It may have taken months or years to purchase or collect the precious items you have in your home or within your business. Some things may be considered keepsakes and others may be strictly functional. Whatever the case, each item is important and you should plan ahead to protect all items in case of any unexpected event. One way to do that is to take a home inventory. It is so important to prepare yourself long before disaster strikes. It is even most important to hire professionally trained content managers who can assess and provide comprehensive contents management in the event of an emergency. You may wonder what exactly is involved in a home inventory process and why should you bother? It is easy to create and can save you money in the end. [Read more…]
The Science of Fire Damage: What Exactly is Smoke?
Having your home or business involved in a fire can have devastating, long lasting effects. Such an unexpected event can result in fire and smoke damage that only trained professionals can truly restore. There are several different types of smoke damage, each requiring its own set of techniques and methods, that only an expert would be able to understand. [Read more…]
The Science of Water Damage: Drying Technologies
Restoring property due to water damage takes skill and specialized training in the science of water damage. The thought of dealing with the aftermath of a water disaster can be heartbreaking. From walls and flooring to years of personal belongings, any and everything can be harmed by water. Saving and restoring your home or business to its original state as closely as possible is your goal. Once water damage has been established, your home or business requires expert restoration companies that have been fully trained in not only how to save your items, but also in understanding and explaining the water damage. [Read more…]
Is Contents Coverage part of my Flood Insurance?
Flooding can happen in a flash, and you’ll need to know if contents coverage is part of your flood insurance. Despite weather and other potential warnings, there is not much that can be done to prevent such a devastating event. Moving items to higher ground could prevent some damage but overall larger items may not be saved. With water rushing through doors and windows, safety is the first concern. Beyond that, closely assessing the damage and determining what your insurance company will do to help is the next step. [Read more…]
What Contents Coverage in Your Homeowner Policy Does Not Cover
Have you purchased a large household item or expensive jewelry lately? Was it added to your homeowners policy? Many homeowners purchase contents coverage and for years never revisit and review what is covered. Contents coverage can involve a wide array of personal items you would never want destroyed. You need to be familiar with your policy to ensure proper coverage in case of theft, fire or any other major emergency or disaster. [Read more…]
The Science of Fire and Smoke Damage
Imagine returning home or arriving to work only to find your property completely engulfed in flames with heavy black smoke everywhere. This is a scene no one wants to see or experience but unfortunately these dangers exist and happen all too often. What can your clients do to protect their home or business? Gain a better understanding of the science of fire and smoke damage from your restoration technicians and staff. How can your restoration staff be ready for these types of unfortunate circumstances?–By not only educating themselves in fire and smoke, but also expanding that knowledge through state-of-art training and comprehensive courses from experts in the restoration industry. [Read more…]
Water Damage: The Science of Drying
Water damage is a scary thought for any home or business owner. There are so many causes and sources of water damage ranging from sewage drain back up to burst or frozen pipes. The naked eye alone can not identify how far or deep the damage has traveled. Working with trained professionals is essential to locating all the water damage within a property and fully understanding the science of drying the affected areas. [Read more…]
Freezing Pipes and Flooding: What to Do
Temperatures are dropping, and that means hot chocolate, snowmen, and freezing pipes. Winter usually comes upon us fast and we know how to physically prepare ourselves. Yet one thing we don’t always remember is the danger of freezing pipes. Properly preparing your home or business for the winter is also crucial and necessary. If you do discover freezing pipes, there are some do-it-yourself things to try before it’s time to call in the experts. [Read more…]
Hands-On Learning vs Lecture Learning
Listening to monotone voices recite bullet points over and over again is not the easiest way to learn. You can get distracted and lose track of what is being taught. The thought of actually retaining the lectured information is even more daunting. Research suggests hands-on learning can help students better understand and retain certain types of information. For more research details about hands-on learning vs lecture learning, visit Education Week website. Winners’ Circle Training Center has developed successful hands-on learning courses utilizing this key method of understanding and retaining information. Your restoration business should focus your staff’s training on courses that can fully prepare your technicians. [Read more…]
Xactimate Software: Why It’s Essential for Restoration Professionals
Restoration companies have a long laundry list of responsibilities to their clients. One of those major responsibilities is estimating repair costs. Many technicians use different manual methods which can result in cost estimate errors. Keeping your business processes uniform will give your clients the right information the first time, every time and leave them with a sense of professionalism. The Xactimate software is a huge step towards increasing the solutions your restoration business can offer. Xactimate is the most commonly used estimating software in the restoration industry and your staff should be well informed on how to best use this tool. [Read more…]
The Shocking Science of Water Damage
No matter what the situation, any kind of water damage is bad. Whether it is your personal technology device or your entire home or business, water can gravely affect you. Water damage can result from faulty/freezing pipes or other equipment, user errors or simply unavoidable Mother Nature. In any case, it happens when we least expect it. Not many of us take the time to fully understand the science of water damage but it could be the first step in prevention or enhancing the restoration services your business offers. With the right training and familiarity with the newest additions to the IICRC S500, your team will be ready to fight back against water damage. [Read more…]
ANSI-S500 Changes: What They Mean For Your Business
The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) develops standards for navigating critical projects within the restoration community. Most business and home owners prefer restoration companies that follow the proper regulations and standards to ensure their projects are done correctly. The IICRC has recently made important changes to the ANSI-S500 standards and you need to understand what it means for your business. [Read more…]
Smoke Damage Health Risks & How to Train for It
After a fire, there are many smoke damage health risks to be weary of.  Image a home or business engulfed in flames. Everything you know or own is covered in soot and ashes, barely recognizable. Any number of causes could have occurred but the real concern is how it can affect your health. A variety of dangerous toxins are released in the air and unfortunately inhaled into the body, causing serious health risks. Working with a restoration company with experienced technicians professionally trained in handling smoke damage is essential. [Read more…]
The Many Hidden Dangers of Asbestos & How to Train For It
When you hear the word Asbestos, the first thing you probably think of is danger. We have all heard about the general dangers of asbestos, but how much do we really know about it.
Asbestos is a group of minerals that are fire, heat and chemical resistant. It, also, does not conduct electricity. This appeal propelled asbestos as a huge part of building and construction, automotive, shipbuilding and many other industries. With so many buildings embedded with this dangerous substance, once discovered, business and homeowners are eager to have it removed. The Unites States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have strict rules and regulations on the handling of asbestos by only those properly trained. You can find out more information about asbestos exposure by visiting the National Cancer Institute and the EPS websites. [Read more…]
Custom Restoration Forms: You Asked, We Provided!
Paperwork is usually the last thing a technician, or any employee for that matter, wants to do… that’s why we’ve created custom restoration forms! At the completion of a restoration project, documenting your steps is key to accurate cost estimating. Yet, so many technicians leave the job with no documentation, eager to move on to the next project and dreading the tedious paperwork that should follow. A lack of project documentation can result in thousands of dollars in lost revenue. This is a situation no restoration company wants to allow or can afford. Over time, these losses can truly add up and hurt your business overall. [Read more…]
Newly Revised IICRC S500 in 2015: What You Need to Know
Have you read about the new IICRC S500 changes? Business and homeowners are always concerned about potential water damage. When these type of projects arise, they look to the experts to give them the right guidance to resolve their issues. As a restoration company, you should make sure your employees are up-to-date and well-informed of any changes to procedures and standards. [Read more…]
Lead Abatement vs RRP: Why You Need Licensing
Did you know lead RRP does not permanently remove the lead toxins, while lead abatement does? Lead is a toxic and dangerous chemical that was most commonly present in paint, pipes, ceramics and other materials in buildings constructed before 1978. Since that time, there are now state and federal regulations in place to restrict continued lead usage due to its health risks. Lead is particularly dangerous for children because of their tendency to put their hands and everything else in their mouths, and children absorb more lead than adults. Adults are also at risk, however, typically through food or drink from dishes containing the chemical. [Read more…]
Asbestos Abatement Training: It’s Required by Law
Not many know, but asbestos abatement training is required by law if you are going to be working on an asbestos removal job. Asbestos is a material that has frequently been used in building construction, installation and as a fire retardant. It has, also, been used in building materials such as vinyl flooring, roofing and siding shingles, walls and floors around wood fireplaces, as well as heat-resistant fabrics. The presence of asbestos can affect all of your commonly visited locations including schools, homes, stores and other types of businesses. When asbestos is discovered, locating the best restoration company to rid the problem effectively and efficiently is the first step. [Read more…]
Why Experience-Based Learning is the Best Way to Learn
Technical terms, property damage descriptions, still images, notes and conversations in a room full of other students is a far cry from experience-based learning. As much as you try to pay attention and retain information, without fail you are bound to miss an important point or misunderstand a new topic. Missing something during restoration training can translate to devastating results. Plus, instructors may not have extra time during or after the course to review and demonstrate tasks to your satisfaction and, before you know it, the session is over. [Read more…]
Content Management and Cleaning System Course Benefits
What are the benefits of a Content Management and Cleaning System Course and why do I need it? What items are covered by insurance? Managing and cleaning content from a project is a huge responsibility falling on the shoulders of your restoration company’s content management employees. Many times, these employees have not been properly trained or have only been trained in one of many steps needed to stay productive. Companies are losing money on mistakes untrained employees are making during restoration projects and at times losing customers as a result. [Read more…]