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In addition to obvious fire damage, hidden damages are often difficult to detect. The three most common culprits are smoke/soot, water damage, and black mold. By learning about these additional impacts on your property and how to handle them, you can ensure that you are appropriately compensated for your claim.
Smoke & Soot Damage
Smoke, soot, and odor damage are the most common hidden damages after a fire loss.
Here are items often overlooked by insurance company adjusters:
Non-restorable stained fabric and upholstery
Discoloration of paint and stain
Flooring damage from the Fire Department
Carpet Pad odor
Trapped soot in plastic items
You must handle soot and smoke damage immediately!
It is not the time to DIY your home’s restoration after a fire to save a few bucks.
Your insurance policy will cover hiring a professional to remove soot and smoke damage.
Soot is often a significant contributor to property damage after a fire because it can linger on surfaces and get inside electronics, appliances, and other belongings.
The longer it stays, the harder it is to eliminate it.
It is also critical to correctly handle smoke/soot damage during fire restoration to prevent long-term health problems.
During fire restoration, soot is inhaled, ingested, and absorbed through the skin and eyes.
Because soot particulates are invisible, you may be affected without realizing it.
Once the soot is present in the bloodstream, it may result in respiratory issues, difficulty breathing, bronchitis, asthma, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and even death.
Even a brief exposure to soot has been shown to have lifelong health consequences in infants.
Water Damage
When firefighters extinguish a fire, they often cause extensive water damage.
Water damage can cause serious structural problems, damage to your electronic devices, appliances, furniture, and important documents, and, if not remedied quickly, dangerous mold.
When the fire is out, it is a relief, but if water was involved, it must be handled before dealing with smoke/soot damage.
Black Mold
One of the biggest dangers of water damage is harmful mold, which can negatively affect your and your family's health.
It’s crucial to deal with water damage immediately so you can move on to other damages, as well as so you know that hazardous mold won’t grow on your property and harm your health.
This is something that homeowners can’t take care of on their own.
The only option to avoid water damage’s harmful consequences is to contact a professional emergency restoration company, which public adjusters assist in.
Mold remediation is typically covered by homeowners insurance policies as a result of a covered loss cause; however, it’s important to verify coverage and cost of services before signing any documentation.
Black mold can cause serious respiratory issues if spores are released into the air.
People with deficient immune systems or elderly people, particularly children, are especially vulnerable.
Black mold can also cause health issues for pets.
Long Island Public Adjusters, LLC
Many of our clients tell us they find solace in knowing they’re insured even if they’ve suffered through a horrendous fire.
Your insurance company will not just send you a cheque; you must prove that you have been damaged — particularly by smoke, soot, and water damage.
We can assist you with all phases of the claim process to ensure that it is handled correctly and properly.
If you want someone on your side, we are always available.
For a free consultation on your home or business claim, call Kevin Godfrey at 516–410–0164
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