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disaster recovery water restoration

Disaster Recovery for Newbies

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Whether you own a restoration company currently or are just thinking about starting up one somewhere along the line you are going to ask yourself “Will I take my company straight to the disaster?” I won’t lie, its not for everyone. Imagine this. You are a few years in business when a big hurricane hits. You think to yourself “This is it! Time to make the big bucks!” and for some that can certainly be very true. However, if it is your first time helping with disaster recovery  there are a few key guidelines you should follow in order to be successful. Some may seem common sense, however, I am telling you this article is written out of pure experience.

1. STOCK UP ON FOOD AND WATER

During the days following a hurricane there is a huge shortage of food and water If you do not stock up efficiently you may find yourself in a pickle. The number one item you should stock up on not only for yourself and your crew, but also for the customers you will be encountering, is the key to life….water! Bring healthy food that is not going to spoil. You may find it hard to get ice to keep lunch meats and things of that nature cold for a while so keep those types of food items to a minimum until stores start to reopen.

2. STOCK UP ON GAS

Just like food and water it is also very hard to find gasoline in the following days after a hurricane. Be smart and fill up your vehicles in a city outside of the natural disaster area. Bring as much reserve fuel as you can just incase. The gas stations near the disaster will open soon again, however, you do not want your vehicle to get stranded or have to make an unnecessary journey to go get gas. Disaster Recovery for Newbies

3. PREPARE TO CAMP OUT

Maybe its just me but if I am going to make a trip to a natural disaster I want to be where the action is. It just so happens that its very hard to get a hotel room close to where all of the action is after a disaster. Depending on where you are, this may not change for months because not only are the workers staying in hotels but now the residents are too. My best advice for this to keep costs down would be to bring a camper trailer that you can rent monthly and only bring your best guys down with you. If you need help getting work done, hire from the area you are in. People are more than willing to help after a storm. This is a much better solution than wasting all of your profit on a hotel for you and your crew. Maybe treat yourself a week or so before going home to a nice hotel room.

4. PUT YOUR GUARD UP

Most of the people you will encounter during a natural disaster are good people who are in need of your services. They will be happy to see you and very thankful once you have mitigated the situation so they can get on the path to rebuilding. However, you should remember that not everyone can be trusted. People try to take advantage in these types of situations. Keep your guard up about who you are working with and also who you allow to work with you. Cross all of your t’s and dot all of your i’s. You do not want to end up in a situation where one of your customers property goes missing or some similar situation. In fact it is best to be upfront with all of your customers at the initial consultation and help them as best you can to gather all belongings that are important or valuable. Set expectations for your employees. Everyone look out for one another. Honestly, I am not sure 4 bullet points sums up everything you need to know about disaster recovery. I am not claiming to know everything on the topic ,however, these 4 points  should be taken into careful consideration should you decide to help out during a big storm. I really wish I had read this article before my first big storm….
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disaster recovery property damage

A Guide to filing a property damage claim

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SERVICES

It happens to the best of us. A big storm or a big winter freeze can leave home owners wondering what to do when an unfortunate event causes damage to their home. Most home owners have insurance which can help to keep out of pocket expenses to a minimum. Do not be afraid to call your insurance company! However the process for filing and handling a claim can be confusing, which is why you should hire a professional to help you handle the claim and ensure that your home can be properly fixed (and within a reasonable amount of time!). Below is a step by step guide to filing a property damage claim: 1. Evaluate the damage- Before filing a claim you should ask yourself “is this worth filing a claim over?” Property damage can be as small as patching and painting a small spot on the wall to an entire basement flooding. Sometimes the cost for repairs can be less than your deductible so you will want to find out what exactly your deductible is. Never go into any situation that you feel is not safe! (i.e house fire) 2. Call a professional mitigation company- It may be a good idea to call a company to come out that handles damage claims on a regular basis. They will be able show you damages that you cannot see and give you a better idea of the cost associated with repairs. They may also be able to help you call your insurance company and help explain what has happened. 3. Call your insurance company- If you have a big, well known insurance company it is usually best to call their 24/7 call centers when filing a claim. Most big insurance companies have switched from having you call your agent to calling a call center. The call center will take all of the information and give you a claim number. Generally the claim rep will give you a call within 24-48 hours. Sometimes this process can take longer depending on if it is a catastrophic event (i.e hurricane, wild fires) A Guide to filing a property damage claim 4. Have the mitigation company get started working-Most reputable water & fire restoration companies will get started working after you have signed a service agreement and filed a claim for the price of your deductible (this can vary depending on the situation) They will then submit all paperwork to the insurance company for review and payment. You never want to wait in an emergency situation because you can get secondary damage which your insurance company might not pay for. Remember, a mitigation companies job is to “mitigate” the situation, Rebuilding will be a different part of your claim. 5. Wait for your claim rep to examine the damage- You will want for your insurance companies claim rep to come into your home and examine the damage. Then your insurance company will generally give you an estimate based on their findings. Remember this is just an ESTIMATE! You will want to hire a reputable restoration company to help you with the paperwork on your claim to make sure you are getting ALL of the money your home is entitled to. 6. Have a reputable restoration company repair the damages to your home- Working with a reputable restoration company to rebuild your home can save you a lot of time and headaches. A good company will know how to get the appropriate amount of money from your insurance company and in many if not all cases will make your home look better than it did before it was damaged. If you need any help with water & fire restoration in Chicago please do not hesitate to give us a call at 630-835-0862. We can help you through all aspects of your claim and always strive to give it our all and do the best we can for every single customer!