Keep electrical sockets from becoming overloaded with too many plugs. Overheated sockets often cause blown fuses, which can easily start fires. Another fire hazard is exposed wiring. Any time you can see bare wires on electrical cords, it’s time to replace them. Sparks can flare up from those exposed wires and cause a fire to begin. If you can remember, always unplug any appliances that you’re not using at the moment. There is always electricity flowing through anything that is plugged in, and the less electricity you’re using at any given time, the safer your home is from fires.

The number one causes of house fires in San Diego and everywhere else in the world is leaving stoves and ovens unattended. If something else requires your immediate attention, you should turn the stoves and ovens off. Never leave a gas stove lit while you go do something else. Another easy tip to avoid fire damage is to never put electrical wiring under rugs and carpets. If you smoke, use deeper ash trays to prevent sparks from the cigarettes and cigars from catching flammable items on fire. Finally, it is a great idea to learn how to use a fire extinguisher if you don’t already know how. A smaller fire can be put out easily and damage can be minimized if you can put it out with a fire extinguisher, before the fire gets out of control.

Fire damage restoration is extremely helpful when you have a fire, but if you take the right steps, you can avoid fires in your home completely, barring accidents. There are fire hazards lurking around every corner, and the more of them you can eliminate, the better off your home will be in the case of a real flammable emergency. Take care of your home to reduce the risk of fire damage.

The claim process can be tedious and the following tips can make it go more smoothly.

Limit the Damage

The main reason many claims are denied is due to the homeowner not trying to prevent further damage. Insurance providers will require proof that effort was made to fix the problem or that an attempt was made to slow it down. If the issue is allowed to continue unabated, the claim will be denied because of owner negligence.

Check the Policy

Most basic homeowner insurance covers water damage.  Call us and we can assist with determining the source, coverage, etc since we work with most insurance carriers.

Take Photos

Taking snapshots with a phone or camera, or shooting some video of the damage will increase the chances of a successful claim. Documenting the event is also helpful for the water damage restoration phase that will come later.

Avoid Saying Flood

Water damage and flood damage are considered to be different things in the insurance world. Flood insurance has to be purchased separately and does not apply to common water damage situations, such as a broken pipe.

The above steps, along with being cooperative, will be sufficient to resolve most claims regarding water damage. Any questions or concerns can be directed to our office and we can assist with determining the cause of the water damage. It can be helpful for a prospective homeowner to shop around for insurance prior to purchasing a home in order to receive the best possible policy and service.

If damage due to rains is not taken care of correctly, mold damage can occur.  It can happen very quickly.  Typically within a few hours to a couple days mold will grow in an amount where it is visible and detrimental to the inhabitants of the property.  It will remain in that condition indefinitely and will get worse until it is professionally cleaned.  Mold will grow within a property when the following conditions are true: moisture is present, air-flow is low, and the mold has a substrate to grow on.

The perfect condition for this is behind drywall, in ceiling cavities, on stud walls or joist ceilings, under floor coverings, within cabinets, and in cabinets.  Basically, homes are the perfect breeding ground for mold.

When an area due to a leaky roof has a mold issue due to not being dried out correctly, at all, or unseen, the process to have it remediated is as follows:

1. Our trained, licensed technicians will setup containment around the affected area.  If this area is, for example, affecting 4′ x 4′ of ceiling in a living room, we would place 4 – 6 mil plastic around the affected area, containing the air in the “affected” bubble from the rest of the “unaffected” area.

2. Our technicians would be wearing personal protective equipment such as tyvek suits, HEPA masks and faceguards when they cut out any non-structural, porous components, back, wrap, and dispose of correctly from the jobsite.

3. We would HEPA vacuum the affected area.

4. Wipe down of affected areas with a surfactant to remove large areas of mold.

5. We would correctly dry the remaining structural components using properly sized dehumidifiers and air scrubbers.

6. We would apply an antimicrobial to the affected areas.

7. We would cleans the air using HEPA airscrubbers that pass “affected” air across a two-filter HEPA system and exhausts “unaffected” air to a duct directed outside of the property.  We would scrub the air for a minimum of 48 hours.

8. We would have the cleaning, drying, and mold extraction verified with a clearance test that would be a comparative analysis showing lower levels in the containment as compared to the control sample (usually outside the front door).  The testing would be provided by a 3rd party tester, not our office, leaving the results 3rd party (i.e. not testing our own work).

How long does the mold remediation process start?  For the example above it would be as follows:

1. Containment setup, 4′x4′ of affected area removed, wipe down with a  surfactant = 1 – 2 days.

2. HEPA vacuuming and final wipe down of “affected” areas within the containment = 1 – 2 days.

3. HEPA airscrubbing in preparation for air clearance testing = 2 – 3 days.

4. Time to wait for test results from lab = 1 – 4 days (labs are typically closed on Saturday and Sunday and depending on the cost of the test can take 1 to 2 days for results).

Call our office at 888-DRY-EXPRESS (379-3977) for an assessment today.

The first step is preventing running water damage in your home is to make sure that you put some effort into childproofing your home. All it takes is for a small child to hide under the kitchen sink and you could have a serious problem.

If you discover any leak, fix it quickly. Fixing slow leaks in faucets is a relatively simple process, but it is one that could save you hundreds of dollars. Most homeowners, upon finding directions, can take care of this problem within a few short hours.

Dishwasher leaks are also a common problem and the homeowner should do a thorough inspection at least once a month. If you only inspect once a year, the slow drip of water could end up rotting your floor before it was discovered.

When you plan to take a vacation or are planning to be away for an extended period of time, you will either want to shut the water off and drain the pipes or have someone come into your home to check your home every day. If your heat system was to fail in the winter, bursting pipes could cause extensive damage to your home.

A home should be a safe haven for you and your family. By learning how to prevent running water damage in your home, you can be sure that it stays that way. Along with this, you will also be able to save money, as the cost to repair the damage caused by these types of problems could run into thousands of dollars.

Handling fire damage insurance claims should start before a potential fire happens. Your insurance policy, photos, content list, receipts and video should be stored off site to ensure they remain safe. Be knowledgeable about your insurance policy coverage such as living expenses if your home is uninhabitable. Know how the insurance will figure the content replacement cost. One method is the actual cost of the items after depreciation is applied and another is the actual amount of money it will cost to replace them.

A fire is an emotional ordeal for people. In the worst-case scenario, they have no home, no contents and lose personal items that are irreplaceable. Emotions may run high for months, but when you deal with your insurance company make every effort to put the emotions aside. There are several basic steps to follow for any type of fire damage incurred. Document the details of the fire and notify your insurance immediately.

Be prepared to report the date of the fire, type of loss incurred, location of damage, any injuries, content descriptions, and emergency repairs done. Obtain a copy of the police report, take pictures or video, list contents affected and the fire damage of the structure. Document every contact made from the point of the fire until the claim is settled. Most insurance companies require that you give a sworn statement detailing the events and the fire damage sustained.

Do not do anything but emergency repairs until you have notified your insurance company and an adjuster assesses the fire damage. An emergency repair is repairs that prevent further damage to your home or contents. Call in and get an estimate from us, fire damage restoration professionals and have us come to clean up the damage. Fire restoration companies, like DryExpress Restoration have specialized training and experience when fire damage occurs and some policies pay for their services.

San Diego DryExpress Restoration are fire damage restoration experts who know what is salvageable, what are a total loss and the safest way to clean up dangerous fire residues and structural hazards. If you are unable to live in your home, keep receipts for lodging and food. Depending on your policy, the insurance company may reimburse these expenses or a portion of them. You should not file fire damage insurance claims until you have all the information and evidence that is available to receive the best insurance settlement.

1.  Arrival at property with customer after or during the fire suppression

2. Use of plywood, 2×4′s, etc to secure the broken  windows and / or doors

3. Use use of interior clamps to secure the plywood from the inside so that someone from the outside cannot simply unscrew the material to enter the building.  This adds more protection.

Call Dry Express Restoration today at 888-DRY-EXPRESS (379-3977) for an assessment as soon as you have a fire.  We can do an assessment and protect the home further with things such as adding lubricants to metals to prevent pitting, apply cleaners to windows, mirrors, and glass to prevent etching, and conduct full remediation including cleaning of contents and structure and / or demo and odor neutralization.

Due to the fact that rain in San Diego typically doesn’t happen for several months out of the year (i.e. April through September), roof issues many times don’t come up until the rains are heavy.  It is important to eliminate further damage and guard against future damage.  We typically see a call from a customer arise from some sort of the following process:

1.  Heavy rain causing water to enter the home / building

2. Homeowner / business owner / property manager, etc notices water in the structure

3. Person calls our office for an assessment

4. We conduct emergency tarping of the roof to guard against further water intrusion

5. We dry out the inside of the building to guard against mold damage and further water damage by using state-of-the-art drying equipment and technology

6. We make repairs to the structure if anything was damaged beyond being able to be dried in place (i.e. replace insulation, drywall, painting, etc as needed if required to remove to allow for proper drying)

7. We make repairs to the roof or help the customer with selecting a roofing contractor

Since we work with all insurance carrier we provide a detailed description and breakdown of cost to the customer if they choose to turn this into an insurance claim.  Sometimes these are covered and other times they are not.  It is dependent on the customers insurance carrier and their policy.  In general wind driven rain that causes verifiable physical damage to the home will be covered by insurance, outside of the customers deductible.  Examples may include shingles flying off roofs from wind damage and resulting water intrusion, broken window from a flying branch due to wind damage and resulting water damage inside the building, and a fallen tree onto a building from wind / water damage.  Calling Dry Express Restoration first allows for a proper assessment and gives the customer the most options.  In many cases the resulting damage is close to the deductible amount allowing a customer not to file and stopping from the need to have a claim on their policy.

You need to act immediately by contacting Dry Express Restoration right away.  We will dispatch our expert technicians to your home or office immediately. When our technician arrives at your home or office, they will test the moisture levels in your carpet, floors, walls, and ceilings. Once they have determined the extent of the water damage, our technician can begin the drying process with our state of the art equipment.

In the event of a water damage emergency, Dry Express Restoration offers the following services customized to your needs and situation.

• Emergency Water Extraction
• Drying and Dehumidification
• Structural Drying
• Mold and Mildew Containment and Odor Removal
• Stain Removal
• Carpet and Carpet Pad Restoration
• Carpet Cleaning and Deodorization
• Carpet Replacement

We have compiled a list of suggestions to help minimize loss while our team is on its way to your property.

Before entering the affected area:

• Turn off the power.
• Attempt to locate the source of water and shut it off if possible.
• Be conscious of falling ceilings or walls when water is coming from above.
• Use caution when walking on wet floors.
• Wear sturdy water-proof shoes or boots when dealing with sewage.

Once the area is secure:

• Remove wet shoes/gloves to avoid tracking water to other parts of your home.
• Dry solid furnishings by wiping them off.
• If furnishings are too large to be removed from the damaged area, block with pieces of wood, Styrofoam or plastic to keep them off the wet floor.  Make sure not to use anything that has dye or color in it As it may bleed and cause more damage.
• Lift any window treatments off of carpet by looping through a non-metal hanger and hooking the hanger on the drapery rod.
• Remove all area rugs and floor coverings.

After our technicians have arrived:

• To enhance the drying process, make sure to open furniture drawers, closet doors, and luggage.
• Do not turn off our drying equipment.  It is most effective when it runs uninterrupted for the entire drying period.
• Photos, paintings, and art objects should be moved to a safe and dry location.
• Remove any fabrics as soon as possible; furs and leather goods should be hung to dry separately at room temperature.
• Take damp books from book shelves and spread them out to aid drying.

Whatever your water damage emergency, Dry Express Restoration can help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

Not only can these scenes be disturbing, but they are also a focal point of serious emotional pain for the families or workers who are affected by the trauma. That’s why complete discretion and empathy – along with specialized training in blood borne pathogens and related issues – are needed.

At Dry Express Restoration, our goal is to provide not only effective trauma remediation and safe removal of hazardous materials in severe situations, but to work in the least disruptive method possible. We maintain a high standard of quality workmanship and efficiency while respecting the emotions of the customer and all other involved parties.  Dry Express Restoration is constantly researching and developing technology and processes to provide sustainable remediation solutions for now and in the future

Our staff of decontamination specialists receive the highest quality training and certifications to clean, decontaminate and deodorize your property.  They are specially trained to remove and neutralize biological hazards and to sensitively approach these types of situations and perform their duties professionally while adding as little emotional stress as possible to famil

ies and business owners.

We specialize in:

• Trauma/Crime Scenes
• Suicide/Homicide Scenes
• Unattended or Undiscovered Death
• Vehicular and Industrial Accidents
• Biohazard Clean up and Removal
• Animal Infestation and Decomposition
• Severe Odor Contamination
• Distressed Property/Vandalism
• Filth Cleanup/Hoarding Cleanup

As with all our services, working with Dry Express Restoration assures you of:

• All necessary restoration and reconstruction services provided through a single point of contact.
• Careful attention to minimizing and eliminating potential health hazards.
• All necessary tests to ensure complete removal of all toxic materials.
• A certified technician on every loss, with all work done to the proper Standard of Care.

Smoke damage is a frustrating problem that occurs after a fire in your home. Your walls will probably have soot and blistering on them and you’ll probably have a smoky odor throughout the home.

The first thing you do not want to do is touch the walls.  The natural oils found on human hands will mix with the soot and leave streaky grease marks on your paint.  Even the minimum amount of pressure from your finger pushing on the wall will cause this grease to be pushed into the paint.  If the soot is grease based (the fire involved burnt food or chemicals), the same damage may be caused even if while wearing plastic gloves.  Once sooty-grease is pushed into the paint, it becomes very difficult to remove and will probably require the walls to be stripped and repainted.

The first thing that you will want to do is call Dry Express Restoration.  Our team of fire damage professionals will use special products and equipment to safely and cleanly remove soot while causing a minimal amount of damage to your walls.  We also use High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters to remove the smoke in the air to make it safer and less odorous.

During a fire, unpainted drywall absorbs smoke and will have an odor that will remain long after the fire has been extinguished. In order to remove the odor, the drywall will need to be replaced. Any insulation in the walls will need to be replaced too, as it is likely to have absorbed the smoke as well. Other areas of the home such as ceiling tiles, beams and rafters may also need to be replaced due to smoke damage.

In order to have all this done professionally and safely, call Dry Express Restoration.

We’re there when you need us – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.