This Old House | House Fire Reclamation

The back porches are brought to code. Ice blasting is used to get rid of the fire odor. New vinyl siding gets installed. Homeowner Carol considers new accent colors to match. Framing begins inside.

A lingering smell is one of the biggest problems faced by victims of a house fire. Kevin finds our demo expert Ron Peik addressing that problem with a unique solution—ice. The old siding dates to the early 80’s and finding a match has been difficult. Carol has decided to put new vinyl siding on the entire house and change the color. Tom works with Charlie and siding installer Diogenes Porto on the side of the house that received most of the damage. The new siding color gives Carol a chance to change accent colors on the exterior. She meets with Mauro Henrique to pick new colors for the columns in front. In the second floor apartment framing has begun. Kevin finds Russ and his crew erecting a new wet wall between the kitchen and bathroom and moving a bathroom wall to make space for a laundry room.

SAFE STEPS: Fire

A fire is both frightening and destructive. Fires are a danger to buildings and residents in equal measure. Keep your cool in the event of a fire by following these SAFE STEPS!

About Alltek Restoration

 

You can only expect a professional staff when working with Alltek Restoration, Inc. We value and expect quality, efficiency, punctuality, cleanliness, and courtesy. Our team believes in our commitment and dedication to each client’s satisfaction is second to none.

• Quality work, Integrity, and Commitment
• Prompt completion and timeline.
• Detailed estimates upon invitation to bid.
• Explanation of contract and specification

Alltek has established successful working relationships with qualified and competent professionals, and subcontractors who share our customer-oriented philosophy.

Our Guarantee: We warranty all work that is done with your project whether we ourselves do the work or our subcontractors do the work.

Contact our office in Pittsburg, CA, at 925-732-7200 to speak with one of our construction designers about your upcoming project.

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Why Do Breakers Trip? | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman shows host Kevin O’Connor everything he needs to know about why and how breakers trip.

This Old House | Finish Work Begins

Tom and Kevin reinstall cabinets that survived the fire. Tom teaches apprentices to trim a window. HVAC contractor James shows Richard the plan for hot water. Carol and her sister shop for appliances.

Most home fires result from five general causes

It may be hard to believe, but NFPA's latest report on Home Structure Fires shows that during the years 2014-2018, five general fire causes accounted for 86% of reported home fires, 95% of home fire deaths, and 83% of home fire injuries.

Cooking was, by far, the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, and was the second leading cause of home fire deaths. Because cooking is such a routine part of our lives, it’s easy to forget the high temperatures and dangers involved.

Heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires and the third leading cause of home fire deaths. Creosote build-up in chimneys was the most common cause of these fires, while fires involving fixed and portable space heaters caused most of the heating fire deaths.

Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was the third leading cause of home fires and the fourth leading cause of home fire deaths. Conditions that make these fires possible can occur long before a fire presents – largely as a result of wiring being installed or repaired incorrectly, or when receptacles, power strips or cords are overloaded, etc.

Intentional fire-setting was the fourth leading cause of home fires and the fifth highest reason for home fire deaths. According to death certificate data from all intentional fire deaths (not just home fires), nearly two-thirds of intentional fire deaths were suicides.

Although smoking materials ranked fifth in terms of home fires, they caused the most amount of home fire deaths during this time period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 17 percent of adults smoked combustible tobacco products in 2017.

Learn more: https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2020/12/17/Most-home-fires-result-from-five-general-causes

By: NFPA TODAY - DECEMBER 17, 2020

3 Insurance Rules After Disaster Hits Your Home

I. Avoiding Insurance Disaster.

It seems like whenever catastrophe strikes, insurance problems rear their ugly head. It might be your home isn't sufficiently covered to pay for repairing the damage. Or, you might be the victim of unfair adjusting practices, such as a carrier that would rather fight than pay its fair share.

In a disaster such as fire, flood or earthquake, you might not even know who your insurance company is, since your policies and other important documents may well be cold ash or soggy trash.

If you suffer a disaster and have to make a claim on your insurance, keep these three principles in mind:

II. Get a Copy of Your Policy and read It.

Insurance always begins with a written contract. So, the first thing that needs to be done when getting ready to make a claim is to get a copy of every policy that might possibly provide coverage for your damaged property and read them all from front to back.

If you don't have the policy forms because they were lost, destroyed or are otherwise unavailable, you'll have to get policy reconstructions from the insurance company. Requests can be made to your agent or directly to the insurance company's policy services department. If you don't remember who your insurance company is, you'll need to do a little detective work. Start with your checking account. A review of your banking records may well lead you to every insurer that might provide coverage for the damaged property.

III. Check your coverages.

Your insurance policy provides coverage for certain types of loss and excludes coverage for others. That's why it's important to get a copy of the contract right at the beginning.

One issue that frequently arises following a catastrophic loss is the damaged property was not adequately insured in the first place. Where an agent or broker provided you with professional advice on the appropriate coverage or bound coverage based upon their own professional expertise, there may be a claim for professional negligence where the property isn't properly protected.

IV. Watch out for Time Limits

Property insurance contracts generally have their own time limits, called "statute of limitations," built in, and the period in which to file suit to enforce the contract is generally less than the period that applies to a plain vanilla written contract.

When in doubt, consult a legal professional about what time limits will apply to your claim. Be proactive. Once you have a loss, there is a clock ticking somewhere that might limit your ability to recover policy benefits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/586228

List of Things a Family Needs After a House Fire : Home Safety

If tragedy has struck and you've experienced a house fire, you should always be prepared for what happens next. Make a list of things a family needs after a house fire with help from a certified firefighter in this free video clip.

Alltek Restoration Provides 24/7 Emergency Services

Emergency Services

We are here to help when you need it. Providing first response to your needs 24/7. Our team will be dispatched to your loss, will assess the damages, explain the course of action required and with your approval start immediately preventing further loss and damages.

The post-loss condition of a structure or dwelling can vary and is specific to each type of loss and the severity of the damage that has occurred. Determining the cause of the loss and the affected area is the first step and often most important. How and what steps are taken can have a significant impact on further damages and what is necessary to prevent or limit further damages to a structure. Alltek Restoration, Inc. provides all emergency or temporary services which your property may require.

Board Up Services

Are very common requirements after storm or fire losses. The damages caused by the actual fire and tactics use to extinguish can leave your property with broken or blown out windows, burnt doors or broken doors, ventilation holes in roofs, and structural deficiencies all of which leaves the property open to access, in distress, and insecure. We will secure all loss related openings with temporary measures securing the property and temporary structural repairs to help prevent further damages.

Temporary Weather Proofing

Your property may require temporary weatherproofing as a result of a loss. Both storm and fire damages can leave your property exposed or vulnerable to weather elements which will cause further damage to your property. Preventing additional damages is key as secondary damages can exceed the preliminary damages.

Content Services

Depending on the type of loss and severity will determine what needs to be done.

Services can include the following: manipulation, both salvageable and non-salvageable / total loss inventory, packing for on or off-site storage, cleaning and restoration, and pack back after repairs.


Mitigation Services

Includes initial loss assessment, determination of cause and source, water category/classification, moisture mapping, and determining the affected areas that require structural drying. Removal of both salvageable and non-salvageable building components, and the placement of required drying equipment as well as monitoring the drying progress until completed. After the drying process, repairs may proceed.

Temporary Utility Services

After a loss, a structure's utilities can be interrupted or shut off until safe operation and use can be confirmed. All utilities are subject to interruption which can make your home uninhabitable or unsafe. After a fire, if the electrical system is damaged emergency personnel will have the utility provider interrupt service to prevent the risk of injury and further structure damages. We can provide emergency repair or provide temporary utilities that are required so repairs may begin.