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If your garage has experienced this type of flooding throughout the winter, your first call should be to a water damage restoration professional.  Even if you have already had the flood water removed, it is a good idea to have these professionals inspect your garage.  They will be able to look for any damage caused by the water that you might have missed such as structural damage and mold growth, and they may also be able to identify how the water keeps entering your garage which will make it easier for you to fix the problem.  The water damage restoration professionals will be able to remove water, repair the resulting damage, and remove mold growth if necessary, but they will most likely not be able to fix the issue causing the flooding.

You should probably consider moving anything valuable from your garage to a new location to protect these items from the flooding until the flooding issue is resolved.

If the water damage restoration professionals have identified the source of the flooding, then you should take the next steps to have the issue resolved.  If they were not able to identify the source of the flooding, you may need to call a home inspection professional to find the cause.  Here are some steps you may need to take to help prevent flooding in your garage:

• Put sandbags around your garage to redirect rain water or snow melt.
• Install a drainage system; if street drains and the gutters are not enough to prevent flooding, consider a French drain.
• Check the foundation of the garage for cracks and fill the cracks with caulk.
• Install weatherstripping around the main garage door and any other doors.

As far as the drainage issue is concerned, your garage does need some sort of drainage system, even if it is just a simple gutter system like on your home.  A street drain, or storm drain, near your garage can also help.  The problem with these drainage types is that they can overflow if there is enough rain.  French drains are a more effective option for protecting a garage that routinely floods.  These drains, also known as trench drains, are installed in front of the garage or along the driveway to help keep excess water away from your garage.

It is probably best to have a professional install French drains for your garage.

The absorbent nature of clothing makes it vulnerable to mold and mildew.  In fact, mold and mildew can cause very serious damage to your clothing.  Once you discover that your clothes are affected by either substance, you need to act fast.

The first thing you need to do is document the damage yourself.  Take detailed pictures of your clothing that show the extent of the damage.  Then you should call your insurance company to inspect the damage.  An insurance adjustor will give you an estimate on the extent of the damage and help you decide what steps to take next.  There are restoration professionals that provide restoration dry cleaning services to restore clothing in this condition.  However, the cost to restore clothing damaged by mold or mildew may be higher than the cost to replace your clothing.

If the insurance adjustor or the restoration professional gives you a high estimate to restore the clothing, you must consider whether that cost is worth saving your clothing, or if you are better off just buying new clothes if you get a payout from your insurance company.

On RestorationMasterFinder.com, we do have many listed businesses that provide hoarding cleaning services that can help you sort through your cluttered home and decide what to do with your accumulated objects.  These professionals always take a respectful approach to hoarding cleaning projects and they will involve you and your husband in the decision-making process when it comes to deciding what to do with each object.  If your husband does struggle with hoarding, it is important for you to talk to your husband before calling for professional help so that he agrees to this decision.  There are also professional counselors and other resources available to help those affected by hoarding.

Unfortunately, we do not currently have a business listed in the Ballwin, MO area that provides hoarding cleaning services.  Search for professional hoarding cleaning services in your area and reach out to at least a couple of different services before making your decision.  You should choose a service provider that not only has the equipment to help you clean and disinfect your home if necessary, but also takes a respectful approach.  Hoarding is a mental disorder and it is very important to approach those who struggle with hoarding with a sense of compassion and respect.  A true professional should understand this and take a respectful approach to the project.  They should also make sure to involve you and your husband in the decision-making process.  After all, the items being dealt with belong to you and your husband, not the cleaning professionals.

Granite countertops are quite durable, but they are still vulnerable to chips and scratches on the surface.  If your granite countertop is chipped at the edge, this can be repaired, and there are two different ways you can go about repairing it; calling a professional or DIY repair.

One way to have the chip in your granite repaired is to call a natural stone professional that provides repair services for natural stone surfaces like granite.  They have access to epoxies, color toners, and other supplies from natural stone vendors that allow them to repair surface damage like chips and color match to your countertop so that the repaired area matches seamlessly.  The cost of these professional services depends on the extent of the damage.  If your granite countertop just has a thumbnail sized chip on its edge, the cost of the repair will likely be on the low end between $100 and $200.

There are two different DIY methods you can do to repair the chip in your granite countertop.  One method is to buy a DIY granite epoxy resin repair kit and follow the directions to repair the chip yourself.  It seems like the chip in your countertop is small enough to be repaired with one of these kits.  These kits can cost anywhere from $35 up to $100.

The most cost-effective DIY method is to fix the chip using thick super glue of medium viscosity.  This method will only cost you the price of the glue and fine grit sandpaper.  Follow these steps when using this method:

• Clean the area around the chip with acetone or nail polish remover and make sure the area is dry.
• If the granite is dark colored and the chip caused the surrounding area to lighten, you can darken the area with a dark permanent marker.
• Tape off the area around the chip and fill the chip with glue so that the glue is either flush with the rest of the surface or slightly above it. Leave the glue to cure.
• Once the glue has cured, remove the tape and use a razor blade to shave off the excess glue so that it takes the right shape. You can also use high grit sandpaper for a better sheen.

As far as replacement costs, this will depend on the type of granite you choose, the thickness of the granite, and the exact dimensions of your counter space.  New granite will generally cost you between $45 and $200 per square foot.

Honed granite is typically chosen for kitchens because the matte appearance is a nice, classy change from the high gloss appearance of polished granite.  This type of granite is produced by stopping the finishing process early which prevents the stone from becoming shiny.  The one major drawback of this is that it leaves the pores on the surface of the stone wide open which makes it vulnerable to stains.  This is why the upkeep for honed granite is much more involved than polished granite.

Honed granite surfaces can become discolored from dust, grease, handprints, and food and drink, especially acidic beverages like fruit juice and alcohol which can also etch the granite surface.  The best way to protect your honed granite surface from stains is to seal it with a natural stone sealer.  You should use a penetrating sealer that will get into the open pores to help fight against dirt buildup and stains.  While stone sealers can be effective in protecting honed granite, these surfaces still need to be cleaned regularly and the sealer needs to be reapplied every 3 months or so.

Regularly cleaning and sealing honed granite surfaces is the best you can do to keep them in good condition.  There is no real shortcut you can take to reduce the upkeep of honed granite, unless you apply a new finish to the surface which would give it a whole new appearance.

In this case, you should consider if the look of honed granite is worth the upkeep.  Polished granite is much easier to maintain because the surface is less porous, stain resistant, and it does not require sealing nearly as often.  If you are still deciding between keeping your honed granite counters or switching to polished granite, this blog can help: https://restorationmasterfinder.com/restoration/honed-granite-vs-polished-granite/.