Home remedies and lifestyle modification for acne prevention are the best methods to deal with the dermatitis – the bane of existence of countless sufferers. Adherence to a regular regimen can not only cure acne vulgaris but also effectively prevent its recurrence. Over the counter medications that use synthetic ingredients often provide only a temporary respite. Acne raises it ugly head within a short time after ceasing the use of such products. This is because such medications are only palliative in nature; they target only the external symptoms of acne and do not repair the damage within the skin. So why waste your money on expensive products when you can get a holistic treatment in your own home?

Following are some home remedies that have proven to be the best acne solutions from time immemorial.

– An All Fruit Diet: Eliminate the toxins from your body and rejuvenate your system by resorting to an all fruit diet for a week every month. Focus only on fresh, juicy fruits like apricot, apples, grapefruit, guava, olive, papaya, pears and pineapples. This will not only cleans your system but also improve your vitality.

– Go Green: Give the pizza and ice cream the dump. Opt for fresh green vegetables instead. These are rich in essential vitamin and minerals and help in detoxification.

– Water Baths: A hot Epsom salt bath taken two-times a week may prove to be beneficial. Alternatively, bathing the affected area with Castile and Calendula extract mixed with warm water can be beneficial.

– Steam Bath: Local application of hot fomentation should open up the pores draw out the waste material. A hot steam application should always be followed with rinsing with cold water to close the open pores.

– Heal the Body: Correct the diseases inside your body to cure the acne. Beetroot is extremely beneficial for the liver. The herb milk thistle protects the liver. Keeping the liver healthy will in turn help prevent acne. Apples and Psyllium husk are excellent for cleansing the bowels and preventing build-up of mycotoxin producers.

– Cooking Procedure: All food that you eat should be low in oil content. Do not fry your food, try baking or grilling instead. Stick to lean meat products – poultry items and fishes like cod or salmon.

– Fenugreek: Boil fenugreek seeds in water and apply the extract on the face to cure acne.

– Exfoliate using baking soda: Form a paste of baking soda with water and use it as a scrub. Massage gently, not more than 15 seconds.

– Vinegar: Balance your skin pH and eliminate acne-causing bacteria by the application of diluted vinegar or apple juice on your face, after cleaning and drying it properly. – Acne

Water Damage Restoration – What Is It?

It is the process of repairing a house or property to its pre loss condition. Damage to the property could be because of an overflow, flood or any other water damage event. The water damage restoration process involves several key procedures like loss assessment, categorization based on the water contamination levels, decontaminating and drying the structure, monitoring of the process and completion of the process. There are two large certifying bodies, namely the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) and the RIA (Restoration Industry Association) that recommends standards for water damage restoration. The S500 damage due to water guide is the benchmark tool that is used by companies that specialize in restoration of water damage.

Loss Assessment and Categorization

Loss evaluation is the first and the most important step in water damage restoration. The assessment has to be correct so that an appropriate response can be taken. In restorating the damage caused by water, technicians and the insurance companies must work together and understand what is damaged and how to go about restoring the damage. Identifying the source of the damage, documentation of damage, and accurate estimates are mandatory for a proper water damage restoration. Categorization is based on the contamination levels of the water source. The categories are listed below

Category 1 – This is water from clean sources like pipes, sinks and toilets without faeces or urine.

Category 2 – This is water that has some contaminants like water from a dishwasher, washing machine or toilet with urine.

Category 3 – This is water that is highly unsanitary and is capable of causing illness or death if ingested. Sewage water, water from toilet with faeces, standing water with microbial growth and floodwater are some examples.

Decontamination and Drying

After the evaluation is complete, the process of drying and decontaminating begins at the site. Based on the extent of damage, damage caused due to water can be classified into 4 types. Class 1 Damage- When loss is restricted to a small area and less water has been absorbed by materials. This results in slow evaporation rate. Class 2 Damage – When the damage is to the entire room and carpet area. Class 3 Damage – When the entire area is saturated with water and Class 4 Damage – when there are many deep saturation pockets. Decontamination and drying is a key stage in Water damage restoration and equipments like blowers, dehumidifiers, scrubbers and subfloor drying equipments have to be used. Decontamination has to be done if contamination has been detected in the area. Decontamination may be done for the entire area or in specific pockets where contamination has been detected.

Monitoring and Completion

Monitoring the restoration process of damage caused due to damage is critical to achieve the desired results. One has to be proactive during the monitoring process. Checking if the drying equipment is setup properly, assessing if the personnel involved are qualified for the job and checking if the equipments are in working order are all part of the monitoring process. Necessary steps are to be taken if anything wrong is spotted during the monitoring process. The entire process of water damage restoration would be classified as complete only once the humidity, temperature and the moisture content is as per industry standards. Upon completion of the water damage restoration process, the drying equipment can be removed.

Water damage comes in a variety of forms that can be merely annoying or potentially dangerous, depending on the source of the flow. Today, we will go over the general categories of water leaks, the type of damage they can cause and the recommended steps to treat them. Water damage is split up into various categories and classifications according to standards set by the IICRC.

Category 1 (Clear Water)

This type of water damage occurs when a pipe or appliance springs a leak or overflows when left on unattended. Fortunately, in these types of situations, the water is usually clean and does not pose any real risk to you immediately. Clean water damage typically is an issue for the surrounding environment, such as carpets, books and other belongings which are not waterproof and may need restoration work done if the flooding happens over a long period of time. Additionally, water damage can potentially lead to more severe issues such as mold growth that will need the attention of a professional mold inspector and remediator.

Category 2 (Grey Water)

Gray water damage involves some degree of contamination, whether it’s physical, biological or chemical. In layman’s terms, gray water is dangerous but not hazardous and needs some form of remediation in order to ensure that the environment is properly restored for human inhabitation. The most common household gray water situations come from toilets, dishwashers and washing machine leaks, where detergents or food particles are mingled in with the water supply. Gray water, like clean water, may also cause mold damage in unattended situations and can also potentially lead to other structural issues depending on the type of contaminant in the water.

Category 3 (Black Water)

This is the most uncommon form of water damage as well as the most dangerous. Black water contains extremely unsanitary agents including bacteria and fungus, and contaminate all surfaces it touches. Black water damage is usually caused by natural disasters such as storms and floods, where debris is washed into the water, or from ruptured sewage lines or septic tanks. This type of water damage must be handled by a professional restoration firm and potentially the state environmental protection agency, as the consequences of leaving the situation untreated or improper treatment can be devastating to many others besides the property owner.

In addition to the types of water damage, there are also various classifications to specify the rate of evaporation for a water damage scenario. This information is subsequently utilized by the technicians to determine the proper method of dryout and an approximate timeline.

Class 1 (Slow Evaporation Rate)

This is the most benign level of water damage in which only a part of a room or area is affected, or the materials involved are relatively low permanence or porosity such as particle board, structural wood or plywood. In these situations, there is usually a minimal amount of moisture absorbed by materials and restoration time is typically fast.

Class 2 (Fast Evaporation Rate)

This class generally involves an entire room, or flood damage where water has wicked up to 24 inches on the wall. Moisture can be present in the structure as well. These scenarios are middle of the road as far as the work and time involved.

Class 3 (Fastest Evaporation Rate)

Class 3 situations commonly involves water that comes from above, either from an upstairs room or outside during heavy rain. In these scenarios, water has saturated more than 24 inches above the wall, posing severe structural risk and potential damage if not immediately addressed.

Class 4 (Specialty Drying Situations)

In this class, the surrounding structure and materials have very low permance/porosity, causing water to remain in saturated pockets throughout. Examples include hardwood, brick, concrete or other materials that do not have a high amount of absorption rate for moisture. These scenarios require very specific low humidity and ventilation solutions in order for water to be effectively removed.

While the class and categorization of a water emergency can usually be quickly inferred, be sure to double check with your water technician when they arrive on site to get the full scope of the situation after a professional inspection has been conducted. Your technician should be able to provide you with an approximate estimate of the timeframe, as well as details on the exact work that needs to be done to bring everything back up to speed. We will cover the various methods of water damage restoration in our next article so be sure to stay tuned!

In today’s economy home or business damage is harder to take care of. If you have a flood or water damage to your home or business and don’t have insurance the cost of getting your problems fixed can break the bank pretty fast. If you do have insurance, it is better to hire a professional water damage restoration company to handle the problem for you.

Unfortunately, water damage cleanup is an inevitable part of owning a home for many of us. Whether the water is from a clogged floor drain, torrential rains, or plumbing mishaps, there are three reasons for immediate water removal.

Cleanup Water Fast to Prevent Mold

The first is to prevent mold. This cannot be stressed enough,because there is a twenty four to forty eight hour window before mold begins to grow, so water damage cleanup needs to be performed within that open window.

Cleanup Water Fast to Prevent Foundation Damage

The second reason is to prevent foundation damage. Standing water over time will break down concrete floors by weakening them in the center, so it must be kept dry.

Cleanup Water Fast to Prevent Bacteria

There is a third reason for quickly removing water, and that is to prevent bacteria and the risk of contamination. I prefer the ease of use with a rented water extractor to cleanup water myself.

Before I begin water damage cleanup, and because I prefer the job of cleanup water myself, here are some tips I would like to share. Starting with paper products including books that may have gotten wet, remember, if they are of no value, toss them into the garbage.It’s also a wise idea to copy important documents and if damage isn’t too severe, freeze dry the originals.

Carpeting usually has a pad on its underside, if the carpet gets soaked, so will the pad. Using the water extractor to suction up as much water as possible, place a dehumidifier and several fans in the area. If it’s a sunny day, open the windows as well. Repeat this process for all fabric covered furniture and concrete floors. Ceiling tiles are not worth saving and are inexpensive, so get rid of them and purchase replaceable ones.

For floors covered with linoleum or ceramics, after removing excess water, scrub the area with a mild detergent or clean with white vinegar, it repels mold.Plastic and metal items are the easiest to clean with just some warm soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Hopefully, the drywall hasn’t received too much water, if so it needs to be removed and replaced or it will swell.Wood paneling will also swell so pull it out from the wall to get air behind it and clean thoroughly. These tips are for individuals who like me prefer to cleanup water myself, so be sure the damage is from clean water only.For mold buildup, sewer leaks, or other possibly contaminated water problems, a licensed professional should be called immediately.

Every year, millions of properties all over the world suffer from the risk and destruction associated with water damage to the home. There are several identifiable culprits including flooding, torrential rains, and broken water pipes, but the effect is almost always the same; poor response by homeowners to the calamity often leads to abandonment of the property because it is already beyond repair.

With water damage to the home, it is important to remember that the speed and quality of the response can mean all the difference starting from scratch or successfully restoring a property to pre-damage condition. Although there will be cases when the damage will be too much to repair, in situations where the damage is moderate the type of response means everything. In this regard, every homeowner should take it upon himself to learn as much as possible about water damage to the home and the steps that can be taken to reverse the damage.

Here is a short guide on water damage repair that may come in handy when a rainy day come along.

· Begin by assessing the type of damage that your property has suffered during the calamity. A good rule of thumb is to identify specific places where damaged is observed, the type of material that is exposed to the water, and the duration of the exposure. Remember; even concrete, when immersed in water for a prolonged period, can weaken leading to irreparable damage.

· If there is significant water accumulation in the property, evacuating the standing water is the most important step towards repair. In cases of moderate flooding, a pump is required to suck out the water fast enough to prevent lasting damage. If the risk of water damage to home is very high because of the flood-prone location of the property, having a pump on standby is absolutely a must.

· Once the water has been evacuated, the next step to reverse water damage to home is to completely dry the wet portions of the property. This is where many homeowners make a big blunder; most think that you can simply dry a wet property without having to do anything. If you are dealing with wood, and other wood-based materials, you need to have blowers and heaters that can dry the material faster. Wood is highly sensitive to water exposure so time is a precious commodity for making sure the damage is not permanent.

· Some materials are better thrown out than dried after exposure to water. Examples include foam, insulation, and fireboard which can harbor mold and mildew with just minimal exposure to water. Don’t attempt to dry out these materials, especially if you are not trained to do so. Avoiding sickness which may happen because of mold infestation is more important than rescuing certain portions of your property.

· When in doubt, consult the opinion of water damage restorers who are properly trained and equipped to handle varying degrees of water damage to the home. Think about the cost implications associated with employing a professional, but know that a job-well-done can save you thousands more than if you were to lose your property altogether.

Water damage to the home is not something to scoff at but there are ways for it to be managed properly. Be conscious of these ways so the next time you find your property under risk of water damage, you know exactly what to do to save and repair your prized and valuable possession.

If you would like to learn more about water damage to the home and what actions that must be taken to salvage it, be sure and browse the many well-done article on our website concerning the subject.

Water damage in a home can be a frightening prospect. Whether the damage is from a storm or from a leaking pipe, the water can cause untold amounts of damage to the structure as well as all the belongings inside it. Time is not your friend when you’re dealing with water damage – if you have or suspect you have water damage, do not delay in calling for help and repair from your trusted contractor.

Water Categories

One of the first things that need to be determined when there is water damage is what kind of water caused it. There are three categories of water, rated on their contamination level.

Category One is clean, sanitary water, also known as clear water. This most commonly is found in clean water supply lines, such as those leading to a faucet, or in bottled drinking water. While this water has little or no contamination in itself, it can degrade into a higher category quickly if it comes into contact with outside contaminants in the environment.

Category Two, also known as grey water, is water that is mostly clean but does contain some contaminants. This kind of water is found in washing machine or dishwasher overflow, as well as toilets and bathtubs. This category of water may cause discomfort or illness if ingested, and can degrade into category three if it comes into contact with further contaminants in the environment.

Category Three water, also known as black water, is grossly unsanitary, containing a high level of contamination. It can cause severe illness or even death if ingested. Sources of this kind of water include sewage, flooding from rivers, wind-driven rain, and standing water that supports bacterial growth. If left untreated, all water will eventually reach this level of contamination as it comes into contact with bacteria and other microbes.

Extent of the Damage

Once the water contamination level has been determined, it is next necessary to determine the extent of the damage.

Class One water damage generally only affects a small area, or affects an area with very little porosity such as concrete. With no wet carpet or other highly porous materials, class one damage is the least dangerous and the easiest to repair.

Class Two damage can affect an entire room, and often includes carpet. Water may also have soaked into the walls up to 2 feet. There may be moisture in the structural materials of the building.

Class Three water damage is total saturation of walls, ceilings, insulation, carpet, and walls. Water often comes from overhead in these situations.

Class Four damage is reserved for unique or specialty drying situations, in which materials with low porosity (such as hardwood, plaster, brick, stone, or concrete) have become saturated. There may be very deep pockets of saturation.

Repair Procedures

Repair will begin with inspection of the area with water sensing equipment, including probes and infrared tools, to locate the source of the damage and its extent. The source of the water will be repaired if possible, such as a leaking pipe. Some damaged materials such as drywall and carpet will be removed and replaced, while other materials such as structural beams or concrete will be dried. Other restoration services will include sanitizing contaminated areas and deodorizing the affected area.

After this labor is completed, equipment for drying such as air movers or scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and specialty floor drying systems may be left in your home for a few days, to ensure that the area is completely dried. If any water is allowed to remain in the area, contamination will continue, causing mold and bacteria growth. After two or three days (or however long is necessary), the area will be reevaluated to be sure that the drying process is complete, and drying equipment will be removed.