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Before a Fire- How to Prepare

 

Have working Fire & Smoke detectors –Ionization smoke alarms are generally more responsive to flaming fires. Photoelectric smoke alarms are generally more responsive to fires that begin with a long period of smoldering.You can purchase an alarm that has both features included.

Replace batteries– change batteries twice a year when you reset your clock for daylight savings.

Create an Emergency Kit-Include Water, Non-perishable food, Flashlights and extra batteries, First aid kit, Whistle, Moist towelettes, Infant formula and diapers

Create a Home Inventory– Include important family documents (such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records) in a waterproof, portable container

Cash or traveler’s checks

Additional Clothing/Shoes

Warm Blanket

Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

 

 

 

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Can documents be recovered after a fire?

Yes, document recovery is possible depending on the level of damage and other factors involved. Recovering your important papers and photos after fire, smoke or water damage requires specific techniques and expertise.

Many of your photos and documents can be saved from fire, smoke, water and moisture damage including:

Photos,legal documents and personal papers, books, CDs/DVDs and storage media

For the best results on restoring your home , call a rē:network  specialist and let them handle everything!

 

Photo Credit: Justin Ide

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What documents will I need to find or replace?

Here is a list of important documents that you will need to have replaced or restored if they have been lost or damaged. It is best to keep copies of items like this in an off-site location (safe deposit box, lawyer’s office, etc.) to make that process easier.

Contact one of our partners and allow the professionals to help you with this list.

-Animal Registrations

-Auto Titles / Registrations

-Birth Certificates / Adoption Decrees

-Citizenship Papers

-Credit & Debit Card Copies (front and back)

-Death Certificates

-Deeds & Titles

-Divorce Decrees

-Drivers Licenses

-Income Tax Records

-Insurance Policies

-Marriage Licenses

-Medical Records

-Military Discharge Papers

-Passports

-School Records/Transcripts

-Social Security Cards

-Stocks & Bonds

-Warranties

-Wills

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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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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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After a Fire (6 months)

 

During this phase, the customer walk-thru takes place and a list of items to be completed is noted by the restoration company. Next, the list is completed and flooring is installed (if needed).

Final cleaning will take place and the contents will be moved back into the home. You will be able to return home and begin the process of getting back to normal.

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After a Fire (5 months)

 

At this point everything looks like you are in the home stretch and you are getting ready to get back to normal. However, at some level it seems like you are never going to get back into your home and certainly nothing is moving fast enough.

The drywall is most likely installed, doors and trim are being replaced, painter has started on the project and close to completion.The restoration company has cabinets ready to be installed, plumbing fixtures are being completed, light switches and covers are installed and flooring is scheduled.

 

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After a Fire (4 months)

 

At this point the demo has been completed, the structure is clean and the rebuild process by the restoration company is underway.

Permit inspections have been completed and approved. Maybe the damaged framing or roof decking has been replaced and the plumbing and electrical are likely in place.The HVAC system has been addressed, framing has probably been sealed and drywall is ready to go back into the home.

Depending on the scope of your claim it is possible that the project is at or near the 50% completion mark.

At this point it is time to have a mortgage company inspection completed for another payment on the claim. This process can take a few weeks so ideally the restoration company would like to get this ordered and have it completed at the exact time they are 50% complete to prevents any delays.The check would be cut on the next draw by the mortgage company and that also can take a few weeks. The goal is to keep the project moving with as little disruption as possible.

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After a Fire (2 to 3 months)

The first check arrives from the mortgage company for the contractor and the restoration process is officially underway.

At this point the restoration company will get the appropriate permits pulled and finalize the demolition of anything else that will be required on the home.The structure cleaning for smoke and soot will be completed and the rest of the demolition will be completed at that time as well.

It is a good idea to have colors, cabinets, light fixtures and any other items selected. Having these items ready will help the process move along and not cause a delay in the restoration.

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After a Fire (1 to 2 months)

 

At this point, your mortgage company will require documentation from your contractor. It will vary depending on the mortgage company, but the goal is to ensure that you have hired a qualified and insured contractor such as one of our rē:network specialists.

It also serves to protect all parties financially during the repair process.  Once the mortgage company has all the required forms and information, they will issue the first check toward the repair.

Typically this is on some sort of schedule and requires inspections before the release of future payments.