fire damage mitigation 3 hr sa16305

We Restore More Than Property…

We Restore Lives.

Company Profile

Largest full-service mitigation, restoration and reconstruction company in the U.S.

National franchise of over 240 locally owned offices since 1966

Locally with 20 years of experience, we provide your insured with the highest quality of service and commitment

PDR of Nebraska & Iowa

80+ full time employees 30 full time cleaning division employees 100,000+ sq. ft. combined warehouse facilities IICRC certified in:

– Fire Damage – Smoke Damage– Water Damage– Applied Structural Drying (ASD)– Mold Remediation– Carpet & Duct Cleaning

Website: www.IICRC.org

6 Locations to Serve You

Omaha, NE

Lincoln, NE

Grand Island, NE

Columbus, NE

Sioux City, IA

Des Moines, IA

Fire Damage MitigationFire Damage Mitigation

Largest % of Fire Losses

• Inattentive Behavior– Children– Candles– Holidays

• Thanksgiving• Christmas• 4th of July

Why Your Insured Should Understand the Urgency of Fire Claims

Immediate response after a fire

Psychological damage

Safety hazards

Odor penetration

Ongoing effect of contamination

The best time for your insured to plan is before a loss

Immediate Response

With aggressive mitigation efforts begun within 4 to 12 hours

after a loss, the overall cost of a loss can be reduced by

approximately 50% to 70%

When the fire trucks are gone, damage is on-going

Property owners do not always realize this

Improper actions can jeopardize successful restoration

Psychological Damage

Insured expects immediate response in their time of need

Often the adjuster cannot be on-site right after loss Insured is highly vulnerable to bad advice from

neighbors, etc. Insured may take matter into own hands jeopardizing

their safety and impeding successful restoration

Safety Hazards

After a fire loss, structure

can be highly hazardous

Safety Hazards

Insured is usually unaware of the types of risks

and how to mitigate them

Allow your insured to be involved from the

beginning of the process to provide a

successful outcome in the end

Does Your Insured Understand the Categories of Fire Damage?

Light

Moderate

Severe

Very severe

Light Damage

Damage Fire residues

Restoration Cleaning

Example of Light Damage

Moderate Damage

Damage Fire residues Localized heat damage Odors Personal property

Restoration Clean, paint Replace, resurface Deodorization Clean, resurface

Example of Moderate Damage

Example of Moderate Damage

Severe Damage

Damage Severe Structural damage Heavy fire residues Severe odors Contaminated cavities Contents

Restoration Clean, paint Replace, resurface Deodorization Clean, resurface

Example of Severe Damage

Example of Severe Damage

Example of Severe Damage

Very Severe Damage

Damage Unstable structure Major structural

elements Heavy water damage Contaminated cavities Contents

Restoration Temporary repairs Demolish, rebuild Clean seal, paint Access, treat Pack-out, most

replaced

Example of Very Severe Damage

Example of Very Severe Damage

Example of Very Severe Damage

What a full service Restoration Contractor can do for your insured

What Happens Within Minutes

Plastics discolor, small appliances, switch plates

Paper discolors, books, documents, etc.

Limestone, marble and alabaster stain

What Happens Within Hours

Grout stains Furniture and cabinet finishes begin to yellow Appliances discolor permanently Fiberglass plumbing fixtures yellow Metal begins to tarnish and rust Counter tops discolor

What Happens Within Days

Most metals develop severe rust, corrosion or pitting

Wallpaper discolors permanently

Clothing becomes permanently soot stained

Vinyl and wood floor require refinishing and replacing

Paints yellow and discolor permanently

Carpet, upholstery and drapery become permanently soot stained

What Happens Within Weeks

Glass, china and crystal require replacement,

due to etching and pitting

Window glass and mirrors etch and pit

A Checklist For Your Insured

What should the property owner do immediately? Take photographs

Open windows if security and temperature allows

Remove all pets to uncontaminated environment

Remove and prop up wet upholstery items

Wait for insurance agent/adjuster to advise on salvaging or disposing of contents

Change the furnace filter, if operational

A Checklist for the Insured

What should the property owner NOT do? Attempt to wash walls, ceilings or other absorbent surfaces

Use TV’s, stereos, or electrical appliances until they have been inspected

Try to attempt restoration processes on their own

Smoke Residue Categories

Wet Smoke Smoldering Cool Oxygen starved Easily absorbed by fabric More odor More difficult to remove

Smoke Residue Categories

Dry Smoke Fast burning Hot Oxygen rich Fine particles Less odor Easier to fix

Smoke Residue Categories

Plastic or Rubber Smoke Burn vigorously Low temperatures Light weight Easily smeared Small quantity can produce

large volume of smoke

Smoke Residue Categories

Protein Smoke Meat or poultry

Stove or oven

Extremely, pungent odor

Oily residue

Nearly invisible soot

Understanding the Behavior of Smoke and Fire

If the agent understandsthe behavior of fire andsmoke losses, they canservice their insured on ahigher level than thosethat don’t.

Behavior of Smoke

Temperature

Heat rises

10 degrees in temperature doubles the air volume

Behavior of Smoke

Temperature of Surroundings

Rising hot air seeks cooler surfaces

Falling air at walls causes pulling affect

of warm air

Results in soot deposit on top and back

of drapes

Behavior of Smoke

Ionization of Smoke Particles

Magnetism to:

Nail heads

Synthetics

Smoke webs

The Amount and Severity of Smoke Is Increased With the Following

Materials that burned

Prolonged combustion time

Lack of oxygen

Higher temperature Remember, fire is non-discriminatory and any substance that CAN burn WILL

burn. The more substances that do burn increase penetration of residue and create a more complex odor.

Ongoing Effects of Contamination

Odor sources continue to off-gas until they have been dealt with properly

The longer porous materials are exposed, the more difficult it becomes to clean

Smoke residue, over time, will degrade almost all surfaces Delay in authorizing the cleaning and restoring process can

drastically increase the size of claim

Emergency CleaningAlso called a pre-clean

• The Goal:– Neutralize the acid residue

• Use a Surfactant Agent• Or Cooking Oil

– Protect surfaces and reduce claim costs

Wall Coverings and Smoke Mitigation

• Test cleaning or you might “set” the soot permanently!

• The famous “chem sponge”

Tools of the Trade

Ultrasonic Cleaners

• Mild cleaning solution agitated with sound waves in a tank. Used to clean non-porous and/or delicate items.– Jewelry.– Ceramics.– Computer equipment.

Dry Ice Blasting

• Similar to sand, aggregate or water blasting but can be very delicate.– Furniture.– Glass.– Paper.– Structure.

Ozone Generators

• Used to remove odors. Normally items are stored in a sealed room with ozone generator.– Not safe for natural rubber.

VaporTek

• This unit uses the Vaportek patented essential oil membranes to release non-toxic, odor-neutralizing dry vapor into the air.

Thermal Foggers

• Used to cover odors in areas and on items.

Air Scrubber

• Air scrubbers are used to remove particles in the air. They are HEPA filtering devices.

How Much Does Your Insured Know?

Thank You For Your Time

Question and Answer