Tri-State Area Fire Damage Tips

Dos and Don’ts Until We Get There

After the damage, it is natural to want to start cleaning up the building and its contents. Timely action can be a great help, but incorrect or delayed action can jeopardize or seriously impede satisfactory restoration.

Do…

• Once you are allowed back on the premises, check your insurance policy and then contact a restoration company.
• Open all windows to vent smoke and start the drying process.
• Discard all foodstuffs exposed to fire damage or smoke damage.
• If smoke has reached living areas, plan on moving out temporarily.
• Check your insurance policy for Out of Home Living provisions.
• Take pictures for insurance purposes if a camera or video recorder is available.
• Begin saving receipts for any expenditures related to fire loss for insurance purposes.
• Clean and protect chrome trim on kitchen appliances, bathroom faucets, tub fittings, and towel bars with a light coating of Vaseline or other oil.
• Blow off or brush-vacuum loose smoke particles from upholstery, drapery and carpet.
• Change furnace filter if blower is operating.
• Empty freezer and refrigerator completely if electricity is off, and prop door open with a rolled towel or newspaper.
• Pour antifreeze in toilet bowls, sinks, and tubs to prevent freezing if heat is off in winter.
• Wash plants with water on both sides of leaves (water softener helps).
• Call plumber to drain heating system if heat is off during cold weather.
• Remove pets (especially birds) to a clean environment.

Do Not…

Ash and soot contain dangerous chemicals that are extremely hazardous to your health.

• Remove ash or water from carpets and floors. It’s not only dangerous, but in most cases carpets need to be replaced.
• Vacuum, touch the walls, or remove drapes. We have the proper equipment to safely remove and clean salvageable items from your home.
• If the fire department turns off your utilities (water, electricity, and gas) before they leave, it means they are unsafe to use. Do not try to turn them back on by yourself as this could be very dangerous and cause further damage to your home.
• Attempt to wash walls, ceilings or other absorbent surfaces.
• Sit on upholstered furniture.
• Use exposed food items, including canned goods, which have been subjected to excessive heat.
• Use TV’s, stereos, or electrical appliances until cleaned and checked.
• Send smoked garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke and odor into the textiles.

Understanding the Claim Process

For people experiencing a disaster for the first time, navigating through your insurance company’s claims process can be cumbersome. For more than 16 years, Brock Restoration has worked closely with property owners and insurance companies to complete the process quickly and efficiently. Brock Restoration offers the following five step guide to help simplify submitting and working through your claim:

Step 1: Submit your claim

You can submit your claim through your insurance agent and often through a select representative of your insurance provider. Typically you may submit your claim in several different ways, including over the telephone or over the internet. In most cases, you will talk to your agent who then provides you with direction and, in some cases, submits the claim on your behalf.

Step 2: Property adjuster assigned

Following the submission and filing of a claim, your insurance company will assign a property adjuster to assess your claim. While this is the most common scenario, your insurance company’s claims process may differ. The assigned property adjuster will usually meet you at your home or property to inspect the damage and then move forward with settling the claim.

Step 3: Look into your insurance policy

Understanding your insurance policy is a vital step to the process. One of the items often overlooked within a property policy is the necessity and responsibility of the property owner to prevent further damage to the property. With that said, it becomes the home owner’s responsibility to communicate with your insurance carrier, and if necessary, submit a claim without delay. Staying in your home may be unsafe, resulting in additional costs for food, lodging, etc. You will need to keep track of all associated expenses, as you may need to submit receipts as part of the claim for reimbursement.

Step 4: Brock Restoration takes it from here

Understand that in most cases, it takes time for your insurance company to process and settle the claim after submission. Several factors contribute to the length of processing time. Some claims may take as little as days, and others take months to go through from beginning to end.

Regardless of time frame, Brock Restoration acts quickly to minimize the impact on your home and family. We work with your insurance provider on every aspect of your claim to save time and expedite the repair process. Our goal is to return your property to pre-loss condition as soon as possible.

Step 5: The work is finished – what’s next?

When the repair process winds down and restoration nears completion, you may wonder about how to handle billing. In most cases, the insurance provider will pay the restoration contractor directly. However, your insurance provider may work a little differently. In some instances, the provider issues a check to the property or home owner. In this situation, the homeowner would make the payment to the restoration contractor upon completion of the work.

Ultimately, your insurance provider may hold you responsible for paying your deductible, usually collected by the selected contractor before work begins. Familiarize yourself with your policy to ensure you pay the proper deductible, if required.

Brock Restoration has over 16 years of experience working with insurance providers and homeowners. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding claims. Call us at 513.214.3879 or send us your contact information for a call back.

Can my home be repaired or rebuilt after a fire?

Yes. With over 16 years experience in fire damage restoration, Brock Restoration has the most experienced fire mitigation and reconstruction teams in the region! We can take care of the smallest stovetop fire, to the largest “total loss” property restoration projects. No matter how extensive the damage to your home, our certified technicians and experienced estimators completely restore your home to pre-loss condition. There is no charge for one of our tenured fire damage experts meet you at your home and give you an assessment of the damage and answer any questions you have.

I had a fire, but it didn’t do any damage to the structure of my home. It has been days, but I can’t get the smoke odor out!

Over the years, Brock Restoration has developed a state-of-the-art process and is equipped with the industry’s most advanced structural cleaning and deodorization equipment to help you eliminate the odors caused by fire. Give us a call today, and we’ll develop a plan to safely and effectively remove the soot and residual odors caused by the fire. Brock Restoration also guarantees 100% satisfaction of the elimination of the odors from your home.

I had a fire in my home, and the Fire Department used a LOT of water to put out the fire! Can Brock Restoration take care of the fire AND flood damage?

Yes! Brock Restoration is your one-stop shop solution for flood, fire, mold and disaster cleanup. Visit the “Meet Our Team” section of the “Company” tab to see just how experienced out team of industry professionals are. Brock Restoration has more equipment and expert manpower than any restoration company in the state!! Let Brock Restoration take the worry out of the extensive cleanup process and concentrate on your family, while we restore your home.

Can I clean up after a fire myself?

We highly advise against this as it could make the damage worse! Aside from your protecting your contents from further damage, we’re concerned for your health! A fire scene is not a healthy environment for you to be in as the quality of the air you are breathing is very poor. If you are insured, the quickest way to get your home and contents restored is to call a respected and established fire restoration company like Brock Restoration!