Miami authorities have warned residents to stay inside and to avoid walking or driving on flooded streets as there is no way to tell how deep the water is. Health officials in Broward County are advising people not to eat or drink anything that has been in contact with flood waters and not to wade through standing water.

One Fort Lauderdale apartment complex had fifty-tree separate apartments flooded. A water restoration firm arrived on the scene early Monday to help clean up the mess as the waters slowly receded. Residents of the complex reported that they found water rising inside their units early Monday wherein they scrambled to removed electronic items and other valuables. However, many were unsuccessfully in removing all they wished to save as the water quickly seeped inside – covering baseboards and soaking carpeting.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has a location set up to assist flood victims. Sandbags have also been made available as more flooding is likely to occur. Many cars parked in underground parking garages in the city have been damaged by flood water. Power was shut off to some affected apartment complexes for safety reasons as workers began the arduous task of pumping out the contaminated water and cleaning up the mess. Fort Lauderdale received more than eight inches of rain over the weekend which was simply too much for the city to bear.

Rain is in the forecast for South Florida through mid-week. A tropical low pressure system in the Gulf is expected to dump more rain on the already soaked region. The National Weather Service has a flood watch in effect for all of South Florida which may be extended into Tuesday night. The flooding forced the closure of the Key West International Airport for three hours on Monday. Many towns and cities throughout South Florida are using pumps to help keep flood waters out of neighborhoods and off main streets.

Chicago and Midwest Region Brace For Next Wave Of Storms

October 19, 2011

Protect Your Home from the Approaching Wild, Wet and Windy Weather as Severe Storms Expected To Hit Chicago and Detroit Regions Today

Wild, wet and windy weather is expected in the Midwest and the Northeast on Tuesday through Thursday. There are already flood warnings in Chicago along portions of Lake Michigan where the tides could surger. This cold weather resulted from the combination of certain climatic elements such as a strong autumn cold front, a powerful middle-level disturbance hailing from the Rockies and tropical moisture arising from the Gulf. The cold front will move toward the East Coast during this week and bring much colder conditions in the southern and eastern regions of U.S.

This cold weather will strike the Ohio Valley and the East by this week. The wet and windy conditions could cause flooding, damage and travel problems. Much colder air that will follow this major cold front could cause snowfall in certain parts.

A low-pressure area that could develop tropically in the Gulf is also being watched closely. This area of low pressure, whether it develops or not, is expected to bring torrential rains into Florida and drag the moisture into the storm advancing toward the East in the middle of the week.

Extensive rainfall in the range of 1-3 inches is also expected throughout the Ohio Valley and across the Northeast on Tuesday night through Wednesday night. Boston, Columbus, Erie, Ohio and New York are some of the cities where the heaviest rainfall may occur.

Homeowners have been urged to take necessary precautionary steps to protect their homes from potentially expensive damage during the winter season.

Cold weather with snowfalls and interspersed spells of melting and freezing can cause substantial damage to your home. You should make sure that the entrance to your home and sidewalks are clear from ice and snow. Regularly examine your gutter downspouts for ice dams. Check that the leaves and debris are not clogging your gutters. This will ensure that the water from melting ice and snow flows freely. Ice dams can result in the build-up of water, which can, in time, seep into your home damaging roof and walls.

Frozen water can cause your pipes to burst that can damage your home considerably. Experts recommend that you should keep your home heated to at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This will ensure that the inside walls where your pipes are located stay warm. Insulating your pipes, especially those that are located in crawl spaces, is also highly suggested. You should know where your main water supply is located and turn it off immediately if a pipe bursts. If pipes in your home freeze, you should thaw them instantly or hire the services of a competent plumber to fix the problem.

Inspect your home and make a list of things that you need to fix. You will be glad that you took the trouble to fix things in time because the winter season is very punishing period for your home.

Home Odors Offer Strong Indication Of Larger Problems

October 14, 2011

Home odors are often a sign that a property may have a serious mildew, mold or deterioration issue. The sense of smell can often guide most property owners to uncover serious problems that need immediate attention in their home or business, as structural integrity issues could be hidden from view, but the lingering air quality is a signal things are not in great shape.

Have you ever been invited inside a house for a birthday party, and just when you were about to greet the celebrator, a certain smell caught your attention? Like a whiff of perfume, it reached your nose in time, but the problem is you don’t actually smell a hint of lavender or jasmine. You don’t even smell raspberries. You can’t put your finger on what it is exactly, but all you know is that it’s nowhere near pleasant. You scrunch up your nose in distaste, and while your entire evening isn’t ruined, it has certainly been rudely interrupted. Every time we encounter unpleasant odors, we tend to recoil. But what happens when we find those unpleasant odors at home?

What on Earth is that Smell?

When you live in a house, you don’t usually notice the presence of unpleasant odors straight away. This is mainly because you’re so used to them. For instance, if there’s a smoker in the house, you become so used to the smell of cigarette smoke that you’ve actually learned to live with it. You forget that once upon a time, the smell disgusted you. If you have pets, you’re so used to cuddling them that you’ve grown accustomed to their smell as well. The only time your attention is called is when a visitor points out that something smells weird, or if you return from an extended vacation and you notice it yourself.

Of course, there are certain odors we can avoid. When a baby spills milk on the couch or when the cat urinates on the carpet, we clean the mess right away. When we smell a dead rat, we search for it and get rid of the problem. But there are also odors that tend to build up over time. Cigarette smoke is one, because it actually gets absorbed by things like curtains and furniture. Another one is the smell of cooking. Odor residues may build up in the filters of vents over time. Leaks can be avoided, but as time passes, water tends to cause a musty smell in faucets, sinks, and even windows.

What It Does to Your House’s Market Value

Bad odors may not be pleasant to homeowners, but they’re even more unpleasant to prospective buyers. If not eliminated, odors can really downgrade a house’s market value. Nobody wants to buy a stinky house, and bad odors communicate to prospective buyers that the house is not as well-maintained as they hoped it would be. Bad odors give buyers the perception that the house is not cleaned regularly, or that the current homeowners don’t care enough to ensure that their house smells fresh. If the current homeowners don’t care enough to eliminate certain odors, the buyer will wonder what else the current homeowners have neglected.

In reality, these perceptions can actually be far from the truth. But in the business of real estate, first impressions last. The circumstance that led to that unpleasant odor doesn’t count for much. What counts is that it’s there.

How to protect yourself from Hurricane Floods

September 21, 2011

The U.S. coastline is witness to an average of six hurricanes in a period of three years. The wind speeds that are as strong as 100 miles per hour and the intense flooding with waters rising to a height of more than 20 feet can cause colossal problems. The hurricane season that runs from June to November bring along with the inherent possibility of floods.
Here is how you can minimize the possibility of floods causing destruction to your home or business

1. Understand that every hurricane is not the same and do not take any chances. Make a list of the outdoor things that you need to bring inside, like the yard tools or the furniture sitting outside.
2. Trim the trees and cut off the branches that may give away.
3. Clean the gutters and drainage to prevent water clogging after heavy rains that accompany hurricanes.
4. It is important to install hurricane shutters on the doors and windows. This is a safe and better alternative compared to sticking tape to the glass, which cannot guarantee that the windows will not break. You can protect the external part of the windows with plywood or shutters.
5. Pile up disaster supplies like a battery-operated radio flashlights and extra batteries,, a first aid kit, a handheld can opener emergency food and water in case, you have to remain confined to one place.
6. Make an evacuation plan, check with the local management office or Red Cross for information on which can be the safest evacuation route or location.
7. You cannot neglect your pets, hence it is better to find out which is the best way to protect them. If possible, send them over to another place in advance.
8. It is a good practice to store potable water in jugs, bottles, cooking utensils and clean bathtubs.
9. If you want food to remain in the fridge for a long period of time, turn the refrigerator setting to the coldest. The air inside will remain cool for a longer period of time, even after the electricity goes off.
10. If you are in a place that is at risk of hurricanes, it is better to consider having your home in an elevated place. It is better to spend a little more money and make your home hurricane proof.
11. If you are already staying in a hurricane zone and there is a threat, it is better to move things including the furniture to a higher ground so as to prevent damage from the floods.
12. Invest in flood insurance, because the homeowner policy usually does not offer cover for floods caused by hurricanes.
13. Make a plan with your family members to move to another place, possibly that of a relative or friend who lives in a safer place, outside of the town or state. Converse with that person on a regular basis during the floods, if possible, so that they can guide you to come to their place through a shortcut.

Tropical Storm Lee Causing Misery in Pennsylvania and New York

September 8, 2011

**UPDATE – Jarvis Crews Working In Binghamton New York For Flood Cleanup as well as Eastern Pennsylvania, including Allentown, Reading and Harrisburg Regions**

What is left of tropical storm Lee is still flooding many parts of Pennsylvania and New York, causing widespread misery. Emergency responders have been working around the clock since last weekend, cleaning up after the slow moving system that is full of rain. Many residents in Pennsylvania and New York are becoming very familiar with bailing water from their basements and heading to public shelters.

The National Weather Service is telling people living in the East that Lee will continue to dump heavy amounts of rain until at least Friday with four to seven inches predicted for many areas and up to ten inches for some isolated areas. Flood watches and warnings are in effect throughout the region. Officials in Pennsylvania have ordered 100,000 people to evacuate in the northeastern portion of the state who live along the banks of the Susquehanna River, a region which was devastated in the historic Agnes floods of 1972.

In New York State, a flood warning was issued early Thursday for several counties. New York governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that the state’s full response capacity has been set into action in Broome County where heavy rainfall amounts have caused widespread flooding there. Cuomo has also deployed several dozen National Guard troops to the area to help rescue stranded residents. New York state police are using boats to conduct water rescues in Binghampton, NY.

Weather experts are concerned about the heavy rains on already soaked ground as dams in Pennsylvania are approaching their capacities. A flash flood warning was issued today due to a dam failure at the Elk Lake Dam in Susquehanna County. Those living in low lying areas below the dam are being told to leave their homes due to fears that the dam will breach.
Three people have lost their lives in Pennsylvania due to the storm.

Adding to the misery, Hurricane Katia is funneling dangerous swells onto the east coast along with moist tropical air which helps to fuel the rain forecasts for the next few days. In addition to the rain falling today and tomorrow, forecasters say that there is a chance that high winds and isolated tornadoes could occur in many regions of the northeast. The 2011 hurricane season is certainly shaping up to be a busy one as three named storms have already caused massive flooding in the US from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up the eastern seaboard.

Tropical Storm Lee Intensifying as it Eyes New Orleans

September 3, 2011

Fresh off the heels of Hurricane Irene which ripped up the eastern seaboard last weekend, tropical storm Lee is zeroing in on the New Orleans area and it promises to dump a whole lot of rain. The storm system is moving slowly in a north-northwesterly direction and it’s expected to cross the Louisiana coast today and then move very slowly across the southern portion of the state on Sunday.

Lee is expected to dump ten to fifteen inches of rain over southern Louisiana with possible maximum amounts in some isolated areas of twenty inches. These heavy rainfall amounts are expected to cause widespread and destructive flooding throughout the southern portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama this weekend. Storm surges of up to five feet may occur on the coastline.

While residents in New Orleans are certainly no stranger to larger storms than Lee, they are nonetheless bracing for the rain and heavy flooding. The rain thus far has shown no mercy as it has been pouring down non-stop since early Friday along with whipping winds of up to 40 miles per hour. Residents living in and around New Orleans are filling sandbags, clearing storm drains and preparing for the worst. It is very likely that the city will get up to twenty inches of rain which will put it at risk for very serious flooding. When a storm surge hits New Orleans, it has to be pumped out because the city is situated on a bowl-like area of land. It was six years ago almost to the day when Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on “The Big Easy” and that’s a weather experience no one here wishes to relive.

Nerves are still raw from Katrina as FEMA and other government agencies were slow in stepping in to help the massive number of affected flood victims. New Orleans residents didn’t pay too much attention to Lee as it formed in the Gulf earlier this week but now all eyes are on local and national weather reports. Locals have been busy stocking up on supplies and moving vehicles and other possessions to higher ground. Now it’s only a matter of hoping for the best and expecting the worst.

States of Emergency have been declared in both Louisiana and Mississippi as well as in the city of New Orleans by mayor Mitch Landrieu. While the southern portion of Louisiana does need some rain, it certainly does not need twenty inches in a couple of days. The slow moving storm system has been pelting the city with rain since Friday and it promises to make the Labor Day weekend anything but a pleasant one for those living in southern Louisiana.

Hurricane Irene Leaves Path of Destruction Behind

August 29, 2011

Local rivers began to flood into the streets of Manhattan as Hurricane Irene pounded New Jersey and New York City with gusting winds and a down pouring of rain early Sunday morning. The “city that never sleeps” was indeed napping as all of the major modes of transportation were shut down prior to the storm making landfall.

The storm has resulted in over 4 million people being left without power and officials in affected states are saying that it may be days before everyone gets their power back. There is significant flooding in many areas of the Northeast including North Carolina, Long Island, Brooklyn and in several areas along the New Jersey shore. Irene had calmed to a tropical storm by 9 am ET Sunday. The storm dumped a foot of rain over the region by early Sunday morning but since the heaviest storm surge took place during a low tide, the flooding was not as bad as it was expected to be.

Hurricane Irene first made landfall in the U.S. Saturday morning when it slammed into North Carolina. Once the storm made its way to New York City a day later, it consisted of winds of between 35 and 69 miles per hour. Manhattan’s low-lying areas such as Battery Park flooded due to the East and Hudson rivers being so near. Both rivers overflowed their banks, sending rushing water into city streets. The flood damage done in New Jersey is very widespread but a full assessment cannot be done until river flooding subsides as late as Tuesday.

So far, eleven people have lost their lives due to the massive, wide storm. Even though Irene has been downgraded to a tropical storm, those states still in the storm’s path are not taking any chances. The Army Corps of Engineers is poised to shut down hurricane barriers near Providence, Rhode Island, Bridgeport, Connecticut and New Bedford, Massachusetts Sunday. The cement and steel barriers serve as a shield to protect coastal communities from flooding and storm surges. As the large storm system moves into New England, storm surges are a major threat.

Irene tore a path that stretched from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the eastern tip of Long Island in just a twenty-four hour period. The monster storm was the cause of a never-before-seen shutdown of the transit systems in Philadelphia, Washington DC and New York City. Reports of flooding have been coming in to news stations and emergency centers from all along the eastern seaboard. Irene is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and it also will go down in history as being the first hurricane to hit land in the United States in three years. Irene came ashore almost six years to the day after Katrina devastated New Orleans on August 29, 2005.

Florida Residents Urged to Take Preventative Precautions for the 2011 Hurricane Season

August 22, 2011

Emergency management officials are urging people living in Florida to pay close attention to tropical storm Irene. The National Hurricane Center now has the entire state of Florida in a 5-day forecast zone on its tracking maps. It is thought that Irene will become a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reaches southern Florida later this week. Already, Irene is packing 150 mile per hour winds as it is reaching the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Irene is already making history as it is the 3rd storm in this hurricane season to be named behind 1936 and 2005, so says the National Hurricane Center.

Officials in the state of Florida are ensuring that they are ready for what is expected to be a busy hurricane season. Since the state has gone through five hurricane seasons without a landfall hurricane occurring, officials are concerned that people in Florida have become complacent. What people should do is to have a family evacuation plan in order and to have at least three days worth of supplies ready like canned foods, bottled water, radio, flashlights, batteries and medications.

Tropical-storm force winds can easily destroy poorly built buildings and mobile homes. Things like signs, roofing material and items left outside can turn into flying missiles during hurricanes. Fallen tree limbs can also do a lot of damage to a home or business. It is therefore necessary for homeowners to check their roofs, put small items in their yards away and cut low hanging tree limbs away from their homes. The storm is presently tracking towards Miami, but residents in surrounding areas such as West Palm Beach or the Florida Keys also need to be on alert as storms can quickly change direction.

Tropical storm Irene’s path is still uncertain but people living in Florida should be paying attention to this storm. The Florida peninsula lies within the predicted path of the storm. The National Hurricane Center is concerned that once Irene passes over Cuba and enters the Florida straits that it could gain strength while over the warm water. It is possible for Irene to dump large amounts of rain on Florida which could result in flash flooding.

Emergency management officials are urging Floridians to have hurricane kits readied and to assume the worst. Even near-hits of tropical storms and hurricanes have resulted in massive damage in Florida in the past as well as death. For instance, in 1985, Hurricane Elena hit 80 miles outside Tampa Bay but it resulted in four people losing their lives.

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