Water and Fire Damage Restoration

Always hire a professional for extensive water and fire damage restoration. Restoration is a very difficult task and requires a lot of attention to detail. The home occupants’ safety and health could be in jeopardy if proper procedures are not implemented.

Water damage from a storm, flood or burst pipe, can be dangerous. Mold, mildew and overall damage to structural integrity can occur. If these problems are not expeditiously addressed, your insurance company might deny a claim by declaring this “owner neglect”.

It takes three to five full days for a structure to dry with the proper equipment. Insurance company’s protocol call for a minimum of three days for equipment to be on site and the affected area may need a longer time.

There are two forms of smoke damage, soot and odor. Soot is visible and must be thoroughly cleaned before the house is suitable for occupation again. Odor may not be noticed until the homeowners have moved back into their home.

Professionals remove structural components that have charring, smoke damage or moisture damage. They should remove floor coverings and evaluate structural framing and sub-floors, then replace or repair as needed. HVAC systems need to inspected, replaced, or restored as needed. Care needs to be taken for what you can see, such as repainting, restore all furnishing and removable fixtures and deodorizing each room using an ozone generator to eradicate smoke odors if needed.

You need to depend on the professional to advise you on what is salvageable and what is beyond repair. The local fix-it handyman type might end spending your insurance money on items that certainly should have been disposed of.

With water and fire damage you will most likely have to vacate your home, therefore you must hire an experienced professional to complete restoration rapidly to get you back into your home. Inquire about guarantees on work performed. Obtain a detailed written work proposal, including time frames. Provisions need to be discussed and provided for damage caused that is not always apparent.

Scrutinize the professionals past customers references to assess the quality of work and integrity. Assure that they have proper insurance such as, workers compensation and liability. Make sure their agent issues you a “Certificate of Liability Insurance” with you listed as the “insured”.

Tags: dangerous mold, fire damage restoration, home professionals, insurance company, insurance money, moisture damage, mold mildew, smoke damage, smoke odors, water and fire

Category: New Construction, Uncategorized