1. How long does fire damage restoration take?
It's never a quick fix, though we've gathered together a multi-discipline team of contractors and
disaster restoration
technicians to work in tandem to complete the work as soon as possible. From structural repairs to
sand/soda-blasting to
odor removal to contents cleaning, our fire damage restoration crew begins as soon as the project scope
is determined,
and we don't stop until the job is done and both you and the insurance company are satisfied with the
results.
2. Is fire damage covered by insurance?
Most often, yes. You'll need to check your specific policy for the full scope of coverage, but in
general, if the damage
was caused by a flame, it's covered. Your best bet is to hire a professional damage restoration company,
such as
[company,data=name], to help you through the claims process. We know how to avoid some common missteps
when it comes to
making sure the entire loss is documented and covered. Many homeowners and insurance companies forget,
for instance, to
consider that your HVAC system will need to be cleaned of soot, and, since fires are extinguished using
water, many
areas of your home may need to be restored due to water damage even if they weren't directly affected by
the fire.
3. How do I clean up soot?
DIY soot removal is not recommended. Commercially available products can actually cause permanent damage
to surfaces.
Soot itself is primarily oil-based, but that residue also contains toxic, possibly biohazard
contaminants.
4. What Is the Electric Cost of Running a Dehumidifier in the Crawl Space?
Comparatively, it is less than running a small refrigerator.
5. Is Mold Damage and Crawl Space Repair Covered by Insurance?
In most cases, it is NOT covered by insurance, but financing is available, and approval is easy. Call
today!
6. Should I start mopping up the water myself?
Most homeowners start trying to remove the water themselves before they realize they'll need to contact
their insurance
company about a claim so they can call in a water damage restoration company. However, standing water
around anything
with a power cord or outlet or sagging ceilings makes the area unsafe. Also, many insurance claims
require documentation
of the loss BEFORE any work is done, including removing the water. Always take plenty of photos of the
damage you see
before taking any action to start cleaning up the mess. Your restoration contractor will be able to back
up your
insurance claim scope with the necessary technical documentation as well.
7. What happens to all of my wet belongings?
If the water damage involves Category 1 water (clean and free of microbes and bacteria), many of your
personal
belongings can be salvaged. Category 2 water would include other water sources, including rainwater,
that, while not
containing biohazards or sewage, still pose health risks and the potential for destructive microbial
growth and mold. A
water damage restoration technician will help you sort through the contents of the property to determine
what can be
safely dried, what can be restored by a textile/contents technician, and what can't be saved or
salvaged. There are
off-site facilities in the area that specialize in restoring water-damaged contents. Your restoration
team will document
all of the contents leaving the property for restoration or disposal for your records and also for
reimbursement from
your insurance company.
8. What caused the mold to grow in my house?
Anytime the moisture levels in your home are at 60% or higher, mold can grow. What's frustrating for
many property
owners is that they don't see a puddle on the floor or water dripping from the ceiling. When mold grows,
the source of
the moisture is usually hidden under floorboards or behind walls.
9. Does bleach kill mold?
For the majority of surfaces in your home, bleach won't actually get rid of your mold problem. It's the
"iceberg
effect." Visible mold is usually a small percentage of the actual amount of mold growth. Bleach can't
kill mold on
porous surfaces like wood, and while tile or fiberglass surfaces can be cleaned with bleach, often the
mold has spread
far deeper. The reason why mold remediation companies don't recommend DIY cleanup isn't that they want
to make more
money; they know, in their experience, that a mold problem is usually far more invasive than can be seen
with the naked
eye. Simply cleaning the surfaces can provide false assurances that you got rid of the mold, only to
have it come back
time and time again.