Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Of course, we all hope it never happens: The Big One. Seismologists have been warning Utah residents about the possibility of a major earthquake for so long that at this point that it’s easy to become complacent about preparing for it. But the warnings are legitimate: according to the Utah Geological Survey, chances of a magnitude 7.0 or higher temblor along the Wasatch Front stands at roughly 25%. The probability of smaller quakes that can still cause considerable damage is much higher. Statistics aside, preparing your home for such an occurrence just makes good common sense. Here are 7 tips.
- Secure your water heater: You can do this by strapping the tank to a wall stud and bolting the bottom of the container to the floor.
- Fasten book shelves to the wall: Heavy falling objects are a hazard to your family’s safety. You can prevent shelving systems from toppling by bolting them in a few places to wall studs.
- Be conscious of how you store loose items: Placing heavy boxes on the tops of shelves is a dangerous practice, earthquake or no earthquake. Always put heavy items stored on shelves or in closets at the lowest possible level.
- Know where your utility shut-offs are: The greatest safety hazard is not usually the quake itself– it’s what happens afterwards. To prevent fires or flooding, know where the main shut-offs are located for gas, electricity and water.
- Keep home systems in good repair: Faulty electrical wiring or leaky connections in your gas line can cause a lot of trouble following a temblor. If you’ve been putting off these repairs, now is the time to take care of them once and for all.
- Shore up your home’s foundation: A certain amount of settling is natural within a few years after a new home’s construction. However, if your foundation has deep cracks it may aggravate damage done to your structure during a quake. If you have concerns, bring in a professional to do an assessment.
- Check your homeowners’ policy: Most standard insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage; such coverage must be purchased separately. Make sure you have all you bases covered BEFORE disaster strikes.
For more detailed information about earthquake damage prevention, visit the FEMA website or contact your Utah disaster cleanup specialists at UDK.
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
As you can probably imagine, once the initial response to a disaster is over and family members or employees are all accounted for, this is one of the first questions people ask any remediation and restoration company whether it is a Utah disaster cleanup company like UDK or a similar business in other states.
The answer inevitably becomes: “it depends.” Whether or not your homeowners’ policy will cover your particular damage depends both on your individual policy as well as the circumstances surrounding the disaster. The two most confusing cleanup jobs in terms of whether or not there will be coverage are water damage and mold. Here is a brief primer of homeowners’ policies vis-à-vis disaster coverage.
Water Damage
Most insurance will cover water damage caused by storms, broken water pipes, fixtures, and appliances. Damage to the structure itself will be covered, along with damage to contents that comes as a direct result of the disaster. Insurance will only cover losses due to rain, however: if a river floods as a result of the same storm, the structure and contents will not be covered; which brings us to the topic of flood damage.
Water damage that comes as a result of flooding from a stream, lake, river or ocean is NOT covered under homeowners’ policies. Even mud flow damage will fall under this category. You must purchase insurance separately through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program in order for these kinds of losses to be covered.
Mold
Most policies will definitely cover mold remediation, cleanup, and restoration efforts if the fungus is present as a DIRECT RESULT of a covered event such as a non-flood water-related disaster. If the mold is present due to owner neglect or growth has occurred over a long period of time, then cleanup is usually NOT covered. This is why it is so essential to have your home professionally inspected for mold anytime you suspect it may be present.
Bottom Line: Check Your Policy
The above scenarios are meant to be a general guideline only: for specifics about what your policy does and does not cover, be sure to check with your insurance agent.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
A home disaster such as flooding, fire or extensive wind damage is a harrowing experience for adults, but it is truly traumatic for the little people that live there too. Once your family and property are secured and the cleanup and restoration process is well underway, it’s important to turn your attention to the emotional needs of the youngsters in your household and make sure they are emotionally OK. Here are some ways to help.
What Kids Are Feeling
Children need to feel secure and when they see destruction happen in the place where they feel safest, it’s bound to have an effect. This is usually manifested in one or more of the following ways: extreme sadness, fear of what the future may hold, or acting in inappropriate ways. Understand that these are normal reactions, and the key to how well children cope is the behavior of their own parents.
How You Can Help
- Remain as positive and proactive as possible: It’s hard, but you have to do your best to keep your own feelings in check. Do not panic and do not despair: if you face the disaster with strength and resolve, your kids are less likely to fall apart. Kids always, always look to their parents to know how to react to hardship, and they can sense your own fear or feelings of sadness.
- Once the immediate danger has passed and cleanup and remediation efforts are underway, take the time to let your children express their own feelings about what has happened. They need to know that their feelings of sadness at the loss of their routine, belongings and perhaps even their entire home are normal. Talk about how you feel too, always ending with an expression of hope and that your family will survive this.
- Engage in lots of reassuring personal contact: give them hugs, kisses, and squeezes.
- Don’t keep them in the dark: Explain to your children exactly how the disaster came about and what your plans are for preventing such events in the future. Encourage them to give their input so they will feel more in control of the situation.
- If safety allows, let your kids assist with cleanup efforts: they will feel like they are contributing and helping to make things right again.
- Understand that each of their belongings is important to them, even if it’s just an old stuffed animal: try to salvage as much of their things as possible. A good Utah disaster cleanup company like UDK may be able to make that precious teddy bear “well” again.
- Time heals, but you should expect some setbacks. Hearing about another disaster on TV or hearing a siren may reignite their insecurities. Don’t dismiss their concerns: instead, let them talk about it and do a lot of reassuring. If necessary, get them some counseling to assuage their fears.
A home disaster is hard on everyone, but children are especially vulnerable. Getting them back to their normal routines as quickly as possible makes a huge difference. UDK’s top of the line Utah disaster cleanup services can help your home as well as your whole family get back to normal life in the shortest amount of time possible.
