From the Ashes: Restoration firm helps fire-damaged homes - Plattsburgh Press Republican
PLATTSBURGH — Water damage from a fire or flood is one of the last things most homeowners want to think about, but taking the right steps after a damage incident is crucial.
“Notify your insurance company as soon as possible of the loss, try to protect what's left, and make the property secure and safe so no one is hurt,” said Eric Day, director of the Clinton County Office of Emergency Services.
“Check with insurance what is covered as far as restoration services.
The next call should be to a restoration company.
“Any time that water enters a structure, time is really important,” said Jason Plumadore, operations manager at Pro-Tech Restoration in Cadyville.
“The sooner that somebody has a restoration company on site, the faster they’ll be able to dry out the structure.”
MOVE ITEMS OUT
The longer the water has to settle, the worse off you’ll be.
“(The water) gets trapped in the materials and will take longer to dry, or it may lead to having to go into a demolition scenario,” Plumadore said.
Most damage, he said, can be dealt with if a restoration company is brought aboard within two or three days of the incident.
In the meantime, Plumadore noted, there are some steps to take to prevent further damage.
If there are any water-damaged items that you can move out of the affected area, like furniture or sentimental belongings, move them and keep track of where they are, he said.
Then, a standard shop vacuum can be used to get as much standing water out as possible, but Plumadore said a restoration company’s equipment will be much more effective.
“Normally, someone’s going to spend about five times longer to get a small section done,” he said. “We’ll get there and get everything done in an hour when they’d probably spend all night.”
DETERMINE THE CAUSE
Once a restoration team is onsite, the first task is to determine the cause of the water damage and stop it if it is still ongoing, according to Plumadore.
Then, the team will try to get as much “free” water out as possible using high-tech vacuums.
“Physical extraction is 20 times more efficient than dehumidification and evaporation,” Plumadore said.
“If you spill a glass of water on the floor and have the choice of putting a fan on it until it dries, or taking a towel and wiping it up, you’re obviously going to make a lot more progress with the towel.”
The restoration team will then use fans and other tools to dry out the remaining water that has already been absorbed by different surfaces.
DEALING WITH SMOKE
Plumadore cited several challenges when it comes to cleaning smoke damage both on its own, and when combined with water issues.
Soot from smoke leaves a heavy stain and is acidic, so it can eat into metal or building materials.
“There’s usually a strong charcoal, smoky odor, and if the fire department uses water that creates a whole 'nother noxious smell,” Plumadore said.
It is a step-by-step process that has to be assessed case by case, Plumadore said, but there are some general procedures usually taken.
Any areas with heavy soot contamination will be cleaned as much as possible using vacuums, dry and wet sponges and other tools.
If an odor still remains, sometimes sealants can be used on certain building materials to keep the odor in.
In some cases, materials will be too heavily contaminated and have to be removed and replaced.
“Ninety-five percent of the time, it’s a good top-down clean with a removal of the worst affected materials that can’t be restored,” Plumadore said.
THE CUSTOMER'S HOUSE
Communication between the homeowner, restoration team and insurance company will be important throughout, but it is still the customer’s house, in the end.
“Sometimes customers feel like they have to abide by whatever the adjuster says, or the contractor says, but it always should be a dialogue,” Plumadore said.
“They should always know that when they bring a restoration contractor in, (the contractor) works directly for them.”
RESCUED TREASURES
Plumadore made sure to mention to not throw out damaged items like wooden furniture that may have taken on water, as his team has often saved things people have thought beyond repair in the past.
“One lady in her late 60s had her mother’s recipe cards in a box,” Plumadore said. “We kept the ones that we could dry, and copied the ones that we couldn’t, and then laminated them and gave them back to her.
"That was like the world to her.”
Though an insurance adjuster may have not valued that box of index cards very much, the chance to help people keep items with immeasurable sentimental value while returning their homes back to normal is what makes the job worth it for Plumadore.
“I love doing this because we’re always helping people,” Plumadore said. “That is one of the things that makes this a really enjoyable job.”
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RENTERS INSURANCE
Clinton County Emergency Services Director urges tenants to buy renters insurance.
Many people don't realize that, as tenants, their belongings aren't covered under the property owners' insurance, he said.
The average annual cost of renters insurance in New York state is around $211, according to ValuePenguin.com. That's $17.58 per month.
Well worth it, say firefighters who have seen tenants lose everything they own.
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