A few years ago we were called out to do a fire damage restoration project for a homeowner in Haddonfield, NJ.
Kitchen fires happen – the most common cause of household fires
The fire started in the kitchen when the homeowner went into another room – “just for a second.”
Where the fire went – up and out of the kitchen
The fire was contained to the first floor, and everyone was able to get out safely, so thankfully there were no injuries to the residents of the home.
However, the water damage in the basement left by the fire fighters who put the fire out was extensive – as well as the smoke damage to the contents throughout the home.
Smoke damage from the kitchen fire in the bathroom on the other side of the house
What made things worse were the piles and piles of belongings throughout the home. Every room of the home was filled with clutter!
Smoke damage throughout the house – even in the bedrooms
To add insult to injury, the homeowner had several cats who had decided that the piles of clutter in the basement were fair game to use as a litter box.
Piles of children’s books and papers in the basement now ruined by the water used to put out the fire
So, now, not only was the home damaged with fire, smoke and water, the contents in the basement were infested with fleas and cat feces. . . .
And, you can only imagine the smell!
Before we could even begin to do the smoke and fire remediation, we had to call in an exterminator.
Precious possessions now burned – somewhere in this pile are several Coach® handbags
The saddest part was that the owner of this home had a beautiful collection of Coach® handbags she had received as gifts from friends and family members.
Because the Coach® collection was mixed in with all of her other belongings, many of them were destroyed by the water the fire fighters used to put out the fire, and the smoke that permeated everything in the home.
We were able to help her by getting her home clean, dry and sanitized and we cleaned the undamaged items so they could be moved back into the home.
But, it took several months for all the work to be completed.
And, the homeowner lost many of her cherished belongings – including several of her cherished Coach® handbags.
So here are the top 8 reasons that just might motivate you to do some Fall cleaning and de-clutter your home right now:
1. The first and most important reason to de-clutter your home now: Piles of books, papers, and clothing on the floor are a fire hazard because they make exiting from a burning home safely much harder. Keep your home safe for you and your loved ones and de-clutter now so nobody trips and falls if they need to make a fast exit from your home!
2. Second, the cost of cleaning water and fire damaged homes increases with the amount of “stuff” you have because there’s so much more work to do.
Yes, your homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the cost of damages and restoration after a fire.
But, if you have a fire, it will take a lot longer to get back into your home after the remediation is complete because all the contents have to be cleaned off-site.
What that means is that the contents have to be packed out, each item individually cleaned by hand, then treated for smoke damage, and then re-packed to be moved back into the home after the remediation and repairs have been completed.
Do you really want to wait months for something to be cleaned and de-odorized and moved back into your home when you just don’t care about it anymore?
3. The third reason you want to de-clutter now: As with our Haddonfield, NJ homeowner with the Coach® handbag collection, the loss of precious personal belongings goes way up when there is smoke and water damage to a home that has suffered a fire.
Remember: In a home that suffers a fire, valuable items that are mixed in with items that no longer have any meaning for you might sometimes end up getting discarded.
4. Fourth, basement clutter, more than clutter in any other room, increases the chance that toxic mold will grow because there’s a decrease in the amount of air circulation. Decreased air circulating the in the basement increases the chance that moisture will be trapped in and among the clutter. Stagnant air in your basement will feed mold growth – and that’s even without a significant water damage event like a sewage backup, a sump pump failure or fire water damage.
5. The fifth reason you want to de-clutter now: Insurance Adjusters are only human. When they see a fire and water damaged home that is well maintained – clean and tidy – it’s a sign to them that the owners care about their property and their belongings. If the home is cluttered and dirty, it’s harder for the adjuster to place a value on the contents of the home. And, while there is estimating software that helps adjusters place value on fire and water damaged homes, it’s a much harder judgment call to estimate the damage to the contents. It’s not possible for an insurance adjuster to understand the meaningful or sentimental attachment you might have to some of your belongings if your home contains a lot of other things that no longer matter to you.
6. Sixth, de-cluttering now can save you money. There are some tax advantages (albeit small) to donating your unused belongings – housewares, clothing, toys. All you have to do is save your receipt when you donate and report it on your income tax return. If these items are sitting in your basement, don’t you think they could be put to better use for someone in need?
7. Seventh, if you plan to down-size later in life to a smaller residence, the move will be a lot easier if you “de-junkify” now. Why wait?
8. The eighth reason to de-clutter now: If you have adult children, it will be much easier for them to manage your estate after you pass if they don’t have to sort through items that have no meaning for them. If you love your children, you can save them undue physical and emotional hardship with the simple solution of de-cluttering now.
While we specialize in compassionate and caring treatment of fire and water damaged homes, we also hope that you never have to experience this kind of loss. And,thankfully, the statistics for fires in the homes in our region have been decreasing steadily for the past several years.
But, if you, or someone you love needs help recovering from the loss of a fire, call the fire damage remediation experts at PuroClean Emergency Recovery Services 877-750-7876. We can help you sort out, clean out, and move back in after fire, water and smoke damages your home. That’s why we’ve earned the reputation as The Paramedics of Property Damage ® So give us a call. You’ll be glad you did!
