Increase Employee Productivity and Health by Purging Mold from the Office

  Employers are slowly becoming aware of the health and productivity boosts that mold and mildew remediation and duct cleaning services can offer their businesses. With less sick days being taken, and less time spent sneezing or stressing about air quality, employees get more done in a given week.

If you work in an office where your employer has neglected duct cleaning or mold remediation services, try following these simple DIY tips to improve your indoor air quality.

The History of Hostile Weather: 5 Disasters That Hit Canadian Home’s Hard

 In an effort to spread awareness about disaster hazards in Canada, Steamatic post-disaster restoration specialists would like to share with you a list of some of the most devastating natural events this country has ever seen.

Canadian is no stranger to Mother Nature’s wrath. Don’t overlook the likelihood of natural disasters in the Great White North. Be diligent with your disaster preparations, and consult some of our other blogs for disaster safety tips!  

2 Reasons to Opt for a Professional Hard Surfacing Cleaning

 Though hard surface flooring is an excellent way to wow your guests and clientele, it requires cleaning just like any other part of your home or business. Though the smooth, sweep-friendly surfaces of hard flooring are easier to maintain than carpet, there are still some tricks and techniques that need to be kept in mind if you want to avoid any collateral damage during your cleaning. Many people opt for professional help to keep their pricy floors in top shape. Whether you are looking to hire on professional help from Steamatic hard surface cleaners, or simply want to brush up on your hard surface cleaning knowledge, these 2 hard surfaces cleaning facts are worth the read.

Why opt for a professional hard surface cleaning?

Stain-Free Celebrations with Steamatic: Removing Fireworks Stains from Concrete

 Fortunately, you can both prevent and remove fireworks stains that have dirtied your concrete and pavement. Steamatic proudly presents some easy home solutions to help you enjoy a stain-free celebration.

An ounce of prevention.

Prevention is always the best policy. Preventing fireworks stains is not very difficult; all you need to do is stick a buffer between the firework and your concrete, cement, or patio surface. However, some thought needs to be given to the materials used. Throwing down scrap paper or a piece of cardboard only adds kindling to the threat of a house fire. Instead, thoroughly wetting a piece of old plywood will give you a safe and protective launch pad.

3 cleaning options to consider:

  1. Leave it to mother nature. If you have the patience and ability to ignore the eyesore, you could just leave these stains alone and let the wind and rain whittle them away over time. The sun’s UV rays can also act as a natural bleaching agent. Of course, this “method” welcomes the kind of weathering most homeowners try to avoid, and also takes a long time with no guaranteed results.
     
  2. Power wash stains away. Pressure washing is probably your best solution. In the hands of Steamatic professionals, pressure washers guarantee a deep-clean that will strip away stains and corrosive contaminants without harming your hard surfaces. Be warned, though; pressure washers can carve strips out of your concrete if used improperly, so this method is best left to the professionals.
     
  3. Bleach away the stains. Another popular and effective option is to bleach away the stains using a 3:1 solution of water to bleach. Simply pour this solution on your stains, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, and then scrub your surface clean. This method does have some risks. Too much bleach can cause discolouration to your concrete surfaces, and any wayward dribbles will kill off plant life. 
2 Reasons to Choose Steamatic for your HVAC Cleaning Needs

 Steamatic have been helping keep Canadian homeowners’ HVAC systems clean for over 40 years, with our HVAC cleaning services being one of the staples of our home maintenance and restoration suite. If you are wondering why you should choose us over the competition, then read on for 2 reasons why Steamatic HVAC cleaning is a great choice!

Visit our website to learn more about our unparalleled HVAC cleaning process! 

Steamatic Water Restoration Tips: What to Repair and What to Replace

Whatever the volume, source, and cleanliness of the water, Steamatic can help! Our water restoration services have helped homeowners bounce back from severe water damage for over forty years. We dry out your home, remove mold safely and effectively, restore any ruined drywall, flooring, or paint jobs, and freeze your documents to give you the best chance of recovery. Though our professional restoration workers operate at the highest level, some things are simply beyond repair; if you have wondered what to cling to keep for a chance at recovery, and what is irrepairable, then read on to learn the difference!

What to repair and recover:

What to replace:

Fire Recovery Tips: Getting Rid of Smoke Smells in Documents with Steamatic

Hang them up to air them out.

Gently hang your book or business document over a railing or clothesline. Leave it there for as long as is feasible; a few hours should be considered the minimum, but a whole day is ideal. The air should help diminish the smell somewhat. Make sure to choose a shaded spot so as not to accidentally bleach your book.

Mask the smell.

Another handy trick is to seal your book or business document in a container filled with another smell. We recommend potpourri. Use fresh potpourri, and discard it when finished, as it may have absorbed some of the smoke smell. Leave your documents in this container for a day or so.

Use dryer sheets.

Place dryer sheets between the pages and let the document sit for a few days. Both scented and unscented dryer sheets are useful here, since the point is to absorb smell rather than to impart any.

Activated charcoal.

Charcoal may seem counter-intitutive, but activated charcoal (i.e. Not briquettes) will absorb the smell of smoke. Wrap the charcoal in cheesecloth to avoid marring your book or document with black residue; there does not need to be contact for the odour-absorbing effect to occur.

Try these simple document recovery techniques to tackle your stubborn smoke smell. If all else fails, Steamatic’s professional fire restoration, and document recovery services, are available 24/7!

Spring and Summer Fire Safety Tips with Steamatic

 With the warm spring and summer months ahead, Steamatic professionals would like to share some relevant fire safety tips to keep your family and home safe.

Summer Barbecue Safety

Steamatic fire restoration professionals wish you a warm and wonderful summer. Stay safe with these simple tips, and soak up the sunshine!

Summer Storm Safety Tips with Steamatic

 With 40 years in the post-disaster restoration industry, Steamatic professionals have helped Canadian homeowners bounce back and recover from even the worst of storms, and would like to present some summer storm safety tips to minimize the damages that you and your family incur from these experiences. Being aware of these hazards is instrumental in avoiding them – use the following tips to keep your home and loved ones safe after a summer storm.

 

Summer storm fire hazards include:

 

Lightning. This powerful electrical charge can electrocute on contact, split trees, and cause fires around the home. Even pools of water near the point of contact can become electrically charged, so be mindful of any large puddles, pools, or water basins when surveying your property during or after a storm.
 

Shorted appliances. When exposed to water that leaks in from violent summer rain storms or flooding, appliances can short out and become a fire hazard. This is especially problematic because many appliances are tucked away in the basement, or otherwise kept out of sight. Be sure to check your appliances during and after a storm to ensure that no fires have begun.
 

Generators. Many homeowners opt for generations during summer storms to keep the power on. You should not only think of your generator when the power goes out, however. Generators that are not properly maintained, cleaned, and used can be serious fire hazards.

Chemicals. Keep a close eye on any stored gasoline or other combustible liquids you have accumulated in your garage. Lighter fluid and paint thinner are two common combustibles that are kept in the garage, both of which can be triggered by generator use, short-circuited appliances, or lightning contact. 

Celebrate with Steamatic: 7 Fireworks Safety Tips

The best advice you’ll receive – leave it to the professionals!

To eliminate your risk of fire or burn injury, Steamatic recommends avoiding informal family fireworks displays. Not only are these displays usually underwhelming, but they can be extremely dangerous in the hands of amateurs. Instead, why not attend public fireworks displays, with arsenals bolstered by municipal budgets, and firing sequences arranged by professionals? The display will be much better, and infinitely safer!

Fireworks safety tips for informal displays:

If you must host your own fireworks launch, at least follow these fundamental safety tips: