Potential Pitfalls When Dealing with a Partial Loss

4/20/2020 (Permalink)

Partial fire loss in Sunland Villages, AZ

Potential Pitfalls When Dealing with a Partial Loss

When your commercial property in Sunland Villages, AZ, is damaged by fire, chances are that the whole building will not need to be torn down and rebuilt. In many fire loss situations, part of the structure and the items within it can be salvaged. Hiring reputable fire mitigation experts can help you avoid several pitfalls that are common with a partial loss.

Hidden Damage
Much of the damage to your building will be visible during the assessment. There are many places in your building, however, where smoke damage can hide:

• In air ducts
  
• In cracks and crevices
  
• Behind walls
  
• Inside cabinets or drawers
  
  

Hidden problems that are left unresolved can result in lingering odors and secondary damage. Full fire damage repair involves finding every place where there is smoke or soot and cleaning it thoroughly.

Unexpected Delays
Your insurance provider prioritizes claims based on several factors, one of which is the extent of the fire loss. If only one small area of your building caught fire, you may experience a delay in your adjuster's arrival. That doesn't mean you have to delay repairs, though. You can demonstrate initiative by calling the repair company to get an assessment of the damage to your building and get started on a remediation process. The company can provide an itemized list of the necessary repairs to aid the adjuster when he or she arrives.

Unsatisfactory Restoration
The fire restoration process is not complete until your building looks like it did before the fire. A partial loss comes with the challenge of making sure that the restored area sufficiently matches the space around it. For example, if only part of your carpet was damaged, it can be tempting to only replace the damaged portions which would leave mismatched carpeting that is a reminder of exactly where the damage was. Hiring a team that handles both mitigation and restoration helps to ensure the job is completed well.
A partial fire loss is better than a total loss, but it is not without its challenges. Choose a quality repair company that can see the process through from start to finish to avoid common pitfalls.