Monthly Archives: February 2012

The one place where mold can build up quickly is in your bathroom. Mold problems grow well in constantly moist areas. The bathroom qualifies as the perfect breeding area for mold. Mold will start to grow on grout between tiles in the shower and in the corners of the tub or shower. If caulking was used in a home remodeler, in these areas around the tub or shower, the caulk should be mold proof. Being a fastidious housekeeper does not guarantee any mold build up somewhere in the home. If one keeps up with at least weekly cleaning of the bath areas there should not be too much of a mold buildup. If you or anyone in the household has allergies, mold can be the factor for sinus problems and sneezing. It is easy to keep this allergen out of the house, with a few good tips on what to use for a good bathroom cleanup. If you have hired a bathroom contractor to come and do a bathroom remodel, the contractor can use mold resistive items in this area.

The following are helpful tips on how to get rid of mold build up in the bathroom. Always check your ventilation system in your bathroom, and make sure that there is a good flow of air. If your bathroom has fans, make sure that they are working properly and are frequently cleaned at least monthly. A quick wipe down of the fan weekly would be a wise move and makes a monthly clean up less taxing. A small dehumidifier in the bathroom will help remove excess moisture from the shower, thus decreasing mold buildup. When purchasing bath accessories such as shower liners, curtains and rugs, make sure that they are resistive to mold. Floor tile in the bath area with washable throw rugs is smart choice, rather then wall to wall carpeting. Mold proof caulking can cut down on the build up of unwanted mold. Check the function of plumbing to make sure that there are not water leaks.

It is relatively easy to cleaning a bathroom of mold. Recommended by professional cleaning companies and individuals who clean homes and businesses for a living, is to use a bleach and water solution of 1/4 to 1/2 cup of bleach to one gallon of water. The solution can be transfered into a spray bottle and sprayed on the mold areas. Let the solution sit for 15-20 minutes before scrubbing off. One can also find commercial cleaning solutions that are made for mold clean up and these also work well on those hard to clean areas. One caution is to never mix cleaning solutions together. Never mix bleach with other cleaning solutions as it can create harmful vapors. When using a bleach solution, make sure that the room is well ventilated and wear a mask. This will help to prevent the user from breathing in any bleach fumes.

Photo Credit: http://homesbyburma.com

Some of the crew from Extreme Makeover : Home Edition took the stage at the International Builders Show 2012 to say a few words about the builders that helped make the show such a success. In attendance was Sal Ferro, President/CEO of Alure Home Improvements. Here what they had to say about being a part of it all:

After a whirlwind couple of weeks, Samantha Garvey, the once-homeless teen who captured the nation with her inspirational story of becoming an Intel science contest semifinalist, will finally get a chance to settle up inside her own bedroom, take a deep breath, and fall into a well-earned nap.

The 18-year-old Brentwood High School senior and her family moved into their new home on Saturday after the family of five was evicted on New Year’s Eve last year, and had to spend the last couple of weeks inside a Bay Shore shelter.

The aspiring marine biologist went from being a little-known science whiz-kid on Long Island studying shellfish, to one of 300 selected as a semifinalist in the Intel competition, a regular on nationally televised news telecasts, and to a guest on “Ellen.” Her story also earned her a trip to Washington D.C. for President Obama’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday.

“Everything that has happened in these past few weeks has been unbelievable and amazing and just completely surreal,” Garvey said, under a crisp blue sky, with her family surrounding her outside their new rent-subsidized house in Bay Shore.

Read the full Long Island Press story here

(Watch) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Alure Home Improvements President/CEO say a few words about Samantha and the build:

On January 25, 2012, The Clark Gillies Foundation hosted their first Bowling for Kids Night at 300 Bowling Center in Melville, NY. It was a night full of fun, excitement, prizes and more all for a great cause! Some folks even stepped up to challenge of bowling Clark himself! Check out some of the images from this great event below:

A popular trend today within newly built homes or remodel projects is to have granite countertops installed, whether it is in the kitchen, bathroom or bar. Granite is a beautiful addition to any space because of the natural beauty in the different veins, specks and swirls that makes each piece of granite unique. When you’re getting ready to plan your remodel or new project, discuss with your contractor or professional granite fabricator to find out how you can work this gorgeous stone into your space. Here are many other reasons why granite is an excellent choice to have in your home: