In Michigan, Dreams Can Come True

The Detroit Tigers just got another big bat in the lineup by signing Prince Fielder today. The slugger signed a 9-year contract worth $214 million. His incentives include $1 million if he is named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He also gets his own hotel suite when the Tigers are on the road. It’s no wonder he said “dreams come true” at a press conference on Thursday at Comerica Park.

Now Tigers fans will look for Fielder to help propel the team to its first World Series win since Ronald Reagan was nearing the end of his first term in the White House. For those of you too young to remember the Tigers in 1984, it was a marvelous season. Google it sometime.

Those of you who cheered on the team in ‘84 may recall relief pitcher Willie Hernandez earned both the Cy Young Award and the A.L. MVP award. Yet we know that baseball is truly a team sport and winning a championship takes a whole team of players dedicated to making it happen. One “Prince” can be a tremendous boost though, but the responsibility lies with every player at the plate, on the mound, and on the field every single game.

In the restoration business, we work with the same philosophy in mind. A winning team is made up of more than one person. It takes a commitment from each one of our “players” to successfully complete a project, from the first response a client gets by phone to ensuring the work meets expectations.

We’re dedicated to making 2012 a successful year, serving property owners here in Michigan and beyond to the best of our ability. If you know someone who wants a winning team on the job of water mitigation, sewage clean-up, fire and smoke damage restoration, and much more, let them know about Aaron’s Restoration. We’re available at 888-362-7944 round-the-clock. Even Prince Fielder can’t say that.

Misery and Michigan Frostbite

It doesn’t matter how cold it gets in Michigan in January, there is always someone walking around ill-prepared for the elements. You might see her on the street with a light jacket when it’s 25 degrees out. You might see him shoveling his sidewalk without gloves. Or you might be that person we’re talking about.

At Aaron’s Restoration, we deal in disasters all the time: storms, fires, floods, etc.. But our business involves working around things that can be replaced. It may be flooring damaged by flooding, a dryer burned in a fire or a wall lost to a tree felled by a storm. But human fingers and toes aren’t easily replaced when amputation becomes necessary after frostbite.

It may seem unusual for a restoration company to be discussing a medical condition. After all, you won’t find a doctor blogging about mold remediation. But we understand the need to be comfortable in your home, your sanctuary. It’s difficult to do that when your health and well-being are affected by the impact of frigid weather on your body. Even just adding a hat that covers your ears can prevent you from losing 40% of your body heat when you’re out in these chilly conditions.

Working outside for any period of time makes it imperative to dress properly for the weather. As you’ve certainly felt recently, our temperatures have stayed below freezing quite often, and even a gentle breeze at those temperatures can produce a fierce wind chill. That’s why we make sure our crews are prepared for the weather each and every time they respond to a call.

A little bit of extra time getting dressed for our cold Michigan winter days and nights is always well worth it. It may only take an extra sixty seconds to find those thick gloves and put on a warm hat. Easy enough, right? You want to be prepared for an emergency, not become one.

Warm Those Pipes, Michigan

As January rolls along, temperatures in Michigan are dropping even further. In fact, as daytime highs fail to climb out of the 20s, you’ll miss those warmer winter days when our highs topped 40 degrees. But while you’re dressing in layers outside or covered with an extra blanket inside, your water pipes may not feel so warm and toasty.

There are numerous ways to protect those pipes. For example, you could buy a product to insulate them. Some people recommend leaving a tap on to allow water to steadily flow through the pipes, reducing the risk of a freeze. Yet whatever option suits you best, it’s wise to address the potential problem before it becomes an actual problem.

The extended freeze makes a pipe burst more likely because the daytime temperatures don’t warm up enough to make a difference. And there is a huge difference between a few degrees. 29 is not 33.

A few days of freezing temperatures coinciding with a weekend can lead to a disaster if no one is home to tend to the pipes. A wise Michigan resident who is out of town during these particularly cold spells will contact someone to check on the house in his or her absence. An early observation of a developing problem can become a significant game changer with the right intervention.

A developing problem that gets neglected during a deep freeze can lead to widespread damage, depending on where the pipe burst occurs. It may affect flooring, furniture, walls and much more. By the time the disaster is discovered, the expense of clean-up could have doubled, tripled or worse.

Your best bet is to expect the best but prepare for the worst. That’s pretty much a smart policy to adopt in any area of your life, especially if you’re new to Michigan. Winters around here can pack a pretty cold punch.

Aaron’s Restoration is ready to handle disasters round-the-clock, during even the most chilly conditions. Whether it’s water mitigation, mold remediation, fire and smoke clean-up or virtually any other home disaster, the team of specialists at Aaron’s Restoration can return a home to its original condition quickly and expertly. Visit www.aaronsrestoration.com today or call 888-362-7944.

A Moist Air Mess in Michigan

With temperatures frequently below freezing in Michigan this month, you’re likely feeling the effects on your body. Perhaps you’re moving a bit slower, dealing with a runny nose, and experiencing dry skin. That dry skin, of course, comes from a lack of moisture in the air outside. Unfortunately, the season is having the opposite affect on many Michigan homes, creating a build-up of moisture in the winter months.

Where is all that moisture coming from? Many sources can be contributing to the level of moisture in a home. For starters, running a cool-mist humidifier to help relieve a family member’s nasal congestion creates moisture. A thermostat set higher than necessary can also create more moisture when the warm air interacts with cold surfaces, such as windows. In the bathroom, long, hot showers produce plenty of moisture, fogging up mirrors and making and floors walls slippery. In the kitchen, cooking on the stove top can produce steam. Even drying clothes indoors adds to the moisture level in a home.

The problem with all that moisture is the threat of rapid mold growth. It can be especially problematic in a tightly sealed, energy efficient home. So one quick way to reduce the moisture level in a home is to use ventilating fans wherever they are available. Moving that moisture away from walls and windows can help reduce the risk of mold and mildew growth. Also, find a comfortable setting for the thermostat and leave it there.

One area that gets overlooked is flooring. Carpet on a concrete floor with no barrier between the two can lead to the absorption of moisture in the carpet. Area rugs that can be removed and washed are preferable in this situation.

When mold becomes a growing problem in your Michigan home, whether you’re in Sterling Heights, Grand Rapids or Troy, contact Michigan’s mold remediation experts at Aaron’s Restoration. Mold removal and clean-up is one of our primary areas of expertise, and we can create a solution that matches your needs and budget. Call Aaron’s Restoration at 888-362-7944 or visit www.aaronsrestoration.com.

How Did Aaron’s Restoration Help You in 2011?

You might have seen Aaron’s Restoration in your neighborhood recently or perhaps you passed us on the road. Maybe we worked on a home of someone close to you and that’s how you first heard our name. But for those individuals whose homes we transformed after a disaster, we thank you for trusting our experience and expertise in your time of need.

We covered a lot of miles over the last 12 months. We provided emergency services to numerous property owners here in Michigan and beyond. We handled mold problems, water damage, fire and smoke damage, sewage back-up, and much more. We saw many rooms and homes at their worst, and did our best to expertly restore them and their contents.

If you were one of the property owners in Michigan and beyond who turned to Aaron’s Restoration for residential or commercial services in 2011, we want to hear from you. Last time, you likely called our toll-free number, 888-362-7944, to contact us. But this time, we invite you to share with us in writing how our team made a difference in your life in the past year. Whether it was a big project or a little one, we welcome any stories or comments about the ways we enhanced your home.

Testimonials, like the one you can provide, allow potential customers to make more informed decisions and discover the benefits of turning to a restoration company with a proven track record. So think about your experience. Was it your first time using a restoration company? What impressed you most? What pleasantly surprised you during the process?

We made it easy for you to share stories and comments with us. Simply leave a reply below this blog. It doesn’t need to be long. Just make it personal and meaningful.

Thank you for your patronage in 2011, and we wish you a prosperous year in 2012.

Controlling Michigan Mold Growth

A little mold can go a long way. Whether flooding or a plumbing leak gave life to the mold in a home, controlling it’s growth is essential and removing it is imperative. Not only can it affect sensitive groups, such as people with asthma or allergies, it can also damage your home and belongings.

One telltale sign of mold is the accompanying odor. You may also see specks of mold (black or white) along basement and bathroom walls, for example. But not all mold is immediately visible, even with a careful scan of a room where flooding occurred. Professional mold remediation companies often find mold growing behind ceiling tiles and wall coverings, sometimes developing in places where warm, moist air has condensed on cooler surfaces. This makes basements, kitchens and laundry rooms more susceptible to mold growth.

Controlling mold growth here in Michigan involves taking immediate action when you suspect your home may contain mold or you’ve visually identified mold. An experienced mold remediation company can safely remove, clean and salvage items, depending on the level of mold damage sustained. Contacting a reputable company eliminates the risks associated with a homeowner removing mold and handling clean-up alone.

Even before contacting a mold remediation specialist, a homeowner can take several steps to control mold growth. Since mold may already be present even in homes that may experienced no flooding or leaks, don’t rule out a developing mold problem if those scenarios don’t apply to your home. One simple step is to reduce the amount of moisture in vulnerable rooms, and this can be done with fans or by opening windows. Increasing air flow will help, especially along exterior walls.

Since proper air circulation is beneficial here, moving larger objects away from the walls allows for warm air to pass behind them and along the walls. Keep air circulating in moist areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms, by using the exhaust fans in those places or installing fans where they are lacking. Also, regular home cleaning and vacuuming removes existing mold spores, and wiping up water droplets and condensation on windows means that moisture can’t create a mold problem in the near future.

Get help tackling a mold problem in your Michigan home by calling the mold remediation specialists in your area. For Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Grand Rapids and beyond, homeowners rely on Aaron’s Restoration. For clean-up and recovery, visit www.aaronsrestoration.com or call 888-362-7944.

Budgeting for Michigan Home Improvement & Repair

Okay, so maybe you spent far too much on holiday shopping this year. Sure, you simply couldn’t resist picking up all those wonderful gifts. Of course, between the in-store specials and online deals, you thought you were saving money so you just kept buying presents. Now your bank account and/or credit card may be suffering from that shopping strain. Budgeting would’ve helped, but that’s a lesson you can carry forward.

Budgeting is essential for any Michigan homeowner long after the presents have been unwrapped, the relatives have left, and the lights have come down. If the only budgeting consideration you have is how to pay your mortgage and keep the lights on every month, it’s a good time to take some serious steps in creating a budget for home improvement projects and repairs.

How much is enough? Let’s use a $300,000 home as an example. If your budget is in the range of 1-2%, that means setting aside $3,000-$6,000 a year to cover planned and unplanned projects.

Consider the potential areas of concern at your Michigan home in a given year. Damage could occur from flooding, fires, storms or even sewage backup. On a smaller scale, a broken window caused by a thrown ball or a rock kicked up by a lawn mower could be another expense.

Other expenses inside the home are possible if appliances, such as hot water heater or washing machine, are damaged by disasters. If those appliances are aging or already malfunctioning, replacement will be necessary.

If you’ve never been a person who budgets, 2012 is a time to start fresh. Sit down after the holidays and assess what may need to be replaced in the coming year. Also, look back at what unexpected expenses you faced in 2011. Having a sense of what you spent overall this year on home improvement and repair will give you an idea of what’s possible in the year ahead.

When you need disaster response in Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Grand Rapids and beyond, rely on Aaron’s Restoration. From emergency services to cleanup and recovery to restoration, the disaster experts can return virtually any home back to its original condition. Call 888-362-7944 for a free estimate today.

The Holiday Season Heats Up in Michigan

Santa Claus is coming to town, and he’s turning up everywhere these days. This Saturday, you can take the kids to see St. Nick at Cranbrook House and Gardens in Bloomfield Hills at noon. Maybe a 1 pm lunch with Kris Kringle at Stonycreek Metro Park in Utica sounds good. Or for early birds, meet the jolly man in the red suit at Macy’s (Oakland) in Troy for breakfast at 9 am. Yes, he sure seems to travel fast. But so do you.

Quick departures from home to get to the stores, community events, school functions, or church services can be the norm this time of year. After all, there is so little time and so much to do. But during the next few weeks, as we wrap up 2011, it definitely pays to take time for a few precautions before leaving the house every time, no matter how short the expected trip may be.

Fireplaces are the usual suspects and hopefully you know better than to leave a fire burning when you’re out of the house. But what about a clothes dryer? An unattended clothes dryer is another fire hazard, especially one with a build-up of lint. The safest option is to turn it off before leaving.

Attending that office holiday party may prompt you to use the curling iron to look your best, but leaving the curling iron on, one without an automatic shut-off, is a hazard that can lead to horrendous consequences. The same can be said of a clothes iron. These household items should be safely turned off and moved to a place they can cool off without igniting nearby fabric or material.

As a safety precaution, do a walk-through of your home to inspect for potential fire dangers. Identify what items, if left on or unattended, could spark a fire. Then, when it’s time to get on the road, assign each family member a room to check. The extra few minutes you spend now just might save you thousands of dollars later.

In the event of a fire, rely on Aaron’s Restoration for 24-hour emergency service from board-up to rebuilding. Visit aaronsrestoration.com anytime, or when disaster strikes, call 888-362-7944 first.

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Disasters in December

This month delivers frequent festive moments during holiday office parties, visits from relatives, family meals and much more. Yet December also brings a unique set of threats at home. Michigan residents who decorate with holiday lights and put up a Christmas tree could create hazards in the home if they’re not practicing a safety-first approach.

Many of us are familiar with the holiday disasters caused by one fictional movie character, Clark Griswold of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Chevy Chase’s Clark, always over-the-top in his quest to create family traditions, covers the home and property with 25,000 lights. But decorations don’t have to be elaborate like Griswold’s to pose a risk. Even a modest amount of decorations and lighting can lead to trouble, if not set up correctly.

Published figures show roughly 240 house fires per year are linked to artificial and real Christmas trees. Another 150 house fires are linked to holiday lighting products. Among those decorative lighting fires, a whopping majority (73%) were caused by electrical problems. The list of problems most likely includes plugging too many items into one outlet and using lights that have been damaged during previous use or during the removal or packing process. A fire starting due to an item that was too close to the lights only accounted for 15 percent of the total fires.

Before decorating, carefully inspect each lighting product and test it before use. After decorating is done, remaining vigilant can reduce the risk of fires. Observe your lights daily and immediately remove any lighting product that malfunctions. Also, make it a habit to turn off lights while no one is home. When removing these lighting products at the end of the holiday season, carefully remove and pack them so they do not sustain damage before you haul them out again next year.

Aaron’s Restoration provides disaster response in Michigan in Clinton Township, Macomb Township, Saint Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Troy and Grand Rapids. More information can be found online at www.aaronsrestoration.com. For 24 emergency services, call 888-362-7944.

5 Ways to Winterize a Michigan Home in 15 Minutes

Winter doesn’t officially arrive for another month, but low temperatures near the freezing mark these days are a sign of things to come. If you haven’t winterized your home yet, it’s still a good time to do it. Experienced homeowners make this a Fall routine, but newer homeowners may not recognize the importance of protecting your home from the harsh elements of a Michigan winter.

In a short amount of time, you can make real progress in winterizing your home. Keep in mind, both inside and outside areas of the home need attention. Let’s take a look at five easy steps you can get done in the next 15 minutes.

1. Winterize air conditioners. Cover a condenser unit outside or remove and store window units. If the unit cannot be removed, close the vent and cover the unit.

2. Check chimney draft. Light a roll of newspapers and observe if the smoke flows upward. If not, contact a professional to clean the chimney.

3. Insulate exposed plumbing. Use electrical tape to wrap water or drain piping in those chilly crawl spaces or attic, then cover them with foam insulation.

4. Turn off water supply to outside faucets. Drain the water first, then cover the hose bibb with an insulated cover.

5. Insulate hot water heater. Kits are available and some come with pipe insulation for hot water lines.

With continuous frigid temperatures and the threat of ice and major snowfalls, December to February can be a harsh period in Michigan. Taking care of your most important investment now reduces the risk of potential weather-related disasters in the coming months. These disasters, including pipe bursts which lead to flooding damage, can be disruptive to your comfort or even force you out of your home depending on the severity of the disaster.

When disaster strikes, Aaron’s Restoration provides 24-hour emergency services. Our service area includes Clinton Township, Macomb Township, Saint Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Troy and Grand Rapids. Click on the link below to learn more about these services.

Aaron’s Restoration: 24-Hour Emergency Services