Property Care Tips – Dealing With Volcanic Ash
Posted April 12, 2021
During this uncertain time, we appreciate that you may have several concerns as it relates to the protection of your property and possessions, and as such, we wish to provide you with the following tips relative to preserving the safety of yourselves, family and valued possessions.
Tips For Property Care:
- Secure and seal
Close doors and windows to avoid ash getting indoors. Also, place damp towels at door thresholds and other draft sources and tape draughty windows.
- During cleanup, moisten the ash first.
Before attempting to clean up ash, wear an appropriate dust mask and moisten the area with a sprinkler first. This will help to stop wind from spreading it further. You should avoid sweeping dry ash. Alternately, completely soaking the ash will cause it to cake into a hard mass, making clean-up more difficult. In general, surfaces should be vacuumed to remove as much ash as possible from carpets, furniture, office equipment, appliances, and other items. Portable vacuum systems equipped with high-efficiency particulate filtering systems are recommended whenever possible.
- Keep roofs free of thick accumulation of ash as most roofs cannot support more than 4 inches of wet ash.
- Use caution when climbing on ladders and roofs as volcanic ash is very slippery.
- Guttering systems clog very easily so, if fitted underneath your roof, sweep away from the gutters.
Check gutters for ash as they may be become clogged and may need to be cleaned. Do not attempt to wash the ash into or down the gutters. Rather, physically remove ash from the gutters before washing the gutters.
Please continue to stay safe during this time. Stay indoors and away from the ash as much as possible. Connect with us via our social media pages for more updates.