Homebuyer Beware: The Hazards of Aluminum and Knob and Tube Wiring
Finding a home that’s just right for you and your family can be a challenging and emotional pro [...]
Don’t Confuse Flying Ants With Termites – Here Are the Differences
If you see ants with wings in or very near your home don’t panic and assume that they’re winged [...]
Steps to Take If You Suspect a Sinkhole on Your Property
Sagging trees and fence posts, and water pooling in your yard. Walls and ceilings in your home [...]
A Clogged Air Filter Can Harm Your Health and Hurt Your Wallet. Here’s How
Although air filters may be one of the least thought-of or appreciated devices in your home, re [...]
4 Signs You May Need to Change Your Air Filter
Air filters perform a thankless but critical job—maintaining a comfortable temperature and a he [...]
3 Warning Signs That You May Have a Sinkhole
3 Warning Signs That You May Have a Sinkhole You’ve probably seen them on the evening new [...]
What is the #1 Cause of House Fires?
Fire doesn't discriminate - it can strike anywhere at any time. But there are some reasons fire [...]
How Long Does it Take to Repair a House After a Fire?
Repairing a house after a fire can take quite some time - but it depends on several factors, in [...]
What You May Need to Replace After a House Fire
After a house fire, you have a lot on your mind - and there's just so much to do and so many pe [...]
3 Things to Do After a House Fire
If your home was devastated by a house fire, you have a lot on your mind. So what are you suppo [...]
After the Fire: What You Need to Know
A fire can change your life - but what happens right after the flames are extinguished? Here's [...]
Is the Paint on Your Walls Harmful?
Paint is pretty, but in some cases it may also be pretty dangerous. Many of today’s paints cont [...]
I Have Asbestos Siding and Not Much Money to Fix It. What Should I Do?
You’re excited about your new home—a 1950s rancher. It’s your dream house. One thing though: it [...]
How Protected Is My Townhome If There’s a Fire Next Door?
The possibility of a house fire is a reality faced by every homeowner. If you live in a townhom [...]
Should You Buy Impact-Resistant Windows?
If you live in Michigan, you know we get our fair share of heavy storms and tornadoes - but is [...]
Buying a Home? Ask These Questions First
If you're buying a home in Washtenaw County or Jackson County, there are a few things you want [...]
Buying a Home? Find Out About Its Insurance Claim History First
If you're buying a home, you should ask about its insurance claim history before you sign the d [...]
Could Your Property Flood This Spring?
If you're like many people, you don't think a lot about flooding - after all, we live in Michig [...]
Should You Have Flood Insurance?
If you're like most homeowners, you don't have flood insurance. Why would you? We live in Michi [...]
Do You Have a Plan in Case Disaster Strikes?
Disaster can strike at any time, whether it's a fire, an ice storm, a tornado or an earthquake. [...]
3 Tips to Handle Mildew, Cockroaches & Squeaky Hinges
Mildew and cockroaches: unhealthy for you and your family. Squeaky door hinges: just plain anno [...]
Is the Paint on Your Walls Harmful?
Paint is pretty, but in some cases it may also be pretty dangerous. Many of today’s paints cont [...]
My Home Doesn’t Have Smoke Alarms. Where Do I Start? (Part 2): More Questions Answered
This is the second post in a two-part series. You can read the first post here. Smoke alarms ar [...]
My Home Doesn’t Have Smoke Alarms. Where Do I Start?
This is the first post in a two-part series. You can read the second post here. When it comes t [...]
6 Signs That You May Have Termites
Termites can spell disaster for your home as they eat their way through its wooden structure. W [...]
The 4 Most Common Causes of Leaky Roofs in Michigan
Your roof should last between 20 and 30 years - and that's if you use even the most basic shing [...]
How to Find a Leak in Your Roof
When the snow melts and spring rains start, a lot of Michiganders start noticing roof leaks - a [...]
How to Prevent a Wet Basement This Spring
If you're like many Michiganders, you're dreading spring rains - but they're definitely on thei [...]
Help Fireproof Your Home: 5 Options for Fire-Resistant Roofing
Whether you live in a fire-prone area or not, choosing fire-resistant roofing for your home is [...]
Help Fireproof Your Home: 4 Options for Fire-Resistant Siding
Siding can enhance the look of your home. The right siding can also act as a barrier against fi [...]
Fire-, Termite-, Mold- and Mildew-Resistant Flooring Options
You want flooring that’s not only beautiful, but tough enough to withstand adverse conditions. [...]
4 Ways to Dry Your Damp Basement
Keeping your basement dry and tight can be a challenge. Factors like climate, geography, [...]
3 Reasons Your Basement is Damp
Basements are notorious for being damp, musty places, and here are some of the reasons w [...]
Can Mold Come Back After Remediation?
Mold is a tricky problem to deal with - and it can be a persistent one. But can mold come back [...]
Do You Have a Home Fire Evacuation Plan?
The last thing you want to have to do is evacuate your house because it's on fire - but you def [...]
Why You Should Keep Two Emergency Kits During Winter
If you're like many Michiganders, you have an emergency kit in your house or in your car - but [...]
How to Prevent Winter Storm Damage
Michigan winters are no joke - and big storms can pop up out of nowhere, causing damage to your [...]
Flood Damage Basics
After a flood, you may find that your home is significantly damaged - and you'll probably need [...]
Why You Need a Professional Restoration Company After a Disaster
If you've had a disaster in your home, whether it's been a fire, a storm or anything else, you [...]
How Does Mold Get Into Your Home?
Mold can pose serious health risks to you, your family and your pets. If you have a serious mol [...]
How to Clean Mold and Mildew Yourself
Mold and mildew can be hazardous to your health - and in some cases, you need to call in a mold [...]
How to Install GFCI Outlets in Your Home
If you're like many Michigan homeowners with old outlets in your home, you may need to install [...]
Should You Have GFCI Outlets?
Most new homes have GFCI outlets, which are required when an outlet is near water. But older ho [...]
3 Tips for Decreasing Indoor Air Pollution in Your Michigan Home
The air we breathe can make us sick - and because many people are living with indoor air pollut [...]
Most Common Causes of Air Pollution in Michigan Homes
If you're like most people, you know that the air we breathe every day isn't exceptionally clea [...]
What to Put in Your Tornado Safety Kit
Tornado season in Michigan typically lasts between April and July, which means it’s only a matt [...]
Where to Shelter During a Tornado
Tornado season is less than a month away, which means you need to know how to keep yours [...]
Tornado Myths vs. Tornado Facts
An average of 16 tornadoes occur in Michigan each year – and most of them happen in April, May, [...]
What Are Ice Dams?
When you see icicles hanging from your eaves and gutters, you have ice dams. And ice dams can b [...]
How to Get Your Gutters Ready for Winter
Taking good care of your gutters is an important step in protecting your home from water damage [...]
How to Clean Your Gutters
Cleaning your gutters can help prevent water damage in your home - but if you're like many home [...]
How to Protect Your Home From Water Damage
Water damage in Michigan homes is far too common - and it's expensive to fix, too. The average [...]
What to Do After a Tornado
After a tornado, you still need to keep yourself and your family safe – and now, because Michig [...]
How to Remove Smoke Odor From Your Walls
After a fire, the smoke odor can linger for quite some time – and unless you take steps to get [...]
How to Clean Soot From Your Walls With Trisodium Phosphate
A popular cleaner for soot and smoke on your walls is a trisodium phosphate solution. Trisodium [...]
How to Clean Smoke Damage
If you decide to clean smoke damage yourself rather than hiring a smoke damage remediation pro [...]
Smoke Damage: What You Need to Know
Even a small fire can generate a tremendous amount of smoke – and smoke can do irreparable dama [...]
Should You Attempt to Clean Up Mold Yourself?
Mold can be tremendously dangerous. While not all types of mold will kill you, there are some t [...]
What Furniture Can You Keep if Your House is Flooded?
When your house floods, the results can be catastrophic – and if you’re like most people, you m [...]
Should You Replace Your Carpets After a House Fire?
In addition to fire, smoke and soot damage, house fires often lead to significant water damage. [...]
3 Fire Damage Restoration Tips
When your home has been damaged by fire, you need to get in touch with a fire damage restoratio [...]
How to Find and Seal Exterior Foundation Cracks
The last thing you want is for your basement to flood - but as Ann Arbor disaster experts, we'v [...]
How to Find and Seal Exterior Foundation Cracks
The last thing you want is for your basement to flood - but as Ann Arbor disaster experts, we'v [...]
How to Protect the Exterior of Your Home From Summer Flooding
A big thunderstorm can pop up at any minute - after all, this is Michigan, land of the flip-flo [...]
Ready for a Rough Summer in Michigan?
According to the Detroit Free Press, this summer is going to carry over the spring's rough weat [...]
Important Medications to Put in Your Preparedness Bag
If you're like many people, you have a disaster preparedness bag ready to go in the event of a [...]
Can You Remove Mold From Carpet?
If your home has been hit by a disaster - a flood, a big storm or even a roof leak - you might [...]
How to Clean Mildew From Upholstery
If you've discovered mildew on upholstery, you're in a tough spot - you may be able to clean it [...]
How to Remove Mildew From Grout or Walls
Bathrooms and other spaces - particularly those in the basements of Michigan homes - are prone [...]
How to Remove Mold and Mildew From Fabric
If your home has been damaged by water, you might find that some of your clothing and upholster [...]
How to Deal With Soot Yourself
If your home has smoke damage, you most likely need a fire and smoke damage specialist in Ann A [...]
How to Clean Mold and Mildew in Your Home
Mold and mildew in the home are more than just unpleasant - they can cause odors, destruction, [...]
Can You Reduce Your Indoor Air Pollution?
If you're like most Michiganders, you know that as the weather gets warmer, we all spend more t [...]
Emergency Food Supplies After a Disaster
If you’re facing the aftermath of a disaster, you need to know what to put in an emergency kit [...]
What to Store in an Emergency Preparedness Bag
We’ve discussed what to put in a disaster kit, but what if you have a little more room, such as [...]
What to Put in Your Disaster Kit
If you’re like most people, you know that you need a disaster kit handy – unforeseen circumstan [...]
What to Put on an Emergency List
If you’re like most people, you need to set up an emergency list – that way, if a disaster stri [...]
How to Choose a Fire Damage Restoration Company
If you’re searching for fire damage restoration companies in Ann Arbor, there’s a good c [...]
7 Tornado Safety Tips Every Michigander Needs
If you're like most Michiganders, you're well aware that a tornado can strike at any time. Torn [...]
Tornado Basics You Need to Know in Michigan
Michigan's tornado season starts in April and doesn't end until July - but as we all know, Mich [...]
How to Care for Pets During a Tornado
Michigan's tornado season runs from April to July, but as we all know, Michigan weather is alwa [...]
What Goes in a Tornado Kit for Pets?
Tornado season in Michigan is right around the corner, and that means it's time to make sure yo [...]
Tornado Preparation: Be Ready This Tornado Season
Tornado season in Michigan lasts from April through July, and it's essential that you and your [...]
Tornado Safety Tips
In Michigan, most tornadoes occur in April, May, June and July. Statistically, they're more lik [...]
Common Weather Events That Can Damage Your Home
Storm damage can be extremely serious - but it doesn't just come from blowing winds and rain. H [...]
What Type of Damage Can a Tornado Cause?
Tornadoes can cause serious damage to your home and property - and if it does, you'll probably [...]
How to Prepare for Springtime Floods in Michigan
Spring is (finally) right around the corner - and everybody in Michigan knows that April shower [...]
What Causes Mold Growth in Your Attic?
While Michigan isn't as humid as some states (we're looking at you, Florida), we still get our [...]
5 Appliances That Put Your Home at Risk for Flooding
The appliances you need to live could be putting you at risk for flooding in your home - but do [...]
Washing Machines, Water Heaters and Other Surprise Flooding Causes
If you're like most people, the last thing you're planning for is a flood inside your home - bu [...]
Going on Vacation? Turn on Your A/C to Avoid Mold
When temperatures start to warm up, Michigan gets a little more humid. We're not as bad as Flor [...]
5 Common Causes of Electrical Fires in Michigan
The last thing you want is a house fire - but a lot of homeowners are at risk and don't [...]
Should You Install Lightning Rods to Prevent Disaster?
One of the worst tragedies that could hit your home - especially as we start moving into storm [...]
Crazy Winter Weather Events Around the World
While there's no reason to not prepare yourself for a winter storm, which can be quite destruct [...]
5 Blizzard Preparedness Tips for Michigan Residents
Living in Michigan means dealing with the snow - especially when it comes by way of a bi [...]
Winter Storm Supply Checklist for Michiganders
Our winter storms are no joke. Whether you're in Washtenaw County, Jackson County or els [...]
Prepping for a Michigan Snowstorm
If you've lived in Michigan for any length of time, you know that our snowstorms can be brutal. [...]
Generator Safety Tips to Keep in Mind During Winter Storms
Michigan's winter storms can cause power outages - and if you're like many people, you have a g [...]
What to Have On-Hand in Case of a Winter Storm
It's always better to be prepared than to be left in the cold - literally. Here's what you need [...]
3 Things You Need to Know About Ice Storms
Living in Michigan, we all know the weather can change quickly - and in the winter, that can me [...]
Snow and Ice Preparedness 101: A Michigan Primer
If you've lived in Michigan for more than a year, you know our winters can be pretty ser [...]
How Destructive Can Winter Storms Be?
Winter storms can cause serious damage to Michigan homes - but the good news is that insurance [...]
Mold and Your Pets: What You Need to Know
Mold can be incredibly dangerous to pets - and if it's in your home, even if you're not experie [...]
Symptoms of Mold Exposure
Mold in your home can be incredibly dangerous - and if you have it, you may need to talk to a m [...]
What Should You Do if There’s Mold in Your Home?
It can be tough to tell if you have mold in your home - but if you do, you need to take immedia [...]
What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Mold
Having mold in your home is a tough problem - and it's one that probably requires professional [...]
The Anatomy of Smoke Damage After a Fire
Smoke damage nearly always occurs after a house fire - but it doesn't all happen at once. In fa [...]
What You Need to Know About Smoke Damage After a Fire
Smoke damage can be extensive - even if the fire that caused it was relatively small and put ou [...]
What are MVOCs?
When your home is subject to a disaster, you need to know that microbial volatile organic compo [...]
Odor Removal: What You Need to Know After a Disaster
When you're the victim of a disaster, you need to know that ExactRecon is there for you - we ca [...]
How to Thaw Frozen Pipes in Your SE Michigan Home
Discovering a frozen pipe before it bursts is a good thing – but once you discover it, what are [...]
The Most Common Places for Water Damage in Your Michigan Home
Water damage can occur anywhere in your home, but it’s most common on: Ceilings Walls Floors At [...]
How Can You Tell if Your Toilet is Leaking?
Any leak can cause a tremendous amount of damage to your home – but how can you tell when somet [...]
How to Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing During Michigan Winters
Winter is just about here, and you can save yourself a huge headache if you take steps to preve [...]
How to Spot the Signs of Water Damage
It’s not always easy to spot the signs of water damage – but with this checklist, you’ll be abl [...]
3 Things You Need to Know About Water Removal
Water removal is a big job, especially if it’s done serious damage to your home or business. He [...]
What to Do When You Need a Water Damage Cleanup Expert
When you need a water damage cleanup expert in Washtenaw County or Jackson County, there are a [...]
What You Need to Know About Carbon Monoxide
Winter is right around the corner in Michigan, and that means a lot of us will be using generat [...]
3 Things You Need to Know About House Fires
If you’re like most people, you don’t expect a fire at your home – but you do know the basics: [...]
Signs and Symptoms of Mold Allergy
While it’s impossible to tell how many people across the U.S. are allergic to mold, you can pro [...]
How to Stay Safe When You’re Using Generators
If you live in Michigan, you know that power outages are pretty frequent when we get storms – a [...]
5 Things to Do When the Power Goes Out During a Winter Storm
If you’re like many people in Michigan, you know that we have plenty of storms – and with those [...]
Signs and Symptoms of Smoke Inhalation
If your home was involved in a fire, you’ll most likely be checked out by paramedics for smoke [...]
What to Do After a House Fire
After a fire, you have more to worry about – once firefighters have extinguished the flames, yo [...]
Winter Storm Watchwords for Everyone in Michigan
It’s not uncommon for wet Michigan snows to cave in a roof or for melted snow to flood a home… [...]
How to Insulate Water Pipes in Your Home
When it comes to winter weather, you can’t be too careful with your water pipes – and if you’re [...]
7 Over-the-Counter Medications Every Disaster Kit Needs
If you’re like most people, you’ve packed a disaster kit – but there’s always room for improvem [...]
3 Tips to Prepare Your Kids for a Disaster
If you’re like most parents, you know that your kids need to be prepared for an emergency – but [...]
3 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Home From Flooding
The best way to avoid flood damage in your home is to keep it from flooding in the first place [...]
5 Tips for Making it Through a Winter Storm Safely
Our first snow might be right around the corner, and that means you have to have an emergency p [...]
How to Protect Your Pipes From Winter Damage
In the winter, it’s absolutely necessary to protect your home from snow damage – but where do y [...]
Water Pipe Insulation Tips
Before winter hits, make sure all your pipes are properly insulated against the cold weather – [...]
Tips for Clearing Snow From Your Roof
If you’ve lived in Michigan for any length of time – particularly around Chelsea, Ann Arbor, De [...]
3 Main Sources of Water Damage in Michigan Basements
In Michigan, water damage in basements is more common than it should be. These are the main sou [...]
3 Tell-Tale Signs That Your Basement is Water Damaged
If you’re like many people, you don’t give a lot of thought to your basement. But what if your [...]
What’s Salvageable After a Flood?
After a flood, not everything is salvageable – and while your Ann Arbor flood damage contractor [...]
5 Things You Need to Know About Mold
Mold in your house is a serious matter – and it’s an issue you need to hire an Ann Arbor mold r [...]
How to Dry Documents and Books
If your home has been flood-damaged, you need to talk to a flood restoration expert right away [...]
How to Clean Your Gutters
The end of summer is almost here, and that means falling leaves are right around the corner. No [...]
Why Standing Water on the Side of Your House is Dangerous
If you find standing water on the side of your house, it’s a sign that there’s trouble on the h [...]
3 Signs of Frozen Pipes
If you’re like most Michigan homeowners, you know that frozen pipes can be catastrophic – and t [...]
How to Tell if You Have a Burst Pipe
If you have a burst pipe in your house, the first thing you need to do is shut off the water at [...]
How a Sump Pump Works
If you’re like many Michigan homeowners, you have a basement – and you also have a sump pump. Y [...]
3 Reasons Sump Pumps Fail in Michigan
If you’re like many Ann Arbor homeowners, your house has a sump pump. It’s supposed to keep you [...]
How to Maintain a Sump Pump
Many Michigan homeowners have basements… and with them, sump pumps. But did you know that there [...]
What to Do During a Flash Flood
Summer downpours in Michigan can cause flash flooding – but do you know what to do if that happ [...]
Is a Flooded Basement Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
Is a flooded basement covered by homeowners insurance? The short answer: Probably not. I [...]
What is Sewage?
Sewage backups can be a nightmare – and if you’re facing one, you need to call Ann Arbor’s best [...]
What Causes Sewage Damage?
One of the most common causes of water damage in homes is sewage backup – and while it’s a horr [...]
Mold FAQ: What You Need to Know About Mold in Your Home in Ann Arbor
Having mold in your home is no picnic – and if you discover it, you need to work with Ann Arbor [...]
Signs of Sewer Backup
Sewage backup can be a huge disaster, but sometimes you can recognize the signs that a backup i [...]
Tips for Easing Stress After a Disaster
If you’ve been involved in a disaster, whether it was a fire, water damage (including sewer ove [...]
Tips to Help Your Kids Cope With Post-Disaster Stress
Children are particularly prone to post-disaster stress; they can feel frightened, confused and [...]
Understanding Disasters and Their Impacts
Whether you’ve been displaced from your home because of a fire, water damage (including sewer o [...]
What Gets Rid of Smoke Odor?
If you’re dealing with fire damage, your best bet is to work with a fire damage restoration spe [...]
How Does the Water Damage Restoration Process Work?
When your home has been subjected to water damage, you need Michigan’s premier water damage res [...]
What to Do if You Can’t Pay Your Mortgage After a Disaster
When disaster strikes your home, it may be unlivable for quite some time – at least until you h [...]
How to Tell if You Have Mold Allergies
People who are allergic to mold have an immune system that overreacts when they breathe in mold [...]
Mycotoxins: Common Types
Mycotoxins are toxins that some species of mold produce – and they’re some of the most toxic su [...]
Signs of Mold in the Home
Mold growing in your home can be incredibly dangerous to your health – and if you suspect you h [...]
Where Does Mold Grow?
Mold exists everywhere, but when it’s growing in your home, you need an expert mold remediation [...]
5 Disasters That Can Strike Your Home While You’re on Vacation
When you’re on vacation, there are plenty of disasters that can strike your home – and these ar [...]
5 Common Storm Types in Michigan
If your home has been damaged by a storm, the type of storm it was can make a difference [...]
Tornado Warning Signs You Need to Know
Michigan’s tornado season is just around the corner. It lasts between April and July of each ye [...]
What is the Fujita-Pearson Tornado Scale?
Tornado season in Michigan runs between April and July, which means it’s right around the corne [...]
Fireplace Safety During Michigan Winters
Michigan winters are brutal – and this one is no exception. If you’re like most people, you loo [...]
5 Things You Must Do After a Sewage Backup
If you experience a sewage backup in Ann Arbor or any of the surrounding communities, there are [...]
How Experts Clean Up After Sewage Backup
Cleaning up after a sewer backup isn’t anybody’s favorite thing to do… and it’s definitely some [...]
What is Black Water?
If you’ve ever heard of black water, you know it’s dangerous – but what is it, and what [...]
Health Hazards Caused by Sewer Backup
If you’re like most people dealing with a sewer backup in Ann Arbor or elsewhere in Washtenaw C [...]
What Causes Sewer Backup?
If you’re facing a sewer backup mess but you haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause, you might [...]
Sewer Cleanup: Why You Shouldn’t DIY This Big Job
Sewer cleanup is a highly specialized process, and it’s one that needs expert attention – and t [...]
5 Kitchen Fire Safety Tips: INFOGRAPHIC
Kitchen Fire Prevention Tips from Exact Recon Turn off the stove. Always turn off your oven or [...]
What Causes Wiring and Electrical Fires in Homes?
Faulty wiring can cause catastrophic house fires – in fact, according to the U.S. Fire Administ [...]
3 Ways to Prevent Kitchen Fires
Most house fires are preventable – but you need to know what to do to protect your home. Natura [...]
Nonresidential Building Fire Trends (2006 – 2015)
Nonresidential building fires – those that occur in buildings that people don’t live in but use [...]
5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself and Your Family After a Disaster
Taking care of yourself and your family after a disaster, whether it’s a house fire, water dama [...]
Emotional Responses to a House Fire
If you’ve experienced a house fire in Ann Arbor or any of the surrounding communities, one of y [...]
3 Things You Must Do ASAP After a Fire
If you’ve experienced a house fire, one of the first things you’ll need to do is get in touch w [...]
Wet Basement Solutions
If you have a wet basement in Ann Arbor, you may need to find a solution – and pretty quickly, [...]
What Do Basement Wall Cracks Mean?
If you see cracks in a wall in your basement, you don’t need to panic – but you may need to cal [...]
How to Know if You Need to Seal Your Basement
If you’re like many Michigan homeowners, you need to seal your basement – but how do you know i [...]
How to Spot Foundation Damage: INFOGRAPHIC
If your home’s foundation cracks, it’s a natural reaction to panic – but that might not be nece [...]
Common Mistakes in Installing Gutters
If you’re like most people, you aren’t exactly sure what to do when it comes to installing gutt [...]
3 Common Places Mold Grows and Thrives
If you’re like many people, you know that once mold starts growing, it’s tough to stop – but wh [...]
3 Signs You Might Have Mold in Your Ann Arbor Home
If you’re like most people, you know that mold issues are dangerous – but do you know how to sp [...]
Spring into Action – 7 Tips for a Healthy Mold Free Home
Spring Into Action: 7 Tips For Healthy Homes by Chad Grimes, Exact Recon Microscopic mold spor [...]