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What should you do with fire damaged items?

After a fire, the contents of your home may need to be repaired, restored or replaced. In addition to the ravages of fire, smoke and water may have damaged your possessions. Some items will require replacement. But many items just need the proper methods of restoration to return them to their former glory. It’s imperative that your items receive the appropriate treatment in a timely manner if they are to be saved.

Contact one of our partners and allow the professionals to handle everything for you.

Electronics and Appliances

The moving or removal of these items must be done by a professional, do not attempt to handle these on your own. Due to the delicate nature of electronic equipment and devices, cleaning and drying must be done under specific conditions and with care by a professional. Soot can infiltrate far beyond what is visible and cause damage at a microscopic level so any cleaning method must also reach those areas.

Fabrics

If items made of fabric (ex: clothes, bedding and other linens) have survived a fire, they may still be unusable because of smoke or water damage, but they might be salvageable. Some items just need to be professionally cleaned while others may require more intercession to return them to their pre-fire condition.

Hard surfaces

In the restoration industry, much of traditional restoration methods involved removing walls, ceilings and flooring surfaces and  replacing them. While this removed damaged surfaces, the process was costly, messy and time consuming.Technology allows many of these surfaces to be restored in place, saving time by eliminating the removal and replacement period as well as saving the cost of new materials.Many surfaces can be saved if cleaned and completely dried out with these methods. Example: Dry wall; plaster,hard wood floors; tile floors and countertops; cabinetry; doors and windows

A thorough inspection by a ReNetwork specialist can help determine which surfaces can be saved and which must be replaced.

 

Photo Credit:  Service Master of Salem

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Recovering from Water Damage

Your home may not be safe to enter so it is best to have professionals take a look at the area. Contact one of our partners and allow them to handle everything for you. A restoration team will come and dry the areas and remove contents during this time.

If your home is not livable at this time, your insurance may cover a hotel for you to stay at. Contact your support network to help you during this time as well. The resources here can help you with accommodations, food, clothing etc.

 

Red Cross 

Salvation Army of Texas 

 

 

Photo Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

 

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Water Damage Restoration-Evaluating the Damage

 

The Process of Water Damage Restoration by a Restoration Team

No one likes to imagine destruction to their home or belongings. However, disaster can strike at any moment, whether through fire, storm or another form of damage.

Rather than despairing over how you can pick up all the pieces, you need to look for a company that provides complete water damage restoration. A qualified, reputable restoration team will return your home and life back to normal.  Contact one of our partners and allow the professionals to handle everything for you.

Step 1 -Evaluate the Damage

When you first hire a company for water damage repair, they will send qualified inspectors to your home to survey the damage. They will not only look for visible damage to your home and belongings, but will also closely and thoroughly inspect the structure to determine its stability and safety. A quick run-through will never be sufficient, so don’t trust a company that recommends extensive repairs without a thorough inspection.

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Water Damage Restoration-Creating a Plan of Action

Step 2- Create a Plan of Action

Once the thorough survey and inspection is completed, a water damage restoration team will work with you to create a response plan. The team should go over all the damage uncovered in the inspection and give you all options regarding repairing the damage. Some repairs may be optional, but often you will need to decide whether to repair something or replace it. While disposing of any of your damaged belongings may be unthinkable, the effort and cost of restoration can be very high. Your restoration team will equip you to make those tough decisions and move ahead in your return to normalcy.

 

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Water Damage Restoration-Completing the Restoration

Step 3-Complete the Restoration

Our rē:network partners will complete the required water damage repair and restoration. This may be a long process depending on the extent of the damage, but a quality restoration company will give you an estimate for the length of the project. If a project exceeds the estimate, you will be informed of the change and the cause for delay so that you can make appropriate arrangements. Again, a qualified restoration team will keep you fully informed throughout the process, limiting the disruption to your life and the time required to get back to normal.

Dealing with water damage in your home can seem overwhelming and the idea that you might lose your home or belongings can be devastating. However, if you hire an experienced, reputable restoration company to complete the water damage repairs, you will increase both the amount of your possessions.

 

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Before a Fire-Home Inventory

Create a Home Inventory:

A home inventory provides an account of what you own and it’s value to determine the right amount of insurance coverage. In the event of damage, you will be able to provide the insurance company a list of what has been lost.

Making a home inventory can be as simple as writing or typing up a list of the contents of your home.  Everything including: furniture, electronics, clothing, jewelry, appliances and even silverware  should all be documented.

Photo or video documentation of your items can be of great value.

Important note: Your inventory should be kept somewhere other than in your home. Keep copies in several locations such as: safe deposit box, office and with a friend/family member.Online inventories are a great option that would be accessible at anytime no matter what condition your home is in. There are quite a few computer programs and apps available as well. See below for some great resources available to help you make a home inventory.

Many of our ReNetwork partners can help you create a home inventory and will be happy to help you with this important step.

Online resources:

Many insurance  carriers have forms and resources available for you to use.

Other resources:

http://www.rmiia.org/downloads/Home_Inventory_list.doc

http://www.homezada.com

Apple:

  • Home Inventory by Binary Formations
  • Tap Forms Organizer and Secure Database by Tap Zapp Software Inc.
  • Itemizer by Digital2Analog Software Inc.

Android:

  • Home Inventory Organizer – SmartWare Inc
  • MyHome Pro: Home Inventory – Access Lane, Inc.

Apps for Apple and Android:

  • Encircle: Home Inventory: This one has a great feature where you take a picture of a room and then label each item in the room
  • III (Insurance Information Institute) Inventory – Know Your Stuff https://www.knowyourstuff.org

For more information about a home inventory please visit  http://www.mrrestore.com/taking-inventory-how-to-complete-a-home-inventory-and-why-you-need-one/

 

Photo credit: Sean Ryan, The Flint Journal

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Before a Storm-Home Inventory

Create a Home Inventory:

A home inventory provides an account of what you own and it’s value to determine the right amount of insurance coverage. In the event of damage, you will be able to provide the insurance company a list of what has been lost.

Making a home inventory can be as simple as writing or typing up a list of the contents of your home.  Everything including: furniture, electronics, clothing, jewelry, appliances and even silverware  should all be documented.

Photo or video documentation of your items can be of great value.

Important note: Your inventory should be kept somewhere other than in your home. Keep copies in several locations such as: safe deposit box, office and with a friend/family member.Online inventories are a great option that would be accessible at anytime no matter what condition your home is in. There are quite a few computer programs and apps available as well. See below for some great resources available to help you make a home inventory.

Our rē:network  partners can help you create a home inventory and will be happy to help you with this important step.

Online resources:

Many insurance  carriers have forms and resources available for you to use.

Other resources:

http://www.rmiia.org/downloads/Home_Inventory_list.doc

http://www.homezada.com

Apple:

  • Home Inventory by Binary Formations
  • Tap Forms Organizer and Secure Database by Tap Zapp Software Inc.
  • Itemizer by Digital2Analog Software Inc.

Android:

  • Home Inventory Organizer – SmartWare Inc
  • MyHome Pro: Home Inventory – Access Lane, Inc.

Apps for Apple and Android:

  • Encircle: Home Inventory: This one has a great feature where you take a picture of a room and then label each item in the room
  • III (Insurance Information Institute) Inventory – Know Your Stuff https://www.knowyourstuff.org

For more information about a home inventory please visit  http://www.mrrestore.com/taking-inventory-how-to-complete-a-home-inventory-and-why-you-need-one/

 

Photo credit: Sean Ryan, The Flint Journal

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Before a Water Damage Event-Home Inventory

Create a Home Inventory:

A home inventory provides an account of what you own and it’s value to determine the right amount of insurance coverage. In the event of damage, you will be able to provide the insurance company a list of what has been lost.

Making a home inventory can be as simple as writing or typing up a list of the contents of your home.  Everything including: furniture, electronics, clothing, jewelry,  appliances and even silverware  should all be documented.

Photo or video documentation of your items can be of great value.

Important note: Your inventory should be kept somewhere other than in your home. Keep copies in several locations such as: safe deposit box, office and with a friend/family member.Online inventories are a great option that would be accessible at anytime no matter what condition your home is in. There are quite a few computer programs and apps available as well. See below for some great resources available to help you make a home inventory.

Many of our ReNetwork partners can help you create a home inventory and will be happy to help you with this important step.

Online resources:

Many insurance  carriers have forms and resources available for you to use.

Other resources:

http://www.rmiia.org/downloads/Home_Inventory_list.doc

http://www.homezada.com

Apple:

  • Home Inventory by Binary Formations
  • Tap Forms Organizer and Secure Database by Tap Zapp Software Inc.
  • Itemizer by Digital2Analog Software Inc.

Android:

  • Home Inventory Organizer – SmartWare Inc
  • MyHome Pro: Home Inventory – Access Lane, Inc.

Apps for Apple and Android:

  • Encircle: Home Inventory: This one has a great feature where you take a picture of a room and then label each item in the room
  • III (Insurance Information Institute) Inventory – Know Your Stuff https://www.knowyourstuff.org

For more information about a home inventory please visit  http://www.mrrestore.com/taking-inventory-how-to-complete-a-home-inventory-and-why-you-need-one/

 

Photo credit: Sean Ryan, The Flint Journal

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Before a Storm-Pay Attention

 

Pay Attention-The first and best defense in the event of severe weather is awareness.  There are many options for staying up to date on developing weather situations. If flooding threatens, follow weather and news reports so you know how much danger you’re facing. Obey evacuation orders from local authorities.

  • http://www.weather.gov — you can access forecasts and warnings by simply typing in your zip code. Click on the Weather Safety tab to find a collection of resources from the National Weather Service.
  • NOAA Weather Radio — All warnings and watches are issued by the National Weather Service and you can have immediate access for as little as $20.
  • You can program the radio to alert you for your county and the adjacent counties for a bit more lead time on weather headed your way.
  • Local Alerts — Many local TV and radio stations now provide alerts on social media.

There are more tips for identifying your storm and flood risk and preparing for floods at:

http://www.disastersafety.org/disastersafety/national-flood-safety-awareness-week/

http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flooding_flood_risks/what_causes_flooding.jsp

 

Photo Credit: WallPress

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Before a Storm-Create a Plan and Prepare

Create a Plan– Become familiar with your community’s disaster preparedness plans and create a personal plan for your family. Identify escape routes from your home and neighborhood and designate an emergency meeting place for your family to reunite if you become separated. Also establish a contact point to communicate with concerned relatives.

If you have questions about how to prepare your home contact one of our rē:network partners.

Prepare your house by clearing debris from gutters and spouts, raise electrical components 12 inches above the projected flood level, place your furnace, water heater, and washer and dryer on cement blocks 12 inches above the projected flood level and move furniture and other valuable items to a safe place.