A Fire Story in Yonkers, NY

   Currently, I am working on a fire job in Yonkers, NY. Unlike the other smoke, soot and fire restoration we usually see, this job is one that I will never forget. A child in the home had been playing with matches and a fire broke out. Thankfully everyone in the home was safe and as far as I knew, this was just another fire restoration job, but when my technicians and I arrived at the home, it was very clear that this was unlike anything I have ever experienced.

   The home had a typical amount of damage related to the size and cause of the fire but what I saw next was so truly shocking that my jaw hit the floor. The home was so cluttered with items, furniture, garbage, boxes, newspapers and the like that I couldn't possibly grasp how an entire family made it out of the home in one piece. The firemen had the hardest time out of everyone involved. Not only were their lives at risk due to the fire, but the condition of the home made their jobs nearly impossible. The clutter and debris covered the steps, blocked several entrances and exits, and the piles of stuff reached the ceiling in many rooms. There were only narrow passageways that broke through the homes contents, but they were dangerous and impassible at times. You can imagine how difficult it would be to close your eyes and maneuver through your home on its messiest day in the dark. Now, try to imagine moving through a house filled with piles of debris while smoke and flames burned your eyes and throat without a shred of light anywhere. This home was doomed even before the fire. It was the kind of house that you may have seen on those hoarding shows. A sad, unspeakably unsafe place to raise a family. Even though the fire had burned through quite a bit of the structure, the smell of the fire couldn't cover up the odor of mold and rotting materials.

   This was no ordinary fire restoration job. It became a clean out, mold remediation, water damage, demolition and reconstruction job. Because of the hoarded materials, the home had overdue repair and maintenance work that had never been addressed. There was water damage that was concealed by the clutter which turned to a severe case of mold infestation. After the home was cleared of all the debris, we discovered that the floors and walls were so soft that you could pierce them with the slightest pressure from one finger. As I looked around at the work that was ahead of us, for the first time in my professional career, I truly didn't know where to begin. I was assured that the family would receive the help that they so desperately needed. The home was a rental and I could only empathize with the landlord/homeowner. I assured him that I wouldn't walk away from this job. Thank goodness for insurance.

   The restoration process has only begun but I do have hope that there will be a finish line in the future. You can see that the obvious moral of the story is fire safety. We have to teach our children about the dangers of playing with matches. But just as important is that we recognize that illness can come in many forms. The illness that plagued these particular adults was hoarding. Their hoarding almost cost them their lives and the lives of their children. Keep your family safe by creating an escape plan in case of an emergency or fire. Be sure that your windows and doors are accessible to emergency personnel and of course to your family. Lastly, if you suspect that your family, friends or neighbors are in need of help, reach out to them in any way possible. The family in this situation were lucky but the story could have unfolded in a very different way.

 

So Much Rain, So little Time

The past few weeks here in Westchester County have been quite, well, wet. Maybe its just me but it seems that April, the month that's supposed to be rainy, wasn't, and May and June were. Regardless, the rain was here and supposedly there is more to come. So I want to remind all of you to protect your property from the potential hazards that come along with heavy rains.

Making sure your gutters are in proper working order is a top priority. They should be cleaned every year to remove debris like leaves and sticks. The only way that a gutter can do its job is when its clear of obstructions. The gutters are supposed to carry water away from your house and foundation. So often I see gutters that have down-spouts that are pointed directly towards the foundation of the home. This will only lead to one conclusion, when heavy rains come, the water will find its way into your basement or first level via the porous concrete. Take my advice and do a proper walk through of your property. Make sure your down spouts are directed away from your home.

While we are talking about walk throughs, inspect the rest of your property for other red flags. If you see any broken or dead branches that could potentially damage your roof or home, have the branches removed. All it takes is one strong gust of wind, and that branch could wind up damaging your roof, windows, or worse. Once you have damage on your roof, water is likely to follow. Don't take a chance with the safety of your home.

The next time a heavy rain storm comes, take a walk around the perimeter of you house. Check the ground for any pooling water or heavy puddling around the foundation. Sometimes, if the ground has not been properly leveled or graded, the rain water will pool very close to your home. French drain systems and dry-wells are common solutions to re-directing water away from the foundation of your house.

If you have an underground sprinkler system, be sure to have it professionally checked. Faulty sprinkler heads can directly place water right at your front door. Broken pipes or underground lines can lead to massive flooding. Proper maintenance will keep your grass green and your house dry.

Be sure that if you do have a basement that is prone to water infiltration, you have a sufficient number of sump pumps. If you are concerned about losing power to your sump pumps, you might want to consider having an alternative source of power installed. Generators have become very popular since Hurricane Irene occurred in the summer of 2011. Many of us lost power for long stretches of time, rendering our sump pumps useless. Back up generators can be a lifesaver. They come in a variety of sizes, price-ranges and use several different sources of power.

Lastly, household maintenance is a sure-fire way to prevent water damage in your home. Having items like water heaters, air conditioners, heating systems, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers inspected and maintained by certified professionals is the only way to ensure their properly working. These items are notorious for causing damage to homes. There is no way to prevent complete accidents from occurring, but you can drastically reduce the potential with simple, regularly scheduled maintenance.

Water damage is the number one cause of damage for our customers in particular. It can destroy a lifetime of memories in a matter of hours. Please remember, water damage can lead to even more disastrous situations like mold infestation. Keeping your home and family safe from the elements of Mother Nature is the only way to reduce your risk for expensive remediations.