Many people don’t realize that if you don’t have flood insurance, even if you don’t live in a flood prone area, that your homeowners insurance policy usually doesn’t cover flood damage from rain or backed up sewer pipes caused by heavy rain. This can leave you stuck in the mud, so to speak. So, what can you do to begin cleaning up the water damage that is left behind if you can’t rely upon your insurance company? Here are some tips on cleaning up water damage in your home or business.

Be Safe – Water and Electricity Don’t Mix
One of the first things that you should consider is damage that may have been caused by water to any appliances or other sources of electricity. For example, if the water has gotten into your outlets or other appliances, such as a water heater or furnace, you should consider having the electric turned off to the affected circuits until you can verify that there is no damage to them. Usually you will need a qualified electrician to make that determination.

If you have wet circuits, outlets or other equipment and it is either still energized, or you turn it on or use it (like an outlet), you can cause a short and possibly start a fire. Or, you can suffer an electrical shock as well. Either way, if anything electrical has been affected by flood waters, best bet is to turn it off at the circuit breaker box and have it inspected by a qualified electrician.

Get the Carpet Dryers Out

If your basement or finished area had carpet, then you need to do one of two things. Either you need to remove the carpet and padding for replacement or you will need to have a commercial extractor or heavy duty machines that can remove the water from the carpet and padding as well. This is a crucial area that really needs to be dried out completely in order to prevent mold and mildew from forming. Usually the best method is to remove the carpet and padding completely if the entire room or area is affected.

Now, if just a corner is wet or a small area, you can usually pull that portion of the carpet up enough to remove the water and allow it to dry. You will also want to increase the ventilation in the area by using fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the area. You can rent large water vacs and dehumidifiers from most rental places at reasonable prices, however during times of high demand you might either pay a premium or have trouble finding them for rent.

Wet Walls?

If the water level was enough to expose your finished walls to moisture, then you need to consider what damage might have been caused not only to the wall area you can see, but also what is behind the wall. Behind the wall are the studs, insulation and other materials that can possibly wick the water into areas that you can’t see, thus causing problems much later that you might not realize. Mold and mildew love growing in dark and hidden areas.

Drywall removed to dry out studs from flood damage.

One of the best things you can do is if you suspect or know that water has gotten into the wall area is to cut the drywall around the area at least 6 inches above the highest level of water damage. This will allow you to remove the drywall down to floor level and gain access to the insulation, studs and other areas for further inspection. This will also allow your fans and dehumidifiers to remove the moisture from the materials as well. You might as well plan on removing the insulation and throwing it out. You should also count on having the area open for at least a week or until really dried out in order to prevent mold and mildew from growing once you replace the drywall and seal it back up.

Personal Health and Safety

One precaution that you should take into mind during a flood is that you don’t necessarily know what is in the water. With many storm sewers and sanitary sewers possibly affected, you should take caution with your personal health during any cleanup operation. You should wear good sturdy boots that are water resistant, gloves (like the dishwashing type) and possibly even consider wearing a mask or other facial protection from splashes. You should be aware that hepatitis and other diseases can be found in the water after a flood, especially if the sanitary sewers were affected or flooded.

Were to Get Help

There are numerous ways to get help with the cleanup of your property once a flood has occurred. You can count on neighbors, friends and family to possibly be able to help you out. There are also numerous companies that provide rental equipment, storage of items, restoration from flood damage of your personal items and also they can restore your structure too.

Some of these companies, for example Serv-Pro and similar companies, will arrive on scene, use their large commercial wet-vacs to remove excess water and debris, place dehumidifiers and fans, salvage your personal items and assist in restoring the property. While this sounds great, you must understand that these services are not cheap, especially if your insurance isn’t covering anything related to flood damage.

There are many options for you in case of a flood. One of the first options is to be prepared for it before it happens. Check with your insurance company about flood damage from rain, backed up pipes and other sources. Be prepared by keeping personal items in water proof containers if you are storing them in the basement or other flood prone area.

Feel free to share any flood restoration tips that you may have with us!

I’m sure you have heard horror stories associated with “professional” photographers screwing up pictures or not showing up, but those are more often than not the exception, not the rule. Here are some good tips and ideas to help you search and find the best wedding photographer for your special day that you can also afford.

Get References

One of the first things you need to do is check references. Ask your prospective photographer to supply some to you. Also check with the Better Business Bureau in your area for any complaints. Don’t be shy or afraid to ask for samples either, including published works that have appeared in magazines too.

Ask to See Previous Work

Any professional photographer will keep a portfolio of their work that they should be willing and proud to show you. They should also have books or magazines, or websites and television spots that they have been featured on that they can show you. Just remember that a good photographer might not have everything listed here, but the more that they can show of their previous quality of work the better.

Ask about Contingency Plans

Just in case something were to happen, what is their refund policy or rescheduling policy? Have they ever not shown up or had to cancel for a problem on their end? Do they have backup equipment in case of something breaking at your wedding? Do they carry insurance on their equipment? Can your friends and family still take pictures also?

There are lots of details to choose from when it comes to picking the right photographer for your wedding day. The one thing to consider is if you “click” with the photographer. Sometimes you need to go with your gut feeling that if you don’t like them or don’t feel like they understand what you are wanting to accomplish with your wedding poses and theme, then you might need to still look around.

Another great option for you to consider in finding the right photographer is with the bridal shows that are often springing up around the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. These bridal shows are a wealth of referral information, not only from the photographers themselves, but also from the caterers, florists and other providers.

There are upcoming shows already listed for the year at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, Duke Energy Center and several other smaller venues around the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area that you can find online.

Rave Theater – Florence

This theater is located at the Florence Mall and used to be the Cinema de Lux theater we had written about previously. While the de Lux level, as it used to be called, is no longer used, this is still a nice theater to attend. The reviews, however, since the theater changed ownership last year in 2010 are mixed. Some people have found it to be better than before, but others have not been impressed with the change. I have attended this theater under both the previous ownership and current ownership and can’t tell much of a difference. While the prices continue to climb at all theaters, if you are wanting to spend a day of shopping with some nice restaurants close by, this is a nice place to attend for your showing.

Danbarry Cinemas – Florence

This is an older and smaller theater in Florence near the Turfway Park Race Track. This is also a discount theater, so if you are looking for new releases, you won’t find them here. However, for the price, if you can wait for a few weeks or so after a new release comes out, then you will save some money, at least on the price of the ticket. Movie ticket prices are about half to less than half the cost of the normal ticket prices.

AMC Newport on the Levee – Newport

This is a great theater that is in the Newport on the Levee complex. This makes it a nice place to take a date or get out during the day for lunch and entertainment. The state of the art theater is a nice facility and has some great attractions around it, like the Newport Aquarium and a Barnes and Noble bookstore in the same complex. There are also some great restaurants in the area as well, making this another one stop place for entertainment.

Great Escape – Wilder

This is another nice theater that is right in the middle of the Northern Kentucky area. Located off of I-275 at the Wilder exit, this theater shows new releases and also has some great matinee prices. If you are wanting to avoid the large crowds and traffic associated with Newport and Mall Road, then this is a good option for you also.

Getting Tickets for Northern Kentucky Movies and Tips

When it comes to getting tickets for the above theaters, there are the usual options of going to the window when you arrive and standing in line to purchase your tickets if it is busy. However, there is a wealth of places that you can buy tickets online for your showing and save the hassle. One place is MovieTickets.com that has access to the most current showtimes for all of the Northern Kentucky movie theaters.

The one biggest tip that I can offer, from personal experience, is to double check the showtimes. If you are looking at showtimes for Friday and it is Thursday night, then double check the showtime Friday morning before you go to the theater. Sometimes the theaters will change or update their showtimes overnight and you might be surprised if you miss that showing that you were planning on.

Many times people often go to places like Kroger or Meijer to buy their flowers only to have them die within a couple of days of getting them home and in a vase. Often times this isn’t the fault of the store, sometimes it is, however most flowers in the tri-state come from the same wholesale florists. So, how can you find the best florist to serve your needs for the best flower arrangements?

There are many ways to do so. Word of mouth from your friends and family is a great way to find a good florist. Especially if you are seeking flower arrangements for a wedding. It still doesn’t hurt to interview or check out some other florists as their staff could have changed, however great florists put their stake on their reputation, so they will hire only the best and use only the best materials and flowers for their arrangements.

Another way to find a good florist is to check out their previous work gallery or photo album. Some florists maintain an online catalog that you can find from their websites of examples and photos of previous work they have done. This is usually the specialty work that has been contracted to them, however this is a great way to see what they are capable of accomplishing.

Another way of finding flower arrangements, especially if you are in a pinch or don’t know of a florist to choose from in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati area is to use an online florist. There are many places that work with the online retailers, such as FTD, teleflora or 1-800-FLOWERS. Most local florists will usually use one, if not several of the online services as they are often sent from locations far away and the local florist will create the arrangement and delivery it. Are you not sure how that type of service works?

Well, the online services, let’s look at FTD for example, provides a standard list of arrangements that you can choose from. So if you are looking to send a funeral arrangement to St. Louis or Los Angeles, you can either go online or stop in a local florist and look at their catalog. Once you choose the arrangement and write the card, they will send the order to a local florist in that location to make the arrangement and deliver it upon your request. This is a great way to have fresh flowers for any occassion sent promptly, usually within a day or two, for any type of need that you might have.

There are numerous family owned and independent florists in the Cincinnati and NKY area that you can choose from. Finding the right one that meets your standards for price and quality is well worth a visit to each store near you to check them out.

When we use natural materials in our homes, it gives a soft edge to a sometimes hard world, thus offering relief from the stresses of everyday life. Eco-friendly is now considered to be a mainstream possibility that is vital for our health. Today, our lives are encompassed and dominated by chemicals, pollutants as well as harmful toxins which can possibly trigger health problems and endanger both plant and animal ecology. The educated decisions we make when it comes to natural household goods and recycling are our individual chances to make a difference in our environment. Perhaps the single most important example we can set for our children is to raise them in an ecologically friendly home.

Green interior design or eco-friendliness can be carried out in every room in the home. In the bedroom, use organic or unbleached cotton sheets, duvet covers and bedspreads. Rugs colored only with vegetable dyes will add a vibrant burst of color to the bedroom. Bamboo can be used in the kitchen for just about everything. It can be used for flooring, tables, chairs, blinds, tray and baskets. Bamboo is the most environmentally friendly wood you can find on the planet because it is extremely fast-growing and is easily replenished. In the living room, lampshades made from recycled paper and rags make a beautiful accent. Furniture made from reclaimed timber such as ocean drift-wood is another eco-friendly way to decorate your living room.

Deciding to create an eco-friendly home is a wise and conscious decision. There are so many simple things we can each do in our everyday life to make your home and the environment a better place. Always recycle your household waste. Put bottles, cans and paper products into recycle bins. To make this task easier, purchase stackable plastic bins for each designated recyclable product. Lining your curtains heavily will help insulate your room from the cold air but do not allow them to hang over your heating vents as this will only cause the heat to go back out through the window. Put shelves over your heating vents to deflect heat out into the room. Turn your thermostat down some, especially when you are going out, and use your timer wisely so that you are not heating an empty house. Eco-thinking can be extending to your garden area as well. Along with using recycled waste as compost, use organic pest control in the garden. Recycling waste for the garden with food, fallen leaves, and animal manure avoids the use of unnecessary chemical pollutions and is easy on the wallet. The benefits of recycling should never be underestimated.

There are so many eco-friendly items for the home that can be easily obtained such as furniture, fabrics, hardware materials and clothes which are made from natural materials without the use of harmful and toxic additives. It is so simple to use these environmentally friendly products and green interior designs in everyday life to help reduce unnatural substances in our home which will make our world a better place to live and raise our children.

Many employment companies are reporting record numbers of people seeking help in finding work.  The lines at the unemployment offices are growing steadily each day.  Many reports on the news and in the papers appear each day about a company laying people off work or even shutting down due to the economy.

Just drive around the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area and you can see the results of the economic slowdown.  Many home have for sale signs in them, businesses are closed or have going out of business signs on them.  Even though the signs are gloomy about the economic conditions, several industries are still experiencing growth and need employees.

With many jobs in Northern Kentucky being sought after, how can you find the good jobs and the higher paying jobs too?  Searching the Classifieds section in the newspaper is a good starting point.  You can also find jobs through websites such as Monster.com and the nice part is it will let you search and classify that you want to stay in a particular area.  This is great if you don’t, or can’t move away for another job.

Other resources are willing to help you find a job too.  Places like Labor Ready can be a great resource to help you with temporary employment until you find another job.  Sometimes, their placements can lead to full time jobs also.

With lots of local resources and online resources to help you find a job, it just takes some time and persistance to find the best job for you.  If you do happen to lose your job, keep an even head about you and you will find a job in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area to suit your skills.

With the recent opening of the Northern Kentucky University / Bank of Kentucky Center, many more concerts and shows are occurring in this area.  The Northern Kentucky Convention Center is also a popular place and with the Cincinnati Convention Center and Underground Railroad Museum drawing conventions and conferences, hotels and motels in the Northern Kentucky area experience a boost in tourism dollars.

One of the reasons that there are so many hotels being built, especially in the Florence area and places south, is due to the upcoming 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games that are coming to the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010.  This is the first time this event has been held outside of Europe and with crowds expected to range from 500,000 to 1 million people coming in for this event, it will have a huge need for resources for those visitors.  Hotels, restaurants, rental cars and more will be in short supply next year.

Recently there have been 3 new hotels built in just the Florence area, with at least 2 more still under construction right now.  This is a growing area still even with the poor economic conditions.  With the commercial growth in the area, more jobs in Northern Kentucky can be expected and finding work should become easier.

There are still a wealth of hotels and motels in the Northern Kentucky area right now.  With recent renovations and purchases by large brand name hotels, many of the older hotels are receiving makeovers just in time for the busy summer months and tourist season.  The Hilton on Turfway, Radisson and many more hotels are upgrading their rooms and services to better fit and compete with each other for customers.  If you are looking for a good deal on a hotel room in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati area, just call around or visit one of the many online hotel and travel companies for great rates.

Today is a new day and it seems that General Growth Properties, which also owns the Kenwood Mall, is heading quickly for bankruptcy. With close to a reported $4 Billion in debt that they can’t pay, bankruptcy might be the only way for General Growth Properties to seek protection.

So, what would this mean for the Florence Mall as we are heading into this busy Christmas season? Probably not much right now. Even if General Growth Properties files for bankruptcy protection, it will be business as usual at the Florence Mall. You might not notice any new stores opening any time soon until the bankruptcy proceedings are well underway, but they doors will remain open for now.

General Growth Properties is a real estate investment trust with over 200 properties nationwide. They own properties in Hawaii, Chicago and Las Vegas, just to name a few other locations. They are the nations second largest owner and operator of mall’s also.

The Northern Kentucky real estate market is really a buyers market right now.  In order to find the best deals that are out there however, do you really need a real estate agent or can you just use the Northern Kentucky MLS service?

If you take an afternoon and drive around the Northern Kentucky area, in just about every neighborhood that you visit you will find plenty of homes for sale.  The homes for sale in the Northern Kentucky area are almost split evenly between those listed with real estate agents and the homes that are listed for sale by owner.

Why?

With the national real estate market in turmoil and foreclosures at an all time high, the housing boom that we enjoyed for several years has come crashing down.  One reason for the number of homes that are in foreclosure in the Northern Kentucky area is because of the large amount of “transient” families that are in the area.  With so many employers moving and transferring employees so often, people aren’t buying homes like they used to.  Plus, the values of used homes are almost in line with what you can purchase a new home for.

However, while most people are thinking and seeing the number of for sale signs as an indication to the number of homes that aren’t selling, just looking at the number of home sales each week in the paper will reveal that the real estate agents in the Northern Kentucky area are busy.

Is it better to use a real estate agent or try searching for your next home on your own?  That is a question that is up to you to truly decide.  However, with so many homeowners facing foreclosure or just being behind on payments and ready to sell, you might be able to work out a really good deal on a home.  If you are looking to buy a great home at a low price, you can often times work out a deal with the current homeowner and find a good real estate lawyer or mortgage attorney to finish the deal.

Whether you go with a real estate agent or use a real estate or mortgage attorney, you can find a good deal in this market on your next home.  Searching the Northern Kentucky MLS will provide a good idea of the home prices and amenities in the areas you are wanting to learn more about.

With so many people still moving into the areas of Northern Kentucky that are still years behind in roads and other infrastructure, your car insurance is likely to be a large part of your concerns.  If you are in an accident, what is covered?  Does Kentucky’s no fault law affect your rights or car insurance coverage?

Is your car insurance good enough?

Often times you don’t think about needing your car insurance until you have an accident.  But what are you paying for and is it enough?  One of the most important aspects of a good car insurance policy is to make sure that you and the other driver are covered in cases of injury.  Your auto insurance policy is the first line of defense against large hospital bills in case you, or the other driver, are injured.

Another key aspect is the replacement costs associated with your car.  Does your car insurance provide enough coverage to pay off the full loan of the car, or just the anticipated value of your car?  What happens if you owe more than what your car is worth?  Guess who pays that balance?  You do.

There are so many different car insurance companies and brokers in the Northern Kentucky area that you don’t have to look very far or wait long to get ahold of a car insurance agent.  It is highly recommended that you talk and get car insurance quotes from several different agents before you decide on which car insurance policy is right for you and your family.