Articles Tagged ‘flood,’

How to Dry out a Phone

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We at Puritan Flood Restoration specialize in drying out commercial and residential properties. Inevitably, we come across questions about how to dry out a cell phone. Here are some tips about how to save your phone and not break the bank.

Let’s say you or a friend has dropped his or her phone in the pool or left it out in the rain.

After the initial panic you may find yourself blowing air on it or using a hairdryer. Some may even put it in their oven for thirty seconds – don’t do this. If your phone was on, then immediately turn it off and resist the urge to turn it on for a few days. We don’t want it to short circuit.

The oldest trick in the book is to submerge your phone in a bag rice for two or three days. This method could lead to complications because if the rice absorbs a lot of water then you may find your phone covered in wet and messy rice. Place a napkin or paper towel over your phone before you try this technique.

While this trick has proven to be effective from time to time there are more efficient options.

Instead of using rice, try using desiccant pouches. Desiccants are hygroscopic substances used as drying agents. They are found when you order a new pair of shoes, a hard drive, cooking supplies, and a lot of other goods. Begin saving these and storing them in a sealed container. Place your soaked phone in the container for about twenty-four hours. You will now have a way to dry out your phone better than most commercial options, and the best part is it’s free.

If you are unable to find any desiccant pouches, a nearby grocery or pet store is likely to have silica gel in the pet aisle. Silica gel is a type of desiccant that is commonly used for cat litter. Who knew cat litter could save your phone?

Lead Paint Poses Threat for Property Owners


Lead is all around us.


It can cause irreversible neurological damage, developmental issues and possibly death. Thankfully, our government has put into place laws to protect its citizens against the effects of lead and to see its removal it if it poses a hazard. This is good news for you as a bystander, but as a property owner, navigating the bureaucratic maze of laws, certifications, and warnings can quickly become a nightmare to remove it.  We’re here to help.

Lead Paint Removal, Removing Lead Paint, Technician removing lead paint, Puritan Flood technician, Puritan Flood, lead wall, lead paint, Puritan Flood, How to remove lead paint, How to remove Lead paint, Removing lead paint from wall, Lead paint on wall removal, lead paint removal from allFirst, the EPA sees lead paint as the biggest threat to our safety (it is the leading cause of lead poisoning in the United States), and any kind of removal you do will likely be scrutinized for this element. Paint made before 1978 contains lead, and therefore buildings built before this time may contain lead in the paint.


Therefore, if you fit this criterion or simply want to follow safe and lawful procedure, follow these steps:


1)    If you own a property built before 1978, hire a Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor.
2)    Contractors, property managers, and others who perform renovations for compensation in residential houses, apartments, and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 are required to distribute a lead pamphlet to unit owners and adult occupants before starting work.
3)    Contractors and other entities are required to be licensed by DLS; their employees must be trained in the use of lead-safe work practices, and those lead-safe work practices must be followed to minimize occupants' exposure to lead hazards.
4)    Watch this Public Service Announcement from mass.gov.
5)    Finally, you can buy a lead paint test kit to see if your walls’ paint has lead.

For more information on lead, read about it on epa.gov.