How to Locate & Evaluate Make Emergency Repairs

If you have an unfinished attic, examine the underside of your roof with a flashlight on a rainy. If you find wetness , discoloration, or other signs of moisture , trace the trail up to where the water is making its entrance .

Water that flows toward a wall can temporarily diverted to minimize damage . Nail small block of wood in the path of the water , and place a bucket underneath catch the drip . On a dry day , drive a nail through the underside of the roof decking to mark the hole.

If the leak us finding its way to a finished ceiling , take steps to minimize damage until the leak can be repaired . As soon as possible, reduce the accumulation of water behind a ceiling by poking a small hole in the wallboard or plaster and draining the water.

Once you mark the source if a leak from inside , measure from that spot a point that will be visible and identifiable from outside the house , such as a chimney , vent pipe , or the peak of the roof . Get up on the roof and use that measurement to locate the leak.

If your roof is severely damaged , the primary goal is to prevent additional damage until permanent repairs are made . Nail a sheet of plywood to the roof to serve as emergency cover to keep out the wind and water . Tip: For temporarily repairs, use doubled-headed nails , which cane easily removed . Fill nail holes with roofing cement when the repair is complete.

Cover the damaged area by nailing strips of lath around the edges of a plastic sheet or tarp.

To reattach a loose shingle , wipe down the felt paper which is the first layer above ply wood.Let each dry, then apply a liberal coat of roofing cement . Press the shingle down to seat it in the bed of cement . Tip: Heat softens the roof’s surface , and cold makes it brittle slightly with hair dryer to make them easier to work with and less likely to crack.

Glue down buckled shingles by cleaning below the buckled area, filling the area with roofing cement , then pressing the shingle into the cement . Patch cracks and splits in shingles with roofing cement.

Check the joints which are common places for the leaks to occur . Seal any gaps by cleaning out and replacing any failed roofing cement.

Areas that typically leak vent stack, ridge which is the top of the roof, drip edge , soffit , and cracks real close up adjacent the roof. Roof damage can tend asphalt 30 years, metal roof 50 years and cedar shake if properly and maintain just like slate roof hundreds years .
Other real important things ice guard shield properly lets the material of the roof contracts makes it last longer time.

Toilet : Clearing Clogs Floods Prevention

The toilet is clogged and has overflowed . Have patience . Now is the time for considered action. A second flush is a tempting but necessary gamble. First, do damaged control. Mop up water or if really look up website for severe damage control www.topjobrestoration.com.
Next, considered the nature of the clog . It is entirely natural or might foreign object be contributing to the congestion? Push a natural block blockage down the drain with a plunger . A foreign object should be removed , if possible, with a closet auger . Pushing anything more durable than toilet paper into the sewer may create a more serious blockage in you r drain and waste system.

If the tub , sink, and toilet all back up at once, the branch drain line that serves all the bathroom fixtures is probably blocked and you best recourse is to calla drain clearing service.

Tools and Materials

Towels. Closet auger, Plunger, Skirt (force cup ). Possibly a snake reach further down.

The trap is the most common catching spot for the toilets clogs , Once the clog forms , clog forms , flushing the toilet cannot generate enough water power to clear the trap, so flush water backs up. Traps on modern 1.6 gallon toilets have been redesigned to larger diameters and are less prone to clogs than the first generation of 1.6 gallons toilets.

Not all plungers were created equal . The standard plunger is simply an inverted rubber cup and is used to plunge sinks, tubs, and showers. The flanged plunger , also called a force cup , is designed to get down into the trap of a toilet and use it as a standard plunger.

Drain Clearers

The hime repair marketplace is filled with gadgets and gimmicks , as well as all established products, are intended to clear drains all types . Some help , some are worthless , some can ever make that problem worse. Nevertheless, if you are the type of homeowner who is enamored with new products and the latest solutions , you may enjoy testing out new drain cleaners ashley become available. In this photo , for example you will see relatively new product that injects blast of compressed CO 2 directly into your toilet , sink , or tub drain to dislodge clogs. It does not cause any chemicals to enter the waste stream , and the manufacturers claim the Co 2 blast is very gentle and won’t damage pipes . As with any new product, use it with caution . But if a plunger or a snake is not working , it could save you the cost of a plumber’s house call.

Importantly to have water damage specialist to check out the damaged the backer board has passed through it cause damaged. If it has need dehumidifiers to dry out the drywall cavity so no water damage turns into mold.

Sump Pump French Drains Flood Basement

Sump Pump : Installing

If water continues to accumulate in your basement despite all your efforts at regrading and sealing your basement walls, installing a sump pump may be your inly option for resolving the problem . Permanently located in a pit that you dig beneath your basement floor, the sump pump automatically kicks in whenever enough water water accumulates in the pit to trigger the pump float. The water is then pumped out the basement through a pipe that runs through the rim joist of the house .

Because you will be digging well beneath the basement floor, make certain there is no sewer pipe or water supply in the digging area . Contact a plumber if you do not know for sure that the area is clear.

The purpose of a sump pump is to collect and eject water that accumulates beneath your basement floor ( usually due to a high water table ) before it can be drawn or forced up into the basement . The most effective sump installation have drain tile running around the entire perimeter of the house and channeling water to the pump pit. This system can be created as a retrofit job, but it is a major undertaking best left to a pro .

A submersible sump pump installed in a pit beneath a basement floor to [ump water out before it seeps up into the basement .

Install the pit liner after digging a hole for ti in the granular material under the floor . The hole should be a few inches wider than the liner . Remove the excavated material right away . Add gravel to the bottom of the hole as needed to bring the liner level with top of its rim at floor level.

Pack the liner in place by pouring 1/2 inch gravel around it. Add a 1 inch base of gravel and then mix concrete to patch the floor . Trowel the concrete around the rim with a float so the patch is level and smooth.

Prepare the sump sump installation . Thread a PVC adapter fitting onto the pump outlet , and then solvent glue a PVC stand pipe ti the adapter . the stand pipe should be long enough to extend about 1 foot past the liner rim rim liner rim when the pump is set on the bottom of the liner .

Attach a check valve to the top of the stand pipe to prevent the pump pit . Solvent weld another riser to fit into the top of the check valve and run upward to a point level with the rim joist, where the discharge tube will exit the basement .

Drill a hole in the rim joist for the discharge tube and finish routing drain pipe out through the rim joist.. Caulk around the tube on both the interior and exterior sides. On the exterior , attach an elbow fitting to the discharge tube and run drain pipe down from the elbow. Place a splash block beneath the drain pipe to direct water away from the house . Plug the pump in a GFCI-protected receptacle .

Things you may need also is to dry lock basement walls for leaks especially in July less of a water table. Regrade french drains and dirt outside dig trench ten feet away outside and dig a trash can size hole. Than place another receptacle with perforated holes and gravel place around , and let the water run off and away. 100 percent do the trick . Call topjobrestoration.com for any answers.

Plumbing : Basics

Because most of a plumbing system is hidden inside walls floors , it may seem be a complex made of pipes and fittings . But spend a few minutes with us and you will gain a basic understanding of your system . Understanding how home plumbing works is an important first step toward doing routine maintenance and money saving repairs.

A typical home plumbing system includes three basic

Routine maintenance is the key to your water damage leaks not to occur , supply lines must be change every 5 years. It is a must and winterize all areas that have plumbing lines such as copper tubing , because single digit degree levels will freeze pipes and burst and cause water damage and not found within 48 hours will mildew and mold and insurance companies will cover mold, water damage but it must be in your insurance policy , this is a recap for your very important to reread or look up other blogs topjobrestoration.com upper right hand corner search box type what you want to be educate and read up on home improvements , maintenance and everything may have not even thought will save thousands and thousands of costly mistakes.

How to Re- Grout Floor Tile

Scrape out the old grout with a grout saw or other tool, being careful not to scratch the tiles faces or chip the edges. You may choose to regrout only the filed grout lines for a quick fix, but for more pleasing results and to pleasing results and to prevent color variation in the grout lines, remove the grout around all tiles and regret the entire floor.

Wash h exiled floor with a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water, paying special attention to the tile joints. Vacuum the floor first to get rid of all debris.

Apply new grout . Prepare grout mix according to the instructions on the package and then pack fresh grout deep into the joints using a rubber grout float. Hold the float at 30 degree angle to the tiled surfaced.

Wipe diagonally across the tiles and grouted joints to remove excess grout and smooth the joints . Seal the grout joints with grout sealer after they have dried for a week so. Note : Sealing the grout joints will help new grout joints will help new grout lines blend with old grout if you are only doing a partial regrouting .

BEFORE you grout or tile you must put placed down Tiling

Tiling Backer Board

Use the tile backer board as the substrate for tile walls in wet areas . Unlike drywall , tile backer won’t break down and cause if water gets behind the tile. The basic types of tile backer are cement board , fiber cement board , and Dens Shield .

Though water cannot damage either cement board or fiber cement board , it can pass through them . To protect the framing members , install a water barrier of 4 milli ply plastic or 15#
building paper behind the backer.

Dens Shield has waterproof acrylic facing that provides the water barrier. It cuts and installs much like drywall , but requires galvanized screws to prevent corrosion and must be sealed with caulk at all untaped joints and penetrations .

Common tile backers are cemented board , fiber cement board and Den Shield . Cement board is made from Portland cement and sand reinforced by an outer layer of fiberglass mesh . Fibercementboard is made similarly, but with a fiber reinforcement integrated throughout the panel . Dens Shield is water resistant gypsum board with a waterproofing acrylic facing .

Staple a water barrier of mili plastic sheeting or 15# building paper over the framing . Overlap seams by several inches , and leave the sheets long at the perimeter .

Cut the cement board in place. Make cut offs and other penetrations by drilling a series of holes through the board , using a small masonry bit. Tap the hole out with a hammer or a scrap of pipe . Cut holes along edges with a jigsaw and carbide grit blade.