You’ll find local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. Use your Diamond Certified Directory. Performance is Guaranteed. You’ll feel confident choosing with Diamond Certified.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
The New Diamond Certified Directory
You’ll find local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. Use your Diamond Certified Directory. Performance is Guaranteed. You’ll feel confident choosing with Diamond Certified.
Saturday, May 23, 2020
CSLB Shows You Why You Should Always Get 3 Contractor Bids
Contractors State License Board has a perfect example of why you should always ask for bids from at least three different contractors. This video was recorded in Davis, CA during a Senior Scam Stopper Seminar.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Drop, Cover, Hold On! What to do When an Earthquake Strikes
With recent earthquake activity in California, Cal OES wants to remind residents to practice the Drop, Cover and Hold On drill. Seismic Hazards Branch Chief Ryan Arba explains the proper way of learning this technique, along with the do’s and don’ts for earthquake safety once shaking commences.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Disaster Preparation Tips for Your Home
With many people at home more often now, prepping your home is a perfect task to do that you may have not had time for before.
Monday, May 11, 2020
Restoring Your Home After Fire and Water Damage
Here are some important things to remember when your home has fire and water damage
Friday, May 8, 2020
NFPA Spring Cleaning
For many of us, springtime means deep cleaning our homes inside and out. As you prepare for the warmer months ahead, keep fire safety in mind. Did you know how important taking care of your clothes dryer is to the safety of your home? With a few simple safety tips you can help prevent a clothes dryer fire. NFPA has more safety tips that can help you through your spring cleaning tasks and safety checks.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Why Choose a Diamond Certified Company?
The mission of the Diamond Certified Resource is to define excellence and identify for consumers the highest quality companies in the Greater Bay Area. Only local companies independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise earns Diamond Certified.
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Six Things You Need to Do After a House Fire
Written by Heidi Petschauer
You may think a house fire will never happen to you. But what if it does? Are you prepared?
Figuring out what to do after a home fire can be a very stressful and overwhelming process, and it can be hard to decide what to do first. With a little help from your insurance agent, though, you may be able to settle your claim more quickly and get your life back to normal.
Here are the six things you should do after a home fire.
1. Call your insurance agent immediately. You will be getting calls at all hours of the day from public adjusters and contractors who will try to offer you a deal on putting your house back together. These calls can create a lot of stress and confusion. I suggest you speak to no one but your agent to discuss your options at this point in the process.
2. Ask about restoration companies that can help with cleaning up soot, boarding up windows, and other construction. Immediately after a fire, especially if it is a minor one, you’ll need to clean up any soot or water damage. It is important to hire a reputable service to deal with these issues. Ask your agent or insurance adjuster to recommend a few different companies. They deal with these situations more often than you do and likely know of some businesses that fit your needs. Many of these restoration companies have connections to good contractors, engineers, and architects, as well.
3. Separate damaged property from undamaged property. The insurance company will need a detailed inventory list from you after they inspect the loss. Separating your damaged property from your undamaged property will make it easier for you to make a list of your damaged items. This list needs to include the date you purchased each item, the brand name, the price you paid, and the serial number, model, or description of each item. If the item was a gift, be sure to indicate that as well.
It’s a good idea to submit your receipts with this inventory list. If the receipts were destroyed in the fire, or you didn’t keep any receipts, request copies of prior bank statements. This can make obtaining duplicate receipts easier. Keep in mind that photos of any damaged items are always helpful if receipts are not available.
4. Save undamaged property from further destruction. Any items that are not damaged should be put in a safe place, even if it means putting them in storage. Insurance adjusters are typically fair when it comes to adding additional costs for storage.
5. Cooperate fully with the insurance company’s investigation. When a fire claim is reported to an insurance company, it is given top priority. Usually, the adjusters come out to see the loss within 24 to 48 hours. To help settle your claim in a timely manner and to your satisfaction, be sure you are available and on time for all meetings, that you return calls promptly, that any requested paperwork is completed as quickly as possible, and that you contact the company or your agent immediately with any questions.
6. Find somewhere to stay if you can’t live in your home. Most homeowner’s policies include “Loss of Use or Loss of Rents” coverage, which will pay for the food, clothing, and shelter that you and your family may need for a specified period of time. Keep in mind that your policy will pay for “like kind and quality” living arrangements. You may want to save the Ritz for a special occasion and instead stay in a more reasonably priced hotel.
What to do before disaster strikes
• Review your homeowner’s policy to be sure you have replacement cost coverage, loss of use coverage, and adequate dwelling coverage. The last thing you want to hear after a fire is that you were underinsured.
• Save all your receipts and put them in a metal fireproof box or in a storage facility off the premises, such as a safety deposit box. Better yet, scan the receipts and save them to a computer file. Taking a video of your entire home and the possessions within it is the next best thing to receipts. This will show the insurance company what sort of lifestyle you had prior to the claim.
• Be sure to have smoke detectors in every room of your home to ensure that everyone gets out of the house or apartment safely in the event of a fire. Have exit ladders and fire extinguishers handy, and know how to use them.
• Discuss escape strategies and plans with your family prior to a fire, and consider a fire drill to help ensure everyone’s safety.
Article Source: https://blog.equifax.com/credit/six-things-you-need-to-do-after-a-house-fire/
You may think a house fire will never happen to you. But what if it does? Are you prepared?
Figuring out what to do after a home fire can be a very stressful and overwhelming process, and it can be hard to decide what to do first. With a little help from your insurance agent, though, you may be able to settle your claim more quickly and get your life back to normal.
Here are the six things you should do after a home fire.
1. Call your insurance agent immediately. You will be getting calls at all hours of the day from public adjusters and contractors who will try to offer you a deal on putting your house back together. These calls can create a lot of stress and confusion. I suggest you speak to no one but your agent to discuss your options at this point in the process.
2. Ask about restoration companies that can help with cleaning up soot, boarding up windows, and other construction. Immediately after a fire, especially if it is a minor one, you’ll need to clean up any soot or water damage. It is important to hire a reputable service to deal with these issues. Ask your agent or insurance adjuster to recommend a few different companies. They deal with these situations more often than you do and likely know of some businesses that fit your needs. Many of these restoration companies have connections to good contractors, engineers, and architects, as well.
3. Separate damaged property from undamaged property. The insurance company will need a detailed inventory list from you after they inspect the loss. Separating your damaged property from your undamaged property will make it easier for you to make a list of your damaged items. This list needs to include the date you purchased each item, the brand name, the price you paid, and the serial number, model, or description of each item. If the item was a gift, be sure to indicate that as well.
It’s a good idea to submit your receipts with this inventory list. If the receipts were destroyed in the fire, or you didn’t keep any receipts, request copies of prior bank statements. This can make obtaining duplicate receipts easier. Keep in mind that photos of any damaged items are always helpful if receipts are not available.
4. Save undamaged property from further destruction. Any items that are not damaged should be put in a safe place, even if it means putting them in storage. Insurance adjusters are typically fair when it comes to adding additional costs for storage.
5. Cooperate fully with the insurance company’s investigation. When a fire claim is reported to an insurance company, it is given top priority. Usually, the adjusters come out to see the loss within 24 to 48 hours. To help settle your claim in a timely manner and to your satisfaction, be sure you are available and on time for all meetings, that you return calls promptly, that any requested paperwork is completed as quickly as possible, and that you contact the company or your agent immediately with any questions.
6. Find somewhere to stay if you can’t live in your home. Most homeowner’s policies include “Loss of Use or Loss of Rents” coverage, which will pay for the food, clothing, and shelter that you and your family may need for a specified period of time. Keep in mind that your policy will pay for “like kind and quality” living arrangements. You may want to save the Ritz for a special occasion and instead stay in a more reasonably priced hotel.
What to do before disaster strikes
• Review your homeowner’s policy to be sure you have replacement cost coverage, loss of use coverage, and adequate dwelling coverage. The last thing you want to hear after a fire is that you were underinsured.
• Save all your receipts and put them in a metal fireproof box or in a storage facility off the premises, such as a safety deposit box. Better yet, scan the receipts and save them to a computer file. Taking a video of your entire home and the possessions within it is the next best thing to receipts. This will show the insurance company what sort of lifestyle you had prior to the claim.
• Be sure to have smoke detectors in every room of your home to ensure that everyone gets out of the house or apartment safely in the event of a fire. Have exit ladders and fire extinguishers handy, and know how to use them.
• Discuss escape strategies and plans with your family prior to a fire, and consider a fire drill to help ensure everyone’s safety.
Article Source: https://blog.equifax.com/credit/six-things-you-need-to-do-after-a-house-fire/
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Hire a Professional Fire Damage Cleanup to Restore Your Home
After your house, or a part of it, has been razed and damaged by
fire, cleaning and restoring it back to its former glory will be your
main concern. However, most homeowners find the task extremely
time-consuming, stressful, and dangerous that they would rather hire a
professional fire damage cleanup expert to do the job instead.
Repairing and restoring your home back to a habitable state depends on the extent of the damage to your home. Some homes only need a few days of work while severe structural damages take several months to accomplish. With the help of a team of experienced professionals, repairing a fire damaged home is always easier.
Don't be Tempted to do it Yourself, Hire an Expert
You might be tempted by the idea of cleaning the fire damage in your home by yourself. However, doing so can worsen the fire and water damage and even threaten your health. When determining the best way to deal with cleaning fire damage in homes, it can be helpful to know some of the best options available to you.
Perhaps the best thing that you could do after a house fire is to enlist the service of a professional restoration company. Since they are expert in this kind of work, they could surely take good care of your home's cleanup, repair, and restoration in no time.
Choose expert cleanup professional
When hiring for fire cleanup damage, be sure to hire a team who holds impeccable reputation and shows pertinent license, experience, skills, and equipment that will help them perform their task and restore your home back to its former glory.
The SOP after fire damage is to conduct a fire damage assessment to find out the extent of the damage and to plan out the necessary steps to be taken for a successful cleanup. Most of the time fire cleanup professionals begin by taking away the excess moisture as soon as detected. Failure in this aspect will make your home susceptible to the growth of mold and mildew, which in turn makes it a breeding ground for diseases that could harm the health of your family.
Stop Fire Damage from Destroying your Home
Though you can't prevent fire from razing your home, the good thing is you could stop fire damage from further eating up your house with the help of a professional restoration company. Now, restoring your home from fire damage should no longer be a serious cause of concern since there's a team of professionals that are willingly offering their hands for your home's benefit. This does not only unburden you from the heavy responsibility of cleaning, disinfecting, and repairing your home. It also saves you time and money in the long run, especially if your homeowner's insurance is generous enough to cover the cost for you.
Repairing and restoring your home back to a habitable state depends on the extent of the damage to your home. Some homes only need a few days of work while severe structural damages take several months to accomplish. With the help of a team of experienced professionals, repairing a fire damaged home is always easier.
Don't be Tempted to do it Yourself, Hire an Expert
You might be tempted by the idea of cleaning the fire damage in your home by yourself. However, doing so can worsen the fire and water damage and even threaten your health. When determining the best way to deal with cleaning fire damage in homes, it can be helpful to know some of the best options available to you.
Perhaps the best thing that you could do after a house fire is to enlist the service of a professional restoration company. Since they are expert in this kind of work, they could surely take good care of your home's cleanup, repair, and restoration in no time.
Choose expert cleanup professional
When hiring for fire cleanup damage, be sure to hire a team who holds impeccable reputation and shows pertinent license, experience, skills, and equipment that will help them perform their task and restore your home back to its former glory.
The SOP after fire damage is to conduct a fire damage assessment to find out the extent of the damage and to plan out the necessary steps to be taken for a successful cleanup. Most of the time fire cleanup professionals begin by taking away the excess moisture as soon as detected. Failure in this aspect will make your home susceptible to the growth of mold and mildew, which in turn makes it a breeding ground for diseases that could harm the health of your family.
Stop Fire Damage from Destroying your Home
Though you can't prevent fire from razing your home, the good thing is you could stop fire damage from further eating up your house with the help of a professional restoration company. Now, restoring your home from fire damage should no longer be a serious cause of concern since there's a team of professionals that are willingly offering their hands for your home's benefit. This does not only unburden you from the heavy responsibility of cleaning, disinfecting, and repairing your home. It also saves you time and money in the long run, especially if your homeowner's insurance is generous enough to cover the cost for you.
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