How Foundation Repair Can Protect your Home

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Look to a Professional Foundation Expert:

A certified foundation expert can competently ascertain which issues are causing the problem in your home’s foundation. For example, older homes that are poorly insulated and/or which experience flooding can cause leaks in the foundation. When this happens, there is a potential for serious risk; the situation should be addressed immediately.

Foundation repair isn’t something that should be tackled by a typical homeowner. An expert in the field (such as a structural engineer) should always be called in for the job. They have the knowledge and experience to deal with all manner of issues that can compromise a home’s foundation, such as bowing walls, settling, cracking and sinking. They can devise a plan of action that will not only fix the problem but that will also be in accordance with local and national standards.

Does your Home Have Sagging Floors?

The good news is this: Most typical foundation repair services don’t take long to complete. Most jobs can be completed in less than a week. Of course, this will vary depending on the severity of the damage. More serious issues such as sagging floors and bowing walls can be more intricate repair jobs. Once complete, foundation repair solutions are generally designed to be a permanent solution to a variety of potential foundation problems. Most foundation repair companies offer a variety of services such as foundation levelling, wall straightening, repair of crawl spaces, mud jacking and more.

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Early Detection with your Home’s Foundation is Key:

The key to successful repairs to any foundation is early detection of problems. The earlier problems are detected and addressed, the smaller the issue and the more likely there will be a successful resolution. In some cases where the foundation is beyond repair, it may be necessary to completely demolish the foundation in favour of constructing a new one. Even new foundations can be subject to damage as a result of soil expansion, foundation settlement, hydrostatic pressure, changes in weather, etc.

Check your home’s foundation for:

• Sinking concrete around the home’s exterior
• Cracks in the basement floor
• Changes in the grade of the floor (uneven floor)
• A leaning chimney
• Cracks in the wall
• Collapsing wall
• Sagging in the crawl space

If you detect any of these issues, call an expert as soon as possible. By addressing the problem early, you’ll not only ensure the problem can be fixed but you’ll also save money and hassle. Problems with your home’s foundation are certainly a cause for concern, but with the help of a qualified expert there is a variety of solutions that can be applied to solve the problem and ensure your home remains safe.

For more home improvement tips on Stagetecture, click here.

4 Essential Home Maintenance Projects for Fall

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1. Have a Roof Checkup

Before you start decorating your interiors with acorns, leaves, candles, and autumn flavored drapes, take a look at your roof to make sure that it is well enough to handle the heavy rain and snow. With your roof fending against the scorching summer sunlight and undergoing the dramatic temperature fluctuation, your shingles may suffer unhealthy expansion and contraction that inadvertently expose your roof deck. When that happens, you can expect some moisture penetration and even leakage in your home. As your ceiling drip water or develop those nasty-looking molds, your living environment will suddenly lose its autumn charisma. So climb the roof before you light those cinnamon-scented candles. You want the house to look great and smell nice!

2. Clean Gutter and Downspouts

Since the chance of you climbing the roof during the dog days of summer is relatively small, we bet that you’ll not want to visit the roof when the weather turns nasty either. Like spring, fall is also a perfect season for a roof and gutter checkup because the weather is more amiable and predictable. While we don’t know what critters may have visited your gutter in summer, we certainly don’t want twigs, leaves, and other debris to affect the performance of your gutter. To have a gutter that can efficiently redirect incoming precipitation, you’ll need to take a shovel and carefully remove the accumulated elements. Finish the task off with a hose to fully flush out the smaller debris that may have escaped your “scoop.”

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3. Cover the Air Conditioner Unit

As the temperature begins to drop, it’s also time to prepare your AC unit for hibernation. Start off by cleaning your AC unit, changing out the filters, and inspecting the system for cleanness and performance. If you have a portable unit, all you need to do is detach and store it in a safe place. If your unit is outside, you may want to wash it and cover the pipes with foam to protect them from freezing and cracking. Finally, cover your AC with a vinyl and waterproof blanket so it can sleep through winter without feeling any of its wetness and chill.

4. Tidy Up Your Garden

With leaves falling down faster than you can collect them, we recommend homeowners to remove any outdoor furniture ASAP. While summer may offer you the luxury of snoozing off on your patio chaise lounge, you are doomed to catch a cold if you are hoping for the same treat from Mr. Winter. Go ahead and move your furniture indoor and store away any unnecessary garden tools. Get out your rake to ready yourself for the falling leaves. Let’s see who can keep a neater backyard!

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Guest Post By Paul Kazlov is a “green” home remodeling enthusiast and an industry pioneer for innovation in home renovation. Paul writes for the Global Home Improvement blog and strives to educate people about “green” products such as metal roofing and solar. Follow him on Twitter @PaulKazlov

Creative Home Tips for your Spring and Summer Home

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Curb Appeal

No Matter if you’re cleaning up your home after a harsh winter or preparing it to be put on the market to sell, you want to jazz up its curb appeal. You can begin by placing your focus on your lawn and landscape. Fertilizer, aeration and a good first mowing can improve a lawn that has been left dormant all winter season. You can also mulch your flower beds and cut back shrubs, bushes and perennials. This is also the ideal time to prune trees and cut away dead branches. You can also take a look at the exterior of your dwelling and assess its condition. Repaint areas on your home that have cracks or peeling paint such as wood trim, mailboxes and cedar siding. Decks should also be reinforced, stained and new boards replaced if they’ve become worn or dilapidated. If you driveway is asphalt, spring/summer is the perfect time for it to be seal coated.

Sump Pump

Spring rains can be brutal to your home and basement. Before Mother Nature unleashes her fury, you want to have a licensed and experienced plumber check out your sump pump to make sure that it’s running properly. If you need a new one, spring is the best time of year to have a new one installed. Back up sump pumps can also aid homeowners in case the first one fails during a torrential downpour.

Heating and Air-Conditioning

Your furnace and air-conditioner can take a beating during the winter and summer months. Before it’s time to turn on the air for the season, you want to enlist the help of a qualified contractor to give the air-condition unit a thorough tune-up. Smooth running units can lengthen the age of the unit and ensure that it runs efficiently throughout the season.

Clean Out Gutters

Leaves, branches, dirt and other debris can litter your gutters during the winter months. Before the spring rains begin to fall, it’s important to clean them thoroughly. Since improper drainage can drench your basement or crawl space, the early months of the season are the best time to assess for leaky or loose gutters.

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Seal Doors and Windows

One of the most common problems a homeowner may face is a loss of energy due to poorly sealed doors and windows. If you don’t want to cool the entire neighborhood this summer, and you want to keep your energy costs to a minimum, you can prepare your home for the months ahead by re-sealing your doors and windows.

Roof Shingles

High winds, sun, snow, sleet and rain can wreak havoc with your roof. A licensed contractor can assess the condition of your roof before the summer months. Loose, cracked or missing shingles should be repaired, especially if you live in an unusually rainy climate. Flashing located around skylights, plumbing vents and chimneys should also be checked. For those with a cedar shake style roof, you may want to have your roof cleaned, maintained and treated.

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Check Your Home’s Foundation

Winter rains and snow can wash away dirt and cause the foundation to crack. The start of the spring and summer months is the perfect time for you to walk around your dwelling and assess the foundation. Areas that are low or missing soil should be filled in with dirt and compacted securely. If you find cracks, a licensed contractor can fill and seal them, so you don’t have to worry about any incoming moisture.

For more outdoor home ideas this season, take a look here on Stagetecture.

Outdoor Organization: Prepare Your Pool this Spring

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Start Circulating Early

To get the pool working properly and to have the chemical safety, you have to open the pool correctly. It will ensure the health of both the pool and the swimmers. The first step to open the pool is to start circulating it early. The longer you leave it stagnant, the more the slimy algae forms at the bottom and the higher the pH level is. Start the process in the mid-March for a couple of hours each day. Keep the cover of the pool and the pump is running continuously until the level of the chemicals are normal. After that, run it one to two hours per day until the weather is warm enough for swimming. When everything is ready, just uncover the pool and proceed with other works.

Image via: Pool Destinations

Check the Filtration and Chemical Levels

Check out the filtration system and adjust any pipes to remove any leaks. Change the filter’s cartridge and lubricate all the vales and o-rings. Find out if there is any problem with the pool pump, if any screws are missing, or if there are any un-sealed areas. Now, this is the time to clean up the winter sediment. Vacuum it up and brush the sides and floor of the pool with a nylon brush. Brushing will remove leaf stains and other marks. Run your pump for nearly a day to remove the sediment. You can run a second vacuuming for more cleaning.

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Check out the Chemical Level

Though you have already worked out for balancing out the pool’s chemical level, it is always good to have it checked before diving in. check if the chlorine level is between 1ppm and 3ppm, calcium hardness is between 150ppm and 250ppm, alkalinity is between 80 and 120 and pH is between 7.2 and 7.8.

Prepare the Deck and Pool Furniture

Now, as you’re done with your pool, it is time to turn your attention to the cleaning of pool deck and furniture. Apply a light coat of detergent through a garden sprayer and wash the place with a pressure washer after a little while. Pressure washer will help you to remove the dirt easily. Then, clean the furniture and repair if any piece is damaged or broken.

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These outdoor organization tips will help transforming your outdoor pool to transform from a tub of greenish water with leaves and branches floating around to a pool with clear, blue water having the proper chemical balance. After following them, all you have to do is to toss some pool toys and floating accessories and then jump in.

Like the tips? Why not preparing the pool in the next weekend?

Helpful Tips to Protect your Summer Home from Storms

Secure your Windows and Shutters

Check out your windows and shutters. Consider installing some ETI Eurotech or ES Impact Windows and storm shutters to keep the windows from breaking and having shattered glass scattered everywhere within your interiors. These hurricane proof windows and shutters will help keep your home safe during the stormy season. for more information about the hurricane proof windows and a local Home store about the shutters.

Image via:  Vico Windows Inc.

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Inspect or Replace your Roof and Other Home Items

Have your roof inspected by a licensed contractor to see that there are no shingles that are missing or need to be replaced, so there won’t be any leaks into the interiors. Contemplate on installing some impact resistant roofing in case hailing or strong high winds occur during the storm. Replace or purchase a generator in case of blackouts, get a back-up sump pump, and be sure that you have the proper insurance coverage for your home.

Clean out the Gutters

Cleaning out your gutters can seem like an overwhelming task with no rewards, but that is completely false. Since your gutters help to control and maintain the water around your home, if they happened to get damaged then the excess water can gather around your roof’s edge and the foundation of your home which can lead to roof leakage and basement flooding. So just remove the leaves and other forms of debris from the gutters, check for cracks around them and your home and waterproof your house so that no extra water can enter into it.

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Take Care of the Landscaping

Survey the trees and tree branches around your home. See if there are any signs of rotting or damaged roots if they are then you may want to have the tree removed, keep the branches trimmed throughout the year, and maintain healthy shrubbery around the home. Also, secure and remove all loose outdoor items such as lawn ornaments or furniture, gardening tools, trashcans, etc. Torn tree branches, loose lawn equipment, and fallen trees can be very costly and dangerous to your home so make sure that the items are locked in a secure place or position.

Image via:  High Street Market: Tree Trimming

The summer season can be a great time for your home, however there are some occurrences that can happen due to the weather and your home should be protected from them. Just take a look back at the tips and suggestions above, and see how they work out for your home’s protection.

For more tips on home safety on Stagetecture, click here.

The short, cold days of winter require us to spend a lot of time indoors. While dusting off your warm clothes may be all the preparation you need, it is important to consider your home. Many people get the urge to clean their homes during spring. However, spring is a good time to get outdoors and enjoy the weather. If you want to keep your home as neat as a pin, use these winter housecleaning tips.

House Cleaning: Simple Ways to Save time this Winter

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Dust Surfaces

Winter’s warm, dry air makes homes get very dusty. Keep the dust at a manageable level by dusting all of your home’s surfaces. Don’t overlook areas like the tops of books, tops of window moldings, and ceiling fan blades. These collect dust easily but are often overlooked. Dust your lighting fixtures as well because they can make your indoors look dingy when they collect dust. Also get your home’s air ducts cleaned by an expert. This reduces the amount of dust, allergens, and germs floating around and can also help your furnace to run more efficiently.

Clean Your Carpet and Floors Thoroughly

Trapped moisture can make a floor messy and also cause accidental falls. Moisture collects in between carpet fibers and seeps into hardwood floors. Combat this by steam cleaning your carpet and thoroughly scrubbing the floors. Allocate a spot for snowy shoes and boots. If you have none, put out some cookie sheets with raised edges. These help keep the mess off the floors.

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Clean Windows

Use a window cleaner to clean all the windows in your home. Windows are more exposed to the cold air and get covered with condensed water in rooms with heaters. Clean them on a cool or cloudy day and not on a warm day. They dry faster on warm days and cause streaks.

House cleaning – Wash Drapes and Curtains

After you’re done with the windows, tackle the drapes and curtains. These can trap fungus and bacteria during winter and get a bad smell. Wash them according to instructions or use a brush attachment to clean them.

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After you’re done with the windows, tackle the drapes and curtains. These can trap fungus and bacteria during winter and get a bad smell. Wash them according to instructions or use a brush attachment to clean them.

Staying on top of chores will help you to keep your home in a pristine condition. Use these winter housecleaning tips for a sparkling and energy-efficient abode. We would love to hear your House Cleaning tips for the winter.

For more home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Happy DIY Saturday!  Yesterday, on Olioboard Inspiration – you saw how to keep your laundry room organized.  Today, we ensure your washer and dryer stay working in their best order. Are you having problems with your washer or dryer?  Your washer has an odor, your washer rattles, or your dryer won’t dry!? Today’s DIY Saturday is for you. You will watch a video to show you how to determine what is wrong with your dryer and then read on to troubleshooting washer tips.

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Video: How to Troubleshoot a Clothes Dryer

Link to video –> How to Troubleshoot a Clothes Dryer

Of all the appliances in your home, your washer and dryer are two of the hardest working and most often used.  If they are not properly maintained, they can cause major damage to your home. Some of the greatest potentials for flood and fire comes from your washer and dryer.

If a pipe on your washer bursts, gallons of water will flood your laundry room, causing serious water damage. Likewise, if you let lint build up in your dryer vent, your dryer can catch on fire. However, if you keep your washer and dryer in good condition, you’ll save yourself loads of money.

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Here is a list of things that could go wrong with your washer or dryer as well as some helpful solutions:

1. Your washer rattles during the spin cycle.

It’s normal for a machine to jiggle a little, but if your machine shakes or rattles during the spin cycle, it may not be level.

Leveling Your Machine:

• Use a carpenter’s level to figure out whether the machine is shaking from side-to-side or front-to-back.
• With the help of someone else, tip the washer and place a block of wood under the corner for support. Use a wrench or pliers to adjust the foot.
• To adjust the other feet on the washer remove and reposition the block.
• After you’ve adjusted all feet, remove the block and check to see if the washer is level. Run a load of laundry to make sure it is level.

2. Your filter screens are clogged.

Debris and sediment can slow the flow of water into your washing machine.

Cleaning your filter screens:

• Check the filters
• Clean any build up with a bristle brush

3. Your washer’s water supply hoses are worn out.

The hoses that supply water to your washer can become brittle and possibly cause flooding.

            Preventing Supply Hose Disasters:

• Check your hoses once a year for cracks, brittleness, or stiffness.
• Replace old, worn-out hoses with stainless steel hoses.
• Keep your washer about four inches away from the wall so supply and drain hoses don’t get kinks in them

Image via: Houzz

4. You Dryer Takes Forever To Dry.

If your clothes aren’t drying well, you may have a blocked dryer vent, this could pose a serious fire risk.

            Cleaning A Dryer Vent:

• Every three to six months, disconnect and clear out any lint from the exhaust pipe.
• Run a dryer vent brush or a vacuum hose through the pipe to remove as much lint as possible.
• Make sure the outdoor area where the tube vent is is free of obstruction.

5. Your Washer Has An Odor.

Prevent odors caused by bacteria:

• Top-loader: Leave the lid open for a few hours so your washer can dry out after the previous wash.
• Front-loader: Towel-dry the washer drum after removing laundry. Leave the door open to give the washer time to dry out.

These preventive steps should help you make sure your washer and dryer are running as efficiently as possible.

Trisha Banks is a blogger for Dry Experts Water Restoration, a water removal company in Austin, Texas. Trisha just bought a new washer and dryer and wanted to learn about how to maintain them. 

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

Everybody loves going on vacation, but often that longed for break can be totally ruined if, on return, the family home has been vandalized and precious personal items stolen. In order to fully enjoy a holiday and rest content that possessions and property are safe it is an excellent idea to explore home security options.

Securing your home before the trip

Whether it is a case of going away for a long trip or just downtown to run a few errands, home security is vital. A good place to start is to have a chat with an officer from the local police department, who will assess the physical security of the home. It’s no use having a state of the art alarm system in place if a thief has an open invitation to enter the house through a faulty window or an unlocked door. Thieves are often opportunists and if they see a house that hasn’t been secured they will seize their moment. Always ensure that home insurance is up to date and that the family possessions are protected along with the actual property itself. Increasingly, insurance companies are offering lower priced premiums to individuals who have a home alarm monitoring system in place, especially alarm monitoring systems can alert a family to fire and flooding as well as burglaries.

Image via: Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

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Choose a security system for your lifestyle

Today, an increasing number of home alarm systems can be monitored through a Wi-Fi cell phone. Previously, these systems were enabled through a conventional telephone line and were expensive to install. For anyone who does not have a cell phone, a highly efficient alarm system can still be installed. It is for the individual consumer to assess the level of security they require. Some people use their alarms as a means of detecting intruders through movement sensors; an option that is ideal for anyone concerned about home intrusion when they are asleep within the property. This type of alarm system can also alert the homeowner when the house is unattended.

Image via: Matthew Millman

Ensure your system is easily controlled

The FBI reports that two-million families were the victims of break-ins in 2010, a figure that is set to rise. The company supplying the alarm system will monitor the property from their remote response center, so that any attempt to break-in can be dealt with in a timely fashion. Sometimes just the sound of a loud alarm, accompanied by the activation of bright lights will be enough to deter any would-be burglar, but for complete peace of mind it’s important for the homeowner to know that, in their absence, the local police department will attend their property as a result of an alert. 90% of burglars who have been caught have stated that they wouldn’t go near a house that was fitted with an alarm.  This statement alone demonstrates how much more of a deterrent an alarm system is than a house sitter.

Image via: Matthew Millman

Flexibility and technology

Thanks to a smartphone app, the internet and Wi-Fi the homeowner is in constant control. This ingenious combination of modern technologies enables the family on vacation to monitor their home through use of video surveillance; they can switch the lights on and off to suggest occupation and will be alerted immediately if a movement sensor is triggered. In an increasingly frantic world, peace of mind while on vacation is hard to beat.

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Most of us enjoy a lot of things about summer: the warm weather, the opportunity to enjoy many fun outdoor activities and the chance to spend lots of time at picnics, sporting events and other gathering with family and friends.

But there is one big thing that most of us don’t like about summer—and that’s dealing with the different types of insects and other pests that arrive with the hotter weather. You don’t want to spend the entire season fending off these annoying pests, so you need an effective way to deal with them. And you want a fast and easy solution—because, after all, you want to be able to focus on all of those fun things you will be doing.

Image via: Jeanette Lunde

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Fortunately there are some great options available that will help you banish these pests quickly—so you can enjoy your summer in peace!

Here are some quick tips for dealing with the most common summer pests:

Flies: One of the best things about summer entertaining is food. Unfortunately, that’s also one thing that can really attract flies—annoying pests that can spread all sorts of unpleasant germs. If you don’t want to spend the entire season armed with a fly swatter, you need a better method of fly control. One option is fly bait, which is made from a combination of chemicals that are known to be attractive to flies, even those that tend to resist other types of insecticides. This bait kills quickly but also has residual effects so it keeps on killing flies for at least several weeks.

Fleas:

The summer heat tends to make fleas more active and plentiful—which can create an uncomfortable and unpleasant situation for you and your pets. To fully eradicate fleas, you need to take a two-pronged approach to flea control. First, use a contact spray which works quickly and is easy to apply to furniture, bedding and other materials where fleas may be living. Next, you need to address the issue of eggs that are likely hidden away in these same areas of your home. Otherwise, you will soon be infested with the future generation of fleas. That’s why you will want to use an insect growth regulator to keep any eggs from developing. (As a bonus, these same products are also usually a good way to get rid of bed bugs and other pests.)

Spiders:

One of the most creepy types of insects, spiders can also be a problem because some have bites that can be painful (and, in rare cases, dangerous). One of the best options for spider pest control is a spray insecticide product, because it kills quickly and—a big plus—you can apply it from a safe distance away from the spider. Most insecticide sprays also have a residual effect, so they will continue to protect treated areas from spider activity for a period of time after the initial spray.

Image via: Claudia Martin, ASID

Ants:

Like flies, ants also like to enjoy the items on the menu of your summer gatherings. Fortunately, ant control is a fairly easy process, if you use the right products. For a quick solution, a spray will help you kill the visible ants on contact (and also has some residual effects). However, you really want to destroy the entire colony—which is where ant bait can be such a valuable tool. When ants take the bait back to their colony, it destroys a large population of ants, eventually causing the colony to die out.

Roaches:

For most people, roaches are among the most dreaded—and disgusting—of all household pests. As soon as you spot any sign of roaches, you want to act quickly. You will probably want to start with a spray, to get quick results. However, roaches like to hide in dark places, so you will also need to combat the ones you can’t see. For small roach control, a roach control kit is an effective choice. It contains roach stations (which contain roach-attracting pheromones) that can be placed under cabinets or other spots where roaches tend to gravitate. The control kit also contains tubes of gel bait that can be easily applied into cracks and crevices.

Mosquitoes:

These pests have bites that can be very itchy, but the bigger problem is that mosquitoes can spread viruses and serious—sometimes deadly—diseases. One important way to cut down on the mosquito population is to prevent them from multiplying. Be on the lookout for puddles or containers of standing water, as mosquitoes breed in water. (That’s why it’s a good idea to empty wading pools at the end of the day.) After that, you need to use effective products to kill mosquitoes before they have a chance to bite you. A spray that kills on contact can be an instant solution, but can require constant effort on your part. For a low-maintenance alternative, a mosquito trap can be a good choice.

Author: Monica Bird

Monica’s compassion for her customer’s struggles with pest control issues and passion for pest control stems from over 10 years in the industry. With a master’s degree in entomology, she uses her knowledge and experience in chemistry, insects and pests to educate her customers

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Because of global climate change, cities that used to be safe from flood are getting flooded. Since most people on those cities are not prepared for floods, they will often have water-damaged appliances after floods. What should you do when your appliances are damaged by water?

Image via: Dyna Contracting

Before you do anything . . .

It may be possible to repair water-damaged equipment or appliances. But it takes a trained technician to do it. If you don’t have a good working knowledge of electrical systems and that particular equipment, do not try fixing it yourself.

The first thing you should do is contact the manufacturer to get information on how to fix it or if the appliance can be fixed at all.

Trying to fix it yourself can put you and those around you in danger. Plus, it can worsen the damage on the equipment.

Image via: Archipelago Hawaii

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Replace equipment if . . .

According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, equipment must be replaced if the following parts are damaged by water:

• Molded case circuit breakers
• Low voltage fuses
• Switches
• Components containing semiconductors and transistors
• Electronically controlled and solid state contactors and starters
• Overload relays
• Electronic trip units or LV power circuit breakers
• All kinds of transformers except current transformers
• Fittings
• Outlet and junction boxes
• Wire or cable listed for dry locations
• Surge protective devices
• Wiring devices
• Arc fault circuit interrupters
• Ground fault circuit interrupters
• Lighting fixtures, ballasts, LED drivers
• Signaling, protection and communication systems

Image via: Katrina Mojzesz

May be reconditioned if . . .

Some damages may be reconditioned with the help of the manufacturer. If the following parts are damaged by water, contact manufacturer for guidance and how to get the device reconditioned.

• Panelboards
• Switchboards
• Manual and magnetic controllers
• Motor control centers
• High-voltage circuit breakers
• Low-voltage power circuit breakers
• Protective relays, meter and current transformers
• Low voltage switchgear
• Medium voltage switch gear
• Conduit and tubing
• Wire or cable suitable for we conditions
• Cable tray
• Fire pump controllers
• Motors

Why they’re Dangerous

Electrical distribution equipment and motor control equipment both have protective components. These components are essential to ensure safe operation of these machines. Flood water contains minerals and contaminants can result to corrosion. Aside from that, water can cause loss of lubrication and insulation.

According to the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Guide:

“Corrosion, loss of lubrication and insulation quality can also be expected in contactors and starters. Solid-state motor controllers, adjustable speed drives and those electromechanical contactors or starters with integral electronic circuitry will be more severely affected by water.”

Water can result in corrosion, insulation damage and also damage to the core winding. Water can also damage the fluids inside the transformer. When these things happen, the transformer won’t be able to do their intended jobs.

It may be tempting to try to recondition expensive equipment on your own but to keep yourself safe, always consult the manufacturer. When in doubt, the best course of action would be to refrain from using the equipment altogether until a qualified technician repairs it.

Duke Briggs is a DIY enthusiast and writer. He contributes to www.GosuReviews.com, a site that helps consumers make informed decisions on their purchases. 

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.