With summer in full swing, the family vacation isn’t too far behind. Lots of folks start worry about their home once the ignition key is turned on and the car is headed down the highway. A few simple steps to take before you leave should set your mind at ease and give you the restful vacation that you deserve.
1. Don’t tell anyone (and don’t post on Twitter or Facebook) that you are leaving except immediate family and very close friends. Try not to mention your departure around the office or at the ballpark or at the gym. A passerby or someone listening in might be someone who would take advantage of you while you are gone.
2. Stop newspaper services. Call your newspaper or in many cases you can put a vacation hold on your account at the papers web page. Plan to do this about a week in advance and ask that your subscription be stopped while you are gone. Newspapers piled in your driveway or steps might alert a would-be thief that no one is in residence.
3. Ask the postal carrier to hold the mail until you return. You can put a hold on your mail at https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/landingView.do Just like with newspapers; mail protruding from the mailbox could alert a thief that you are out of town. If you forget the ask the postal carrier in advance, ask a neighbor to pick up the mail and to save it until your return.
4. Ask a neighbor to watch out for any visitors who might be in your yard. Be sure to leave a contact phone number so that the neighbor can reach you or someone that you trust in the event of a problem.
5. Lock the doors using dead bolts and regular locks. Many people say that locks can only keep out honest people but you want to make it as hard as possible for someone to enter your home without your permission.
6. Lock all the windows. If a thief can’t get into your home through the door, he will probably try the window.
7. Install a timer so that a lamp will come on when it becomes dark outside. Timers are fairly inexpensive to purchase and will provide added security for your home. To operate, you simply plug them into the wall outlet and then plug the lamp into the timer. Set the timer so that the lamp comes on around dark and turns off at an appropriate time.
8. Move valuables to a safety deposit box before you leave. When in doubt, take precautions. Move expensive jewelry and other small items to your safety deposit box. If it can’t be replaced because of sentimental value, don’t take any chances.
9. Lock all storage sheds and garages. If someone can’t enter your home, they might still be interested in the goods that are in your garage. Lock them up and take the key with you rather than hiding it nearby.
10. Turn off you main water supply. A broken toilet supply line can dump up to 4000 gallons of water in a 24 hour period. Unplug coffee makers, toasters and appliances- this will lessen the likelihood of fire.
While this isn’t a complete list of the items and areas of your home that you may need to secure, we hope this will help you prepare your home for its own vacation.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
EPA DELAYS Enforcement of RRP Rule Certifications until October
Latest EPA RRP Update
EPA DELAYS Enforcement of RRP Rule Certifications until October
Click on the link below to read the June 18, 2010 Memo from
EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
docs.google.com/fileview
EPA accredited RRP certification classes hosted by ServiceMaster Anytime, visit
http://www.svma.com/eventscalendar.html for more information or to register for a class.
EPA DELAYS Enforcement of RRP Rule Certifications until October
Click on the link below to read the June 18, 2010 Memo from
EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
docs.google.com/fileview
EPA accredited RRP certification classes hosted by ServiceMaster Anytime, visit
http://www.svma.com/eventscalendar.html for more information or to register for a class.
Monday, June 14, 2010
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS FOR SEWAGE CONTAMINATION ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY
Now that we know how nasty a sewage loss can be... lets take a look at the general precautions that are recommended if you find yourself in a situation like this.*
PERSONAL SAFETY:
• Avoid direct contact with sewage.
• Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and a dust mask during cleanup.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with sewage, especially before eating. Remember to wash children’s hands, too.
• If sewage has been swallowed, see a physician or clinic.
FOOD SAFETY:
• Discard any food without a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with sewage.
• Discard any garden produce which has come in contact with sewage. .
• Food containers with screw-caps, snap-lids, crimped caps (soda pop bottles), twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come into contact with sewage water because they cannot be disinfected.
CHILD SAFETY:
• Do not let children play in contaminated areas.
• Clean and disinfect their play areas.
• Wash their hands thoroughly and frequently.
• Don’t let children play with toys which have been in contact with sewage until the toys have been disinfected. Use a mild solution of 1 cup bleach in 5 gallons of water to disinfect.
• Toys that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected should be discarded.
PET SAFETY:
• Keep pets out of contaminated areas.
• Wash and disinfect pet toys.
• Bathe pets that have been in contact with sewage.
HOUSEHOLD SAFETY:
• Wash all clothing, bedding and linens in hot water or dry-clean them.
• For mattresses and upholstered furniture that becomes contaminated it should be discarded, some others may be cleaned with sanitizer and hot water extraction then air-dried in the sun and sprayed thoroughly with disinfectant.
• Thoroughly wash and disinfect dishes, utensils and food preparation equipment, which may have been exposed to sewage.
• Be sure sewer lines are intact before turning on water or using the toilet.
• Clean hard surface walls (drywall will typically need to be removed), hard surfaced floors and other surfaces with soap and water. Disinfect with a solution of 1-cup bleach to 5 gallons water. Also disinfect areas in which food is stored or prepared, such as countertops, pantry shelves, refrigerator walls and shelves.
• Discard any contaminated household materials that cannot be disinfected, such as wall coverings, rugs, carpets, and drywall.
• Ventilate cleaned areas to remove moisture and excess cleanser odors.
OUTDOORS & YARD SAFETY:
• Keep children and pets out of contaminated areas.
• If there is solid sewage waste on the ground, it may be shoveled into watertight bags, sealed and discarded in the trash. Wear rubber gloves and boots. Wash equipment when finished.
• Solid ground surfaces, such as concrete or decking, can be washed and then sanitized with 1cup bleach in 5 gallons of water.
• Other ground surfaces such as grass, ground cover, and soil, are not easily treated. However, sunlight, rain, watering systems, and soil components, will naturally denature sewage contamination, usually within 2 weeks.
• Discard garden produce directly contaminated by sewage.
As I started this two part blog, nothing disrupts your life like sewage backup or overflow. It Stinks! Yes, there are many things that you could do to take care of a sewage backup but do you really want to? I highly recommend a call to your insurance agent and then a call to a professional restoration company like ServiceMaster Anytime. We have the equipment, training, personal protective equipment, proper health vaccinations and precautions in place and proper sanitizing and cleaning protocols. Visit us at www.svma.com
*These are only general precautions and should be be considered a substitute for exact protocol in any particular sewage contamination.
PERSONAL SAFETY:
• Avoid direct contact with sewage.
• Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and a dust mask during cleanup.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with sewage, especially before eating. Remember to wash children’s hands, too.
• If sewage has been swallowed, see a physician or clinic.
FOOD SAFETY:
• Discard any food without a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with sewage.
• Discard any garden produce which has come in contact with sewage. .
• Food containers with screw-caps, snap-lids, crimped caps (soda pop bottles), twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come into contact with sewage water because they cannot be disinfected.
CHILD SAFETY:
• Do not let children play in contaminated areas.
• Clean and disinfect their play areas.
• Wash their hands thoroughly and frequently.
• Don’t let children play with toys which have been in contact with sewage until the toys have been disinfected. Use a mild solution of 1 cup bleach in 5 gallons of water to disinfect.
• Toys that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected should be discarded.
PET SAFETY:
• Keep pets out of contaminated areas.
• Wash and disinfect pet toys.
• Bathe pets that have been in contact with sewage.
HOUSEHOLD SAFETY:
• Wash all clothing, bedding and linens in hot water or dry-clean them.
• For mattresses and upholstered furniture that becomes contaminated it should be discarded, some others may be cleaned with sanitizer and hot water extraction then air-dried in the sun and sprayed thoroughly with disinfectant.
• Thoroughly wash and disinfect dishes, utensils and food preparation equipment, which may have been exposed to sewage.
• Be sure sewer lines are intact before turning on water or using the toilet.
• Clean hard surface walls (drywall will typically need to be removed), hard surfaced floors and other surfaces with soap and water. Disinfect with a solution of 1-cup bleach to 5 gallons water. Also disinfect areas in which food is stored or prepared, such as countertops, pantry shelves, refrigerator walls and shelves.
• Discard any contaminated household materials that cannot be disinfected, such as wall coverings, rugs, carpets, and drywall.
• Ventilate cleaned areas to remove moisture and excess cleanser odors.
OUTDOORS & YARD SAFETY:
• Keep children and pets out of contaminated areas.
• If there is solid sewage waste on the ground, it may be shoveled into watertight bags, sealed and discarded in the trash. Wear rubber gloves and boots. Wash equipment when finished.
• Solid ground surfaces, such as concrete or decking, can be washed and then sanitized with 1cup bleach in 5 gallons of water.
• Other ground surfaces such as grass, ground cover, and soil, are not easily treated. However, sunlight, rain, watering systems, and soil components, will naturally denature sewage contamination, usually within 2 weeks.
• Discard garden produce directly contaminated by sewage.
As I started this two part blog, nothing disrupts your life like sewage backup or overflow. It Stinks! Yes, there are many things that you could do to take care of a sewage backup but do you really want to? I highly recommend a call to your insurance agent and then a call to a professional restoration company like ServiceMaster Anytime. We have the equipment, training, personal protective equipment, proper health vaccinations and precautions in place and proper sanitizing and cleaning protocols. Visit us at www.svma.com
*These are only general precautions and should be be considered a substitute for exact protocol in any particular sewage contamination.
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