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About Water Damage |
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The Hazards of Water Damage |
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Once a building has been exposed to a large volume of water, it becomes extremely hazardous as water causes both health and structural risks. Water Damage Related Health Hazards and Risks Dampness and humidity promote the growth of moisture-related mold and mildew that can lead to toxic, mold-related reactions such as immune disorders, pathogenic disease and cancer. Allergic reactions consist of painful headaches, disorientation and dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, chronic asthma, rashes and open sores, and chronic fatigue. Be aware that floodwaters may also be contaminated with sewage and waste. These are fertile breeding ground for disease carrying termites and... |
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Water Damage Mold |
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The first thing created after water damage in a house is the mold. Mold creates a number of problems for the home owner. Fungi are common in nature and serve a central role as breakdown agents for organic matter. They contain fragments, or spores, which are found in virtually every home and building. Major mold that is found in water damaged homes is called Stachybotrys chartarum (atra), more commonly known as SC. It is a greenish black fungus that grows on materials like fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, dust, and lint. They become chronically moist or water damaged due to excessive humidity, condensation, and flooding. SC was first noted as a disease when it contaminated cereal grains. ... |
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Water Leak Prevention Options |
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Those who have experience the pain of a water leak in the past know the headache and hassle of trying to clean up the mess, let alone worry about the expensive repairs. Most likely if you were interested in this article you have experienced a water leak. Unfortunately in our society we usually need to experience a disaster before we will take the means to implement prevention measures for such disasters. A water leak is one such disaster that can be prevented, and there are some simple and affordable prevention options. There are many reasons to protect your home from water damage. Hardwood floors tend to be a major issue if you experience water damage. In most cases the floor will need to... |
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Building Waterproofing - Keep Your Structure And Investment Safe From Water Damage
Author:
Daniel Levy
The concept of waterproofing or protecting buildings against the damaging action of water derives from the need to avoid water and humidity related elements that act negatively upon constructions. This negative effect can present itself in several ways, creating health problems, structure deterioration, facility damage and others. Not to mention, that repairing a building damaged by water can be very expensive!
Permeability most frequent causes are: porous or flawed material, badly sealed splices, crack existence, building defects and inadequate surface pendant.
However, we can find different kinds of humidity: the one that gets in from the outside (because of rain, different kind of water infiltrations, ground humidity or underground water), building's own humidity (permanent or because of the construction) and the one produced gradually by the building (because of its service as well as due to condensation and water leaks).
Basic conditions for waterproofing involve the surface's fitness for treatment and its cleanness. Building waterproofing can be done in a surface with/without the presence of water and with/without previous treatment.
Building Waterproofing Systems
Based on water's origin and effects on buildings and concrete, waterproofing systems have been classified:
- Surface waterproofing: done with coating plates, bituminous emulsions, vinyl pastes, resins and sealants.
- Integral waterproofing: integrated to the mass of concrete, affecting its permeability.
- Hydrophanous waterproofing: integrated to the mixing water or used as curing systems, allow the improvement of concrete's characteristics such as workability, compression resistance, decrease of reinforcement steel corrosion, decrease of fissures and cracks, and extended durability.
Kinds of Waterproofing
- Rigid waterproofing is meant to seal filtrations, make waterproof concrete structures or waterproof coatings. Treatments for rigid waterproofing generally are: concrete and cement integral additives, and cement, epoxic, plastic, or metallic coatings.
- Flexible Waterproofing is intended for structures affected by temperature changes and water settlements. This kind of waterproofing is a protection capable of absorbing movements without suffering damages that could allow water access. Flexible treatments are membranes, hot asphalts, cold asphalts (based in water or solvent), polymer emulsions, vinyl emulsions, and acrylic emulsions.
To fit your particular needs, you will probably need to use one or a combination of the above kinds and systems of building waterproofing. The best way to go is to ask an expert in your area to help you find the best solution for your building.
Something is for sure, if you take good care of waterproofing your building you will keep your structure and investment safe from water!
The information for this article was kindly provided by Sika Mexicana, company part of Sika Group, world renowned manufacturer of specialty chemicals for construction and industry. For more information visit http://www.sika.com.mx
About the author:
None
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Article Keywords:
Water Damage |
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A Quick Note
From The Publisher...
If you like the article above, you may be
interested in the following article which is also related to Water Damage...
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Water Damage In A Rental Unit |
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Biting her keys in her mouth, Phyllis jiggled the condo door open with her free fingertip. Peeking over bags of groceries, she stumbled through the living room and into the kitchen. Step. Step. Step. Squish......? Setting the groceries down, her line of vision shifted to her feet... now immersed in a lukewarm puddle of water, and as she scanned the room, she saw that her couches... chairs, and coffee tables were also about to set sail. Frantically searching for the culprit, Phyllis became more and more frustrated. The sinks were turned off. The tubs were empty. The dishwasher wasn't on and it hadn't rained for weeks. Then she realized where it was all coming from. It seems that good ole' neighbor Joe Brown never felt it necessary to repair that kitchen sink leak. Why should he have? The leak never came in on his side of the apartment wall. So now what? It wasn't her fault she had a new indoor swimming area, but would she have to pay for the damages? Allstate Agent Joe McLean says that she purchased a good renter's insurance policy, she would be covered. There are renter's insurance policies which protect you in the event of a bursted pipe, water heater, water bed, etc. With this insurance, you won't have to worry about replacing the pipes, carpeting, or your personal belongings directly out-of-pocket. Unfortunately, Phyllis didn't have water damage specifically covered under her renter's insurance policy. She was therefore only reimbursed for the damage to her personal belongings, not for the replacement of the carpet, or the repair of the leaking pipe. If her neighbor had had coverage, his policy would have paid for the damage... but he didn't. For the next six months everyone pushed the repair costs on to someone else. The plumbers said it wasn't their... |
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