weather is rather unusual for this time of year. The winds this storm is packing are equivalent to what is experienced in a serious tropical storm. The wind gusts could reach cyclone speeds of 64 miles per hour. This storm is expected to be quite similar to the major storm that hit the Great Lakes region in November, 1975, which caused the Edmund Fitzgerald freighter to sink.

The National Weather Service is warning residents all over the east coast that heavy rain of up to seven inches or more is predicted for the rest of today and into tomorrow. The service also has issued a tornado watch for portions of the mid-Atlantic region and the eastern Carolina through later today. This storm broke a record in Wilmington North Carolina as it has dumped twenty-one inches of rain there, causing widespread flooding.

Urban and low-lying areas are at the most risk for flooding. Also in peril are homes and businesses located near small streams and rivers that rise quickly in response to heavy downpours. Even large rivers will rise and could quickly go over flood stage since this storm system is over a very large area of the eastern United States. Plus, this storm is dumping more water on areas that were soaked earlier this week.

Besides the heavy rain and threat of tornadoes, this storm is expected to pick up more wind strength. Gale warnings and high wind watches are already in effect for many coastal communities and the combination of heavy winds and waves is expected to cause coastal flood dangers. Officials in the eastern portion of North Carolina evacuated about seventy people overnight from a mobile home park in Kinston because of high water. Many residents were unable to drive away and instead were seen walking to drier land to await rescue.

Although Tropical Storm Nicole was short-lived, it did her share of damage as it left a trail of destruction behind. Several inches of rain fell in the southern portion of Florida which resulted in many flooded areas stretching from Fort Lauderdale to Miami-Dade County. The storm wreaked havoc in Jamaica and is responsible for at least one death there.

Residents all along the eastern portion of the United States are being told to use common sense and caution during the heavy rain storms. It is not adviseable to drive or walk on water covered roadways. It is advised that residents in low lying and urban areas check with local officials to find out where they can get sandbagging material to help secure their homes and businesses.

There are many steps in the process of re-entering a home safely after a flood including getting clearance that there are no gas leaks and electrical hazards. You also have to make sure that the water is safe to drink and that there is no sewage line breakage so that it is safe to flush the toilet. With all this to do, there is still the time pressure counting down until the onset of mildew and mold.

Clearing the house of all traces of water and wetness is only the first of many clean-up steps. Depending on how much of the dwelling the flood affected, different methods will need to be used in order to save different items and valuables from being permanently ruined and/or contaminated.

In terms of flooring, if the water recedes or is pumped out of areas with linoleum or vinyl floor covering within a few days, the subfloor may avoid being completely ruined. However, if the plywood or hardwood subfloor is wet, you will probably need to remove the linoleum or vinyl and replace both layers.

In order to salvage wooden furniture that was submerged in flood water, take each piece outside and remove all dirt and debris using a hose if necessary and then take them back inside. If you leave them out in the sun to dry, they will warp. So, instead, take them inside to a room where they can dry slowly. Once they are dry, you will be able to re-glue if it is necessary.

For important papers, mementos and other documents, you will need to dry them slowly as well. The leaves of paper should be separated and books should be hung on end and pressed when partially dry. When you find books or papers that are especially wet, sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder on them to absorb the liquid. You may also use an iron carefully at the end of the process. Make sure it is on very low heat. Even if all these steps are taken, the papers may disintegrate much more rapidly than they would have otherwise. Photocopy any important documents so that you will at least be able to save the information that these documents and/or photographs hold for you.

Dealing with restoration can be confusing, frustrating and rather time consuming. Perhaps the first thing you did was to grab the Yellow Pages and frantically look for a water and fire restoration company to call. There are many such companies in the greater Metro Detroit area, but instead of wasting precious time right after the disaster, it is best to first check with your insurance company to see if you are covered for the damage that has occurred. If so, your insurer may recommend a company to call.

No matter if you need help with a small extraction cleanup or a messy fire and water restoration, you can rest assured that there are at least a few Canton, Michigan restoration companies available, experienced and ready to come to your aide. It is best not to try to deal with a complicated water and fire restoration on your own because in order to properly clean up such an extensive mess takes special knowledge and equipment. Once any standing water has been removed from the affected area, the soot must be dealt with and hard-to-reach areas must be dried thoroughly so that harmful mold does not begin to grow.

The local Michigan Flood Damage repair or restoration company who you hire will arrive at your property with their well-trained team of highly qualified technicians to assess the damage and then get to work in cleaning it up. These professionals arrive with trucks equipped with heavy duty pumps, blowers, driers and dehumidifiers. They also have special chemicals with them that are used to thoroughly clean the affected floors, walls and ceilings so that the drying process can take place.

A top-notch Michigan fire, storm and flood restoration company will provide you with a very comprehensive service such as water extraction, cleaning, onsite/offsite storage, ozone treatment, content cleaning, carpet cleaning, debris removal and board ups. Choose a company that has been in business for several years and one that has a good reputation in the area.

In Indianapolis and the surrounding area, over 7,000 customers were without power early this weekend after a string of heavy storms moved through the area. There were a total of seven severe storm warnings issued in the city and surrounding counties as storms kicked up 70 mile per hour winds Saturday evening. The driving winds picked up tree limbs and blew them into some homes in Morgan County and blown down trees knocked out power there.

The storm system which is moving through southern Indiana this weekend dumped as much as three inches of rain in the area by Saturday which prompted flash flood watches to be put into effect for low-lying or flood-prone areas. Flash flooding caused by slow moving thunderstorms is a common summertime hazard, transforming calm streams into raging rivers and normally dry, low lying areas into lakes in just a matter of a few short hours. The storm system that caused the deadly flash flooding in Arkansas and Texas earlier this week is what is causing the threat of flash floods in portions of the Ohio Valley as well as the mid-Atlantic region through the weekend.

These storms have the potential for producing a lot of rain very quickly and it surge in moisture poses a danger. The addition of more water to rivers can cause floods in those areas downstream, even where heavy rainfall did not occur. People all across Indiana area being warned to keep an ear on the weather reports – especially if spending the weekend outdoors in remote areas such as campgrounds as often time the heaviest rainfall often strikes overnight, which could trigger flash flooding.

Indiana has been fortunate so far this year when it comes to flooding although there is more rain on its way over the weekend. The Wabash River levels are higher than other rivers in the state but still short of flood stage. Heavy rain is expected but forecasters do not know how much will fall or where. Just two years ago, south central and western Indiana suffered one of the most damaging floods the Hoosier State has ever experienced. Three Indiana residents lost their lives to the storm that dumped nearly 11 inches in just seven hours.

The residents of southern Michigan just experienced what is yet another one for the history books this past weekend when a total of eight twisters tore through several communities, leaving behind a great deal of devastation and heartbreak. The small town of Dundee which is located in Monroe county just an half hour’s drive from Ann Arbor was the worst hit. An category F2 tornado ripped through this sleepy farming community and tore roofs off homes, sent barns and garages flying and had hundreds of locals terrified for the full thirteen minutes it was reported on the ground.

The tornado with wind speeds up to 135 miles per hour tore through the Dundee region, knocking over trees and power lines, ripping roofs off homes and sent at least eleven people to the hospital with injuries. The tornado touched down at just past 2 a.m. and tore a path of utter destruction five miles long and a half of a mile wide. The tornado was the result of a cold front colliding with warm and unstable air. A state of emergency was declared in Dundee Township as well as in the village of Dundee. Nearly 200 people who were staying at a nearby water park were force to evacuate. The group was taken to the junior high school in Dundee to wait out the storm.

One resident, Todd Taylor, reports that his whole house was shaking and that he and his family got out of bed and ran full speed through the dark to the safety of the basement. He could feel the pressure inside the home as the windows bowed inward before shattering. He described it as feeling like the whole house was ‘shrinking’. Many residents describe that they felt like they were in a war zone with the horrible sounds of high winds and trees snapping and buildings and roofs collapsing in the pitch darkness around them as they cowered in bathrooms and basements.

Dundee residents are still trying to grasp what had happened to them last weekend. Some residents came out of their basements after the storm to find their garages and barns completely gone from the foundations. Hundreds of volunteers have come to Dundee to help the residents clean up the horrible mess left behind. Dundee natives are counting their blessings this week as no lives were lost and are hoping that this is the last ‘Big One’ for them.

A flood watch has been issued for a greater part of this portion of Michigan which will remain in effect at least through the weekend. The Sycamore Creek in Holt is expected to rise to over 7 ½ feet by Saturday. Flood stage is eight feet so there very well could be some flooding in low lying areas. Homeowners in the area are being told to take any necessary precautionary measures such as readying sandbags and checking to be sure their gutters and downspouts are cleared so as to avoid having rainwater seep into basements and first floor levels.

Metropolitan Detroit residents are being warned by storm watchers that more heavy rain is on the way which could cause flooding in certain parts of the city. Detroit Energy workers have been busy repairing many power outages in the city. It was estimated that nearly 10,000 homes and businesses in the area were left without power after the last large thunderstorm passed overhead.

If you are a resident of Michigan’s lower peninsula and live in a flood watch area, you should expect the worst, yet hope for the best. If your home is situated in a low lying area or near a river or creek, it is recommended that you move valuable items up and off basement floors or from the first floor level. This includes putting your major appliances up on blocks, removing electronics, clothing, important papers and other assets and taking them to the second floor or to someplace considered safe from the chance of becoming wet.

There is little worse than discovering that your home has been invaded by muddy and dirty floodwater. Not only can invasive water ruin items in your home, but it can also lead to the growth of dangerous mold if not removed quickly. If you r home does become flooded, you need to act fast in order to minimize the damage. If you have access to a sump pump be sure that you put it to work right away and then remove any items that have become wet. You will also need to bring in one or two dehumidifiers (depending upon the size of the affected area) so that moisture in the air is dried. This will prevent the possibility of mold taking hold and growing in damp places.

Despite the flooding in the world famous venue, the shows scheduled to play at the location have been moved and will go on. The Grand Ole Opry does not plan to allow the change in venue or the flood to stop the tradition of music and shows for fans that have come out for the performances. While the location may have changed, the traditions and music will not.
The first floor of the Minnie Pearl building is under water and it is estimated that as much as six feet of water reached the Opry stage. There is tremendous concern over the condition of items contained in the building. No information is available on the condition of the Grand Ole Opry artifacts that may be damaged by the flood water. The building contains audio materials, costumes and instruments that are country music treasures.

The Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills Mall were also flooded and pose a significant economic disaster for the city. These sites are tremendous revenue builders for the city and their loss could be devastating to the region. The Opryland Hotel was evacuated and it could be as long as six months before the hotel can open its doors again. Cleanup in Nashville is underway and companies are working around the clock to help flood victims.

The Country Music Hall of Fame was also touched by the flood, but it has not suffered significant damage and the country music artifacts are safe within the building. The building has sustained some damage during the flood, however.
The recovery from the floods could take a great deal of time to complete. Repair for buildings, homes, roads and bridges damaged in the floods will also cost a significant amount of money. There have also been 31 confirmed dead in the region affected by the floods. The number of victims may increase as rescue workers move through the region helping those stranded by the flood waters.
Residents and visitors to the area have been stranded because of the shutdown of roads in and out of the region. The floods have also caused a financial strain for unemployed Tennessee workers who are unable to make their claims and face difficulty getting to an unemployment center in an area out of the region. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce had to shut down because of the floodwaters.