WHAT IS A PUFF BACK & WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A PUFF BACK.?.

Since we will all be turning on our heating systems soon, I felt it important to discuss what a puff back is and what to do if you unfortunately have one.  A puff back can occur in your home if you have oil heat and it can happen on a large or small scale.  A faulty ignition switch is to blame.  When the ignition switch fails to light properly oil fumes accumulate in the chamber of your homes furnace.  If the ignition is stalled long enough the amount of fumes that gathers will cause a small explosion when the pilot finally lights.  This little explosion will blow every spec of dust and soot that lives in your homes duct system all over everything in your house: drapes, bedding, furniture, walls, bric-a-brac, I mean everything.
 

Call a reputable disaster restoration company to begin emergency services.  Bowerman Restoration will respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, call 1-800-638-4799.  We work directly with insurance companies, property adjusters and homeowners to ensure efficient restoration of your residential and/or commercial property.

Immediately turn off heating, air conditioning and all fan units to prevent soot and odor from migrating into other areas.

Limit movement in property to prevent soot and ash particles from being embedded into carpets and upholstery.

Discard any food items that were exposed to the soot because most likely it has been contaminated.

Do not attempt to clean soot covered carpet, upholstery, draperies, walls or clothing.  You risk making the damage worse.  Bowerman Restoration provides cleaning, deodorization, sanitization, specialized dry cleaning and repair services.

MOLD TIPS

Do not disturb or attempt to remove anything if you suspect it is contaminated with mold.  Many types of mold can be hazardous to your health and mold can spread into other areas of the property if not handled properly.

Call a reputable disaster restoration company to begin emergency services.  Bowerman Restoration will respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, call 1-800-638-4799.  We work directly with insurance companies, property adjusters and homeowners to ensure efficient restoration of your residential and commercial properties.

Call your insurance company to submit a claim for damages.  Be aware of the type of coverage you have, limits of your policy and the amount of your deductible.  You will receive a claim number and in most cases, an adjuster will be sent to assess the damages.

Prevention is the first line of defense against mold.  Eliminate excess water and high humidity to prevent mold from growing.

Repair any leaks from pipes or faulty windows.

Inspect roof regularly, around chimneys, dormers, vent stacks and flashing.  Many leaks begin in these areas.

Inspect and clean gutters regularly to prevent water from pooling or dripping.

Inspect bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and any place where water can leak and cause mold growth.

Install proper ventilation in any room where water is piped in (kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements)

If condensation occurs inside any area of your property, it means that the humidity is too high.  This can lead to mold growth.

Proper air circulation in your home or business will aid in the prevention of mold growth.

If your property was damaged by water, it should be treated by restoration specialists to prevent mold from growing

TIPS ON KEEPING A HEALTHY HOME.

HEPA vacuum carpets, rugs, mattresses, headboards, etc. regularly.
Have them professionally steam cleaned every year or two (or as manufacturer specifications).  It is important not to neglect cleaning/vacuuming under beds & furniture because dust & dead skin have a tendency to accumulate in these areas.

Make sure particulate filters are changed and replaced regularly in forced air heating & cooling systems.

Have your ducts professionally cleaned when needed.

Be sure to keep the humidity under 60% RH to avoid any mold problems.  It is particularly important to have a dehumidfier running during the summer months in most basements to achieve this.

If a flood or water damage happens in your home - CALL BOWERMAN RESTORATION immediatley!!!  914-804-5737
Without having a professional inspection, it is very hard to figure out how far water migrated.  Wet material must be dried within 24-48 hours because mold can begin to colonize within 48-72 hours.

Remember, those musty odors are not just a 'smelly old building'.  They are actually a sign that mold is growing in the area.

“Mold – A Known Asthma Trigger”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 30, 2010 – Today the IAQ Video network released the first in a series of educational videos meant to educate the general public about indoor air quality issues. The first video is entitled “Mold – A Known Asthma trigger” and is available for viewing today. Asthma affects up to 7% of the U.S. population and it has been reported that asthma causes 4,000 deaths each year in the United States and ¼ million worldwide. Mold is a known asthma trigger for some people, so it is important for those individuals to live and work in an environment that has good IAQ free of elevated mold levels. There is no practical way to eliminate all molds indoors; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. If you think you have a mold problem, can see mold growth or smell a musty odor, it is important to have the problem fixed. Remove the moisture source and clean and remediate any mold damage. The new video covers these topics and has mold prevention tips for homeowners and renters. “This is the first in a series of educational videos that the IAQ Video Network will be producing,” reported Paul Cochrane, President of Cochrane and Associates, the company behind the IAQ Video Network. “Over the next several months we plan to tackle additional topics that have an impact on our air quality and on Wednesday of this week a new video about how IAQ affects school children will be made available.” To view the new video please visit http://www.IAQTV.com or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOdDfaYp9uE. The IAQ Video Network was launched in March of 2010 and has to date produced 7 videos from IAQA chapter workshops from Hawaii to Philadelphia as well as conference videos from the annual IAQA, ACCA, EIA, CETA, AIHce and NADCA conferences. The video network has also produced a number of corporate videos for companies in the IAQ, industrial hygiene, mold, remediation, lead, asbestos and HVAC industries. To learn more please visit http://www.cochraneassoc.com, email info@cochraneassoc.com or call (602)510-3179. # # # About Cochrane & Associates, LLC Cochrane & Associates is a business development, public relations and marketing consulting firm that specializes in the environmental, HVAC, mold and indoor air quality industries. The company has worked with many of the industries’ leading institutions and companies and continues to be an innovator in the industry.

Bowerman Restoration - Welcome to our blog!!!

Want to welcome everyone to Bowerman Restorations blog.  A big thanks to Rich Maffei who created this page and our website.

-Michael Bowerman