First Steps to Recovery After a House Fire

Imagine for a moment that you just had a fire in your home. Maybe it wasn't too bad and it didn't burn the entire house down. No one was injured, but it destroyed your kitchen, and really messed up part of your family room, too. The fire hoses soaked everything in that part of the house. The smoke was thick and filled every room, and everything you own now smells like smoke. There's also a film of soot covering everything. The fire is out and the smoke has cleared. So, what now?

There are steps you need to take right away. The hours immediately after a fire are crucial if you're going to recover quickly, so remember the following steps:

1. Immediately call your insurance agent or claims manager. You'll want to file your claim as quickly as possible and get the ball rolling on your recovery. Also, most policies have provisions for the insurance company to issue an immediate advance against your claim to pay for accommodations while the home is uninhabitable, so the sooner you file, the sooner you can plan your temporary living arrangements.

2. Find out when you can re-enter the home. Wait for the fire marshal to give you the "all clear" before going back inside. There are dangers from falling debris and chemicals in the air after a fire. The fire department will let you know when it's safe to go back into the house.

3. Secure your house. If there are holes in the structure or broken windows, you'll need to have it boarded up once the fire is out. You'll eventually have all of your belongings removed from the home, cleaned and stored for you. Until then, they need to be protected from thieves and weather. Regarding especially expensive items that can easily be removed (jewelry, cash, firearms etc.), you might want to consider relocating them to a more secure location immediately, if possible.

4. Make arrangements for a hotel stay, or accommodations with a relative nearby until you can make more long-term arrangements. Be sure to keep any hotel receipts for your insurance claims adjuster. Most insurance policies state that the insurance company will pay for any reasonable living expenses necessary to maintain the policy holder's current standard of living, and since you will likely be out of your home for several months while repairs are being made, you'll eventually want something larger and more comfortable than the initial hotel room. Your insurance agent can probably put you in touch with local resources for finding suitable temporary housing.

5. Buy some basic items like clothing, toiletries, etc. Since everything in your home will probably be saturated with the smell of smoke, it's best to just buy some new things to use until the professional cleaners can clean and remove the smoke odors from your clothing. The same advance against your insurance claim that pays for a hotel will also pay for these other needs.

6. Once you can safely go back inside your house, don't touch anything with your bare hands. Even things that appear unaffected by the fire will have a film of soot on them. The chemical reaction between the soot and the oils in your skin could permeate the objects and cause damage to things that could otherwise be cleaned and salvaged. That's especially the case with things like walls, furniture (both wood and upholstered), photos and art.

7. Contact ServiceMaster by Cornerstone (or a mitigation specialist in your area) to handle the cleanup. Delaying cleanup could cause further damage due to corrosive gasses from the fire, as well as water damage from the fire hoses. Mitigation companies like ServiceMaster have the equipment, expertise and manpower to handle everything, including the removal, cleaning and temporary storage of your belongings. They will work with your insurance company and repair contractors to get everything cleaned up and returned to normal as quickly as possible.

8. Make note of anything that is obviously damaged. ServiceMaster by Cornerstone will also take photos of the damage and all contents in the home, documenting each non-salvageable item. Those photos will then be sent to the claims adjuster in a convenient report intended to help speed up your claims process.

9. Prepare yourself for a few months of inconvenience while things are being put right again. Keep in mind that for a while at least, life is going to be very different from your usual routine and circumstances. There will be several phone calls with people ranging from your insurance company to your mitigation and repair contractors. There will be decisions to make and questions to answer. Just remember that everyone is working toward the same goal; getting you and your belongings back home again.

There's nothing easy about having a house fire. It turns your life upside down and can stress you out, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Try to stay positive, and don't lose sight of the fact that life will eventually go back to normal again.

Protect Yourself From Burst Water Pipe Damage In 5 Easy Steps

The "polar vortex" has reared its ugly head once again. We're barely into fall in the mid-south and we've already been slammed with freezing temperatures, and even a little bit of frozen precipitation. If this is any indication of things to come this winter, Memphis area residents had better get prepared now.

Many of you probably remember the deep winter freeze we had the first week of January this year. Temperatures dropped into the teens and twenties and stayed there for two days, causing pipes all over the area to crack. When the weather warmed up a little, the leaking and spraying began, in most cases while people were at work or still out of town for the holidays. A lot of folks came home to a big, wet mess that day. We encountered several customers walking around their homes in rubber boots, staring despairingly at their caved-in ceilings and ruined floors and furniture. It was a terrible way for them to start off the new year.

The aftermath of a collapsed ceiling due to a burst water pipe.

So, how do you protect yourself from a similar fate? Well, sometimes it happens no matter what you do, but most frozen pipe disasters we've encountered could have been prevented with a little knowledge and action. Here are five easy steps to help you prevent the sorrow and regret of flooding from a burst water pipe:

1. Keep your home heated to a reasonable level. Even if you're not going to be home (or perhaps especially if you're not going to be home) keep your thermostat set to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You would think that this is a no brainer, but a lot of people who leave home when the weather is mild forget to make sure the heat is set to come on if the temperature drops. If you're leaving town for the holidays, add "set the thermostat" to your pre-trip checklist, right next to "make sure the cat isn't trapped in a closet" (long story, happy ending).

2. Check your insulation. Even with heat running in the house, you still need to make sure the pipes that run through exterior walls, crawl spaces and attics are insulated properly. While we can only hope the builders of our homes adequately insulated our pipes, we can definitely check any exposed pipes in the attic or in crawl spaces and add insulation to them, as well as cover foundation vents and insulate garden hose spigots.

If you're concerned that pipes in your exterior walls might not have enough insulation, there are things you can do. The most proactive step would be to open up the wall and add extra insulation before cold weather hits. You might even want to install a permanent access panel in the wall while you're at it so you can warm the pipes during extreme cold spells. Otherwise, you can always try adding an extra layer of protection by temporarily attaching a piece of foam board to the outside wall that contains those pipes until the freeze threat is over. That extra barrier from a cold wind might make the difference. It might even help if you blow additional heat directly onto the wall from the inside with a space heater (at a safe distance, of course). Do this only if you're going to be home and can fully supervise it.

3. Drip your faucets. Some experts say slowly dripping your faucets will help prevent frozen pipes. The idea is that keeping the water moving prevents it from freezing. Other experts say that doesn't really help, and could even result in water damage from an overflow if your drain becomes clogged or frozen. It's hard to say for sure who is right, but my opinion is to go ahead and drip the faucets if you can be there to keep an eye on it, or at least periodically turn the faucets on and off. That might relieve pressure if the water inside the pipe begins to freeze and expand. And if it's a sink along an outside wall (like many kitchen sinks), don't forget to leave open the cabinet door below to prevent the drain pipe from freezing.  

4. Watch for the signs of a problem. Frozen pipes don't automatically mean burst pipes, although it's pretty likely that they will burst most of the time. Burst pipes don't automatically mean a flood in your house either; you just have to pay attention to the signs and react appropriately. Remember that the most critical time in a freeze scenario is the thaw, not the freeze. If you notice a loss in water pressure during a winter freeze, or no water at all, you need to take action before the pipes thaw and water begins to spray. You'll want to call a plumber as soon as you notice a problem. Don't wait until the thaw begins and everyone else in town is trying to get a plumber. Choose a qualified professional before you need one, and get on his or her schedule early. Even if your pipe hasn't burst yet, the plumber might be able to help you thaw it properly and avoid a problem. That leads us to the next step:

5. Know how to shut off your main water supply.  If you suspect your pipes are frozen, shut off your main water supply to the house and leave your faucets open. Shutting off the water supply will prevent a big water disaster by cutting of the supply of new water. Leaving your faucets on will relieve pressure as the ice begins to thaw. When your pipes thaw and you turn the water back on, do it slowly and watch for any signs of leaking before opening it back up to full pressure. 

Now, being able to take this important step depends on one important factor: Knowing the location of your main water shut off and how to operate it. You might have an interior shut off valve, which can be shut off by simply turning a knob. Otherwise, you'll have to shut your water off at the meter, usually located in your front yard near the road. If you have to shut it off at the meter, you'll need a meter wrench to do it. Make sure you have one. Practice shutting off the main water before a freeze happens. That way you can be sure the valve handle isn't stuck when an emergency occurs.  

As always, if you do happen to find yourself ankle deep (or even toe deep) in water for any reason, the experts at ServiceMaster by Cornerstone are available for emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our phone number is (901) 624-9200. Enter it into your phone along with your plumber's number. You might be glad you did.

It's Fall Y'all! Do These Seven Things Before Winter Arrives

We're now deep into October, and that crisp chill is in the air. Color is bursting onto the landscape and our thoughts turn toward all the outdoor fun we can finally have without risking heat stroke and dehydration.

One more great thing about fall: It's football time in Tennessee (and in other slightly less significant places).

Yes, it's a great time of year to be outdoors. In fact, I have an idea: Pretend for a moment that we're standing outside your home. It's a good time to take a look at a few things before winter gets here. Would you join me?

Let's take a look in the tool shed and make sure we have our water hose spigot insulators. When winter gets here and temps hit freezing, we're going to need those so that the pipes don't burst. Don't forget to firmly attach them when it starts getting cold outside.

Okay, now let's grab our water meter wrench (the black rebar thing that looks like a "T", and should probably be classified as a deadly weapon), and head to the front yard. Find the main water shut-off and make sure it turns. Everything good? Great! You want to make sure that thing works. Much like FEMA after a hurricane, interior shut off valves are notorious for not working properly when you have an emergency. You need to have that exterior valve as a backup.

Let's check the rain gutters now. Set up your ladder and climb on up. If the gutters are full of leaves, go ahead and get those out. Leaves clogging them up can cause rain water to back up behind the gutters and go under the eaves, which will cause the fascia to rot. That ultimately leads to water and pests getting inside your house. Besides, if you don't keep your gutters clean, you'll have small trees growing out of them in the spring, and then all the neighbors will know your shame.

Now while you're up there on the ladder, take a look at the roof. Are there any shingles missing or curled up? Are any tree branches touching the roof?  By the way; how old is that roof now? Even the best asphalt shingle roof will only have a life of about twenty years, maximum. Do you see a lot of granular matter in the rain gutter - a kind of sediment that builds up from the shingles disintegrating? If so, you might want to call a good roofer before winter arrives. Predictions from very serious weather bloggers with no credentials, as well as the Farmer's Almanac indicate a very wet winter this year, and the last thing you want is a leaky roof.

Can you see your chimney from where you're standing? If you plan to use your fireplace this winter, you'll want to have it inspected and cleaned before you build your first fire of the season. Even if you had it cleaned a few years ago and haven't used it since, it's best to have it inspected. Wildlife can get in there and build nests, which turn into raging infernos when sparks hit them. Although it looks amazing when your chimney resembles an upside-down rocket engine, it's really not so amazing when it's the only part of your house still standing.

Let's briefly pop into the attic now that it's cool enough to go in there without suffocating. Look at any water pipes that run through there. Are they well insulated? If not, wrap them up good before the bitter cold hits. There were far too many burst pipes in this town last winter. Not all of them could've been prevented, but some of them could've been with just a little planning. Alright, let's go back outside.

Now, walk around the perimeter of the house and see if you can spot any holes where squirrels, roof rats, or raccoons can get in. They often chew their way in; especially around openings where wires are run into the house. When furry pests get inside your walls and attic, they can make quite a mess; but even worse, they can chew up your wiring and cause an electrical fire. Since shooting holes in your walls with a 12-gauge isn't an option, you might have to call a wildlife removal service if you can't trap them on your own. In any case, evict them as soon as possible. How you dispose of them after that is your own business, but keep in mind that Jed and Granny weren't very picky when it came to vittles, and you don't have to be either - I'm just sayin'.

Okay, that should do it. Don't forget to do that every fall. If you need a reminder, just think of this article when you see the leaves change next year. Happy fall, y'all!

It's Never Too Late For A Kindness Revolution

We're going to change gears a little for this week's article. There's something that has been on all our minds over the last few days, and because ServiceMaster by Cornerstone has been involved with the Kindness Revolution for several years now, we have a few things to say about recent events in our city.

By now, almost everyone in America knows what happened in our home town at the Poplar Plaza shopping center earlier this week. The video of it is cringe-worthy, to say the least. It's beyond the capacity of right-thinking, moral people to understand what possesses one human being (let alone dozens of them) to do those kinds of things to other human beings. Memphis now bears a special kind of shame, and many heads are hung low this week.

However, Sunday's senseless violence is the same thing that happens all the time in other parts of the city, off camera. It happens in schools and in parks. It happens in neighborhood yards and on neighborhood streets. The only difference this time is that it was captured on video in a neighborhood not typically known for violence, and it went viral on the Internet. People the world over have seen it, and now we all have to take notice. There's a serious lack of compassion among many of the youth in this city, and some people wonder if it can ever be changed.

Every talk radio show has analyzed it six ways from Sunday, and almost every idea to change the situation has been paraded out. We've heard everything from "prosecute the parents of unruly kids" to "start another new youth anti-violence program in schools." Everybody seems to think there's some collective method of solving the youth violence problem. They look to political and religious leaders. They point fingers at each other and at the schools. Few seem to really get it.

You're probably now asking; "So, what do we do about it, genius?" Well, I don't know much, but there's an old phrase that is used by conquering armies after wars. Perhaps you've heard it said: "We have to win their hearts and minds." In other words; you can impose all the rules and penalties you want, but few things will actually change permanently unless your ideals become near and dear to those you have conquered. The way they think and feel has to genuinely change.

Make no mistake about it; this is a kind of war. But what's needed is more than a war. What's needed is a revolution, and one of the best revolutions I can think of is one that has existed in this city for several years now - the Kindness Revolution. Perhaps you've heard of it.

The Kindness Revolution was a tremendously popular concept in the beginning. It was started by a business man to encourage more civility in his community by improving kindness in customer service, and promoting kindness everywhere by raising awareness. Now that the excitement of its initial impact has died down, it seems to be losing steam, which is unfortunate. Still, I'm proud that this company is a part of it.

Like many other companies, we still try to live up to the ideals. We have the smiley face stickers, and we even support the program at a local elementary school, but a renewed enthusiasm would be great. You just don't hear as much about the Kindness Revolution as you did a few years ago. It seems like many in our community have drifted away from it and maybe given it up as a lost cause. Why? It's such a simple idea. While the concept wasn't necessarily intended to be a religious one, it's clearly based on a short and simple message from God himself: "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

It's one of the best ideas ever, but it's one that requires more than funding, more than programs, more than slogans and rallies, and more than organized group efforts. What it requires most is thousands of individuals looking for every opportunity to demonstrate kindness in their community, especially in the small ways that don't make newspaper headlines. Understand this: Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care. That's another old phrase, and it's absolutely true.

How many of us have individually gone to a struggling student and offered to tutor him or her for free? How many of us have individually spent time with a young family member or neighborhood kid who needed the guidance and wisdom of an adult? Do we even know the kids in our neighborhood? How many of us have asked a kid what he or she knows about God? So many of them don't know that God loves them. These are all things that don't require a lot of money or planning.

This man noticed that this young woman had no shoes and her feet were bleeding, so he gave her his shoes.

Sure, a lot of us are part of organizations that do charity fundraisers or occasionally deliver meals to hungry people, and that's great. But what do we do on average in the course of our day to show small kindnesses to others around us? Do we ever let some mom struggling with small kids go ahead of us in line at the store? Do we ever let the car next to us get over in front of us when their lane is blocked and they need to get around it? Do we ever just go to a co-worker and tell them we notice how hard they're trying and what a good job they do? It's all about inspiring others, and it doesn't take some grand gesture. It only takes consistent thoughtfulness in ways that don't occur to most people.

It's the small things that add up. How many small, seemingly insignificant kindnesses can you come up with in a day's time? Believe it or not, people are watching. They take notice, and when they see our kindness it often inspires the same in them. That's why it's so important to show our kids how to do small kindnesses for others. Imagine how different those kids at Poplar Place shopping center might've been if they had daily seen the adults in their lives doing kindnesses for others. What might they be like now if their parents had constantly encouraged them to find small ways to do something kind for others - especially those who couldn't do anything for them in return.

The reality is that no Kindness Revolution will change this city over night. Winning hearts and minds often takes years, but it can and does happen. It takes a focused effort every day from each of us who cares. It takes prayer and courage and facing our own shortcomings. It often takes changing our own hearts and minds, and especially our habits.

It's not too late to turn this city around. As long as there is a spark of kindness, we can start brush fires, and those brush fires can become an inferno of goodness in this town. The spark is there, so start your own brush fire. It's never too late for a kindness revolution.

Yes, Disgusting! But Often Preventable

The modern age, with its toilets and indoor plumbing and all, is a wondrous thing. If you've had much experience with outdoor adventures in remote, primitive places, you know that indoor toilets sure beat an out house (or less) in the cold of winter or in the sweltering summer heat. But there's a price to be paid for all modern conveniences, and the price for indoor plumbing is the risk of a sewage backup in your home, resulting in disgusting mess all over your floor and baseboards (and whatever else gets in the way). It's a horrifying thought, but it happens all the time.

I hate to even think about how people dealt with this kind of thing in the days before the cleaning standards and technology we have now. I'm not sure, but it might explain why very old houses often smell weird. What did they do before antimicrobials and air scrubbers? Don't know, don't want to know. I'm just glad there's now a good way to clean it thoroughly, and people who are willing to take on that nightmare and make it go away. It's definitely not a do-it-yourself project that any homeowner or building maintenance manager wants to tackle if they can hire someone with the right gear to do the honors.

What Happens If I Have a Sewage Backup?

A sewage backup and overflow, or any toilet water that comes from beyond the trap (that means the unspeakable places below the toilet where all the scariest things go, hopefully never to be seen again), is classified as "category three" water by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the organization that sets standards for the cleaning and restoration industry. There are very strict standards set by IICRC, as well as the insurance industry and health regulatory agencies, for the cleaning and disposal of class three water damage.

According to those standards, tile and concrete would simply be cleaned and disinfected with antimicrobial solutions.  However, carpet and wood flooring, as well as sheet rock and baseboards affected by class three water should be completely removed and disposed of properly. Let's face it; nothing could get that carpet clean enough to make any of us want to lay down on it again and play Legos with our kids. It's best just to replace all the soft, extremely porous materials like that. Thank goodness for insurance!

Speaking of insurance: One thing a lot of people don't realize is that your average homeowner's insurance policy might not include sewage and drain backup coverage, so you might want to ask your agent if a sewer and drain rider is attached to your policy. If not, have it added on; replacing affected materials in a class three water damage can get expensive.

Causes and Prevention

Although we have to be careful about what and how much we flush down our porcelain thrones, most sewage backups have less to do with what we're doing wrong on our end, and more to do with what's going on under ground.

Tree roots are a common cause of sewer drain clogs and collapses, which usually lead to a backup. You can be careful where you plant trees, but sometimes tree roots from neighboring yards can find their way to your sewer drain.

Another cause is old sewer drains disintegrating and collapsing over time. This usually happens in only very old neighborhoods where cast iron and clay pipes were once the norm. Ah, the joys of owning a piece of history!

If you suspect either of those two scenarios as a potential problem, you can have a video inspection of your sewer drain performed by a plumber. The inspection, as well as a repair job might be costly, but it would be well worth it to avoid a backup.

How do you know if you need an inspection? It's simple: You listen to your house. Your house is always telling you something. The key is to know what it means. If you notice a loud, prolonged gurgling sound when you run water down a drain or after you flush the toilet, you might want to pay closer attention. If you actually see water coming back up through the drain in the tub when you run the water in the sink, you'd be smart to have a plumber look into it; there's something going on there. You might just need some drain cleaner, but it might be more serious, so don't put it off.

As always, ServiceMaster by Cornerstone is available 24/7 to deal with sewer back ups (and most other disasters). Hey, somebody has to do it.

3 Things You Need To Know About Hoarding and Estate Cleanup

In the last few years, America has become very familiar with the term "hoarding". Thanks to television shows like "Hoarders", awareness of the problem is at an all time high. The general public is starting to understand that hoarding isn't about people simply being lazy and gross, and that it isn't a hopeless condition after all.

As a result, hoarder cleanup services are now in high demand, but many regions of the country still have a shortage of reputable resources in their area. That's why ServiceMaster recently made the decision to begin intensive hoarder cleanup training for select personnel, taught by none other than extreme cleaning expert, Matt Paxton of tv's "Hoarders." I'm happy to report that ServiceMaster by Cornerstone is now well trained and experienced in hoarder and estate cleanup.

So, aside from the bizarre willingness to tediously sort through piles of other people's stuff, dispose of dead rodents (and long lost pets), and sometimes smell pet urine all day, what makes ServiceMaster by Cornerstone any different than the guys with a couple of trucks who do extreme hoarding cleanups on the side at a "bargain" price? The following is a list of three reasons it makes sense to call trained professionals:

1. Extensive Training - There's a lot more to hoarder cleanups than just hauling stuff away. That approach will only result in having the same situation again a few months later. Our technicians have been through training that not only teaches the technical aspects of extreme cleaning, but also consists of learning about the underlying condition that causes hoarders to do what they do. Our team has learned the patterns of behavior that they can expect from the hoarder during a cleanup, and how to compassionately and effectively handle those obstacles. We have learned that hoarders must be on board with the project and actively participate in order to give them the best chance of not falling back into their old behavior again.

Understanding how to properly respond to hoarders who can at times become angry and uncooperative is essential to keeping the process moving towards a successful outcome. The last thing we want is for our customer to spend good money on a cleanup, only to once again be up to his or her eyeballs in magazines, empty food containers and stray cats a few months later.

2. Reputation - Plain and simple: You don't want to hire someone to do your cleanup who might start the job one day and disappear the next; it really happens sometimes. As part of the ServiceMaster brand, ServiceMaster by Cornerstone is obligated to uphold the industry standards that have made ServiceMaster a trusted name since 1929. We're not out to make a quick buck and then disappear. We're here today and we'll be here tomorrow, God willing. That kind of consistency makes us reliable to our customers (and possibly a little boring, so it's good that we get to drive flashy, yellow trucks).

3. Licensed and Bonded - Where peoples lives, homes and belongings are concerned, you want to work with a company that is conscientious about the people they hire, compliant with regulations and standards of operation, and bonded to cover any damage to your property or injuries to employees that might occur on your property. Those "bargain" companies might offer bargain prices for a reason. After all, it's easy to price your services lower when you aren't paying for insurance or employee training and background checks, or any of the other things that are designed to safeguard the customer.

We hope that you'll keep these three things in mind when a family member, client or neighbor needs help with an extreme cleanup. Hire the "bargain" guys to mow your lawn, but leave the extreme cleaning to the experts. You'll be glad you did.

8 Reasons to Pre-select Your Emergency Water and Fire Mitigation Company

Does your facility or place of business have a detailed Emergency Services Plan?

 

Benefits of pre-selecting your emergency mitigation contractor:

·       Relationship: You will know us and we will know you before an emergency occurs. 

·       Familiarity with your building: We will be familiar with the layout of your facility in advance, and even have a copy of your floor plan. 

·       Facility walk-through: We will perform a walk-through of your facility, noting all essential details, as well as any apparent problems that could lead to water damage or a fire disaster. You will receive a full report that includes photographs and suggestions. 

·       Knowing your do’s and don’ts: You can make us aware of your preferences, organizational rules, and expectations, before an emergency occurs.

·       Awareness: We can explain our processes, equipment and pricing with you so you know what to expect before an emergency occurs. 

·       Priority: We can enroll you in ServiceMaster’s national disaster recovery program which ensures that your facility gets priority status over non-enrollees during a large scale disaster event.  

·       ESP: We provide a comprehensive, detailed, written Emergency Services Plan (ESP), plus a backup thumb drive copy for all authorized personnel.

·       No Cost: There is no charge for any of our preparation services