What to do when damage happens.
Plain-language guides from a restoration company owned by an insurance specialist. What to do first, what to document, and how claims usually work.
All guides
Winterize your pipes: how to prevent frozen pipes in a Pennsylvania winter
A frozen pipe usually floods the house when it thaws, not while it is frozen. A few cheap steps in the fall keep that from happening.
Read the guideWater damage · 5 min readBasement flooded? What to do in the first hour
The first hour decides how much you tear out later. Here is the order to do things in, from safety to the first phone calls.
Read the guideInsurance claims · 6 min readDoes homeowners insurance cover water damage in Pennsylvania?
It depends on where the water came from and how fast it happened. Here is how most Pennsylvania homeowners policies sort it out.
Read the guideInsurance claims · 7 min readHow to file a water damage insurance claim, step by step
Written by people who have inspected claims for insurance carriers. This is the order that keeps your claim clean and moving.
Read the guideInsurance claims · 4 min readDo I have to use my insurance company's restoration contractor?
Usually, no. Your insurance company may recommend a company from its network, but you decide who works on your home.
Read the guideFire & smoke · 6 min readWhat to do after a house fire, before the cleanup starts
Once the fire department leaves, the next few days set up everything that follows. Here is what to do, and what to leave alone.
Read the guideMold & air quality · 5 min readSigns of hidden mold after a leak
The leak got fixed, the stain got painted over, and months later something smells off. Here is how to tell whether water left mold behind.
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