When you see the contents specialists shining ultraviolet light on a wall or carpet, they may not be killing viruses or germs there (although it

Recently, we read an article written by a contractor who had a kitchen fire in his home. A pan of oil ignited, and black smoke

According to the World Health Organization, “There is past evidence from previous monkeypox outbreaks of someone catching monkeypox after touching contaminated objects. Objects, surfaces, and

One contractor tells of a case history in which a “chimney sweep.” company vacuumed the soot and ash from a family’s fireplace and spread it

Soot is sneaky! When breathed in, it can bypass the immune defense system and go straight to the lungs. Our Contents Pros have demonstrated numerous

In some of the past few issues of Contents Solutions we have mentioned our “Million Dollar Database.” It has become the one of the contents

In an earlier edition of Contents Solutions, we told of an article that originally appeared in Property Casualty 360 (an insurance professionals’ magazine). Restoration author

Let’s pretend that you have a rare baseball card (one just sold for at auction for $2,800,000 – another for over $7,000,000). There was a

From time to time, we have written about the spectacular cases in which the contents pros have restored thousands of square feet of contents with

In the contents world there are a handful of “super consultants” who will evaluate expensive contents items. In one instance a painting had been extensively

Nick Flynn was visiting a museum and tripped on his own shoelace, which caused him to fall onto three, large, 17th century Chinese porcelain vases,

Sometimes owners don’t want their treasures cleaned up or altered in any way – even though they appear to be in need. We’ve written about

You might be expecting us to talk about those fabulously expensive Barbie dolls that come with platinum and diamonds like the one that was created

Have you ever had a case in which a single item in a home was valued at more than the entire house itself? When a

Often, we have seen those blue and white bowls, cups and teapots at yard sales for a dollar or two, and just as often we

Of course, you already know that besides restoring homes, hospitals, malls small businesses, banks, museums, government buildings and many other contents-filled structures, the contents specialists

In an article for Property Casualty 360, respected consultant Michael Pinto explained, “There is a constant promotion of products to industry practitioners that spray, mist,

Early on during the pandemic, PPE clothing quickly became scarce (and later with supply chain challenges, the crisis became far more noticeable). Now, several different

Everyone seemed to enjoy the “fun fact” about real insurance companies that were selling “Anti-UFO” policies (a few issues back). Well, several web sites are

“$100,000,000,” that was the estimate for the value of the property and contents of a museum (although the curator thought the estimate was low –

The fire started in the high school boy’s restroom and burned plastic partitions that released thick, black smoke through the vents and hallways. Just one

In an earlier edition of Contents Solutions, we described a method that your clients could use to buy some time for wet photographs by freezing

If you are one of our constant readers, you may recall the story about the fellow who was so rich that he bought an Irish

In a recent edition of C&R Magazine, Paul Donald reported having seen a video taken on a water damage job. “I recently spoke with an

The contents pros knew this was going to be a big job – smoke and soot damage throughout a 60,000 square-foot manufacturing facility. Plus, another

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America recently published an article which reported that in hospital studies, even after meticulous cleaning, surfaces at various patients’

When asked what she does about bathroom facilities on a contents job. Consultant Barb Jackson CR said, “We ask the homeowner for permission to use

There is an article nestled in the archives of Property Casualty 360 (the magazine for insurance professionals), that says in part,“…if pack-outs are handled correctly,

If you think “crisis” stories like the ones above, are a little far-fetched, have a look at this web address: https://notalwaysright.com/control-yourself-and-your-kids/253835/ The article there, entitled

Have you ever wondered why contents teams are so highly prized by adjusters, agents and even other contractors? We think there are multiple reasons,  but

A fast-food restaurant had a fire, but this time, the contents pros moved so quickly that the thousands of dollars’ worth of frozen foods had

In some cases, heat, soot, and smoke may not render valued items visibly damaged, even though such objects have been chemically altered, spoiled or permanently

There had been no crisis, no flood, no fire, but the trustees wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be one. You know those powerful exhaust

The contents manager was called in by the daughter of a kindly little old lady to perform a complete cleaning and restoration of a hoarding

Previously in this issue, we mentioned an article in R&R Magazine (which we highly recommend). In it Michael Pinto, a respected name in the field

Restoration and Remediation Magazine recently offered an article with the title, “Top 2022 Restoration Tools and Advancements, According to 14 Experts.” And when these experts

Mold, smoke particulates, viruses and much more, find ways to waft through a home or office after contamination is discovered. All structural and contents restoration

We need your trust. It is the only way we can expect you to give us more assignments. So we deliberately save your carrier substantial

No matter how big the job or how small, the contents pros have protocols in place to make the assignment go smoothly. You may recall

Let’s say there has been a flood and now your prized photographs are saturated with dirty water. When faced with wet photographs, time is not

There was a fire. It was in a senior’s facility and all the residents were at high risk for COVID-19. The fire department’s efforts had

Sometimes the savings the contents teams bring to the table are in terms of time. Ask any adjuster and he/ she will tell you that

Many of our readers may recall an article about the colorful “ice-ball” that was restored by the carpet cleaning division of a contents restoration firm.

The contents restoration professionals have access to all manner of remarkable cleaning tools and compounds and other resources. One day contents specialists might tell us

You undoubtedly know about our company policy in which we ask the homeowner (or business owner) to sign off on each room as our job

Do you remember the retired contractor who shared with us the secret of his lifelong success? He actually shared more than just that one foundation

A venerable (now retired) contractor once shared with us the secret of his success. “First,” he explained, “don’t just do a great job. Do a

When a family has a fire or flood in their homes, it may seem to them that everyone suddenly has authority over them. Fire officials

Restoration firms have become increasingly sensitive to environmental issues (some have provided “green” services for decades). While it may be easier to “cash out,” conscientious

Our company likes to remain as transparent as is possible, with all interested parties. We invite adjusters and agents to visit us, examine our warehouse,

When we have an upset customer, who is angry and confused, it can be challenging to get them to talk. One quick tip we found

Many contents managers have developed a method for preparing an initial estimate during the first “walk-through” with the owner by their side. Often they rely

The contents pros save significant sums on virtually every assignment by restoring instead of replacing valued items. If you have been with us for a

If you ask, “Can you restore a bearskin rug with crossed eyes, a twisted jaw, and dusted with soot?” We say, “Yes,” because if we

One contractor told of how his crew arrived at a series of flooded tract houses, only to find members of a local church finishing up

A competent and compassionate on-site project manager (PM) who is a good decision maker is key for successful pack outs. The PM stays on the

About a dozen years ago, insurance adjuster Peter Crosa wrote an article for R&R magazine in which he said in part, “During nearly 37 years

Everyone knows that the contents pros save insurance companies significant sums on virtually every job. But few are aware of the extraordinary things they accomplish

As a promotional effort, some contents teams are making up free Safety Forms for very young students in case of emergency. With “double check” information

Everyone likes our digital photo inventory. It provides the adjuster with evidence he (she) can present to justify many, if not most, costs of the

A troubled office worker was once convinced that the restoration pros had done nothing at all to his desk and its contents when they claimed

We recently read a case history in which the contents pros helped restore 69 apartments in a single building. There had been a fire from

Over the years, our files have begun to bulge with stories about the extraordinary tactics and techniques the contents pros used to restore churches, synagogues,

Contents managers know that it is imperative to keep lines of communication open with the adjuster assigned to the case. Many adjusters prefer that we

The best way we know to create cheerleaders both among the insurers and the insured is to do a stellar job every time. To come

In Barb Jackson, CR’s, “The Contents Success Book,” she recounts the story of a newly trained team that nvited her to come see their final

You probably already know about structural workers using drones to examine roofs and other exterior home damage. And you may have heard that they were

Water-damaged medical records, deeds, birth certificates, maps, legal files, company registers, drawings, archival documents, newspaper articles, photographs, tax forms, wedding albums, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and much

We know that the way to earn your trust and get more job assignments is by creating procedures that make our company more valuable to

You have probably heard the slogan used by thousands of contents restoration professionals, “Adapt, Create, Proceed.” It was coined by certified IICRC instructor, Barb Jackson,

When contractors outside our company want to hire a contents team to help them with a difficult project, they choose us because our frontline workers

Of course you have probably already guessed that the contents pros are not ordinary restorers. Someone once referred to them as the, “MacGyvers of Restoration.”

When the contents pros arrive at a home or office after a fire, there are many things they want to know. For example, what kind

We don’t have answers for every concern offered by a client, but we can often allay their fears with a little knowledge. When a homeowner

Unless you follow the contents pros around on a job, there is no reason for you to notice that they rarely (if ever) spray their

In our experience, if a client doesn’t know what we are doing, they assume we are doing it wrong! We know it sounds absurd, but

It probably comes as no surprise that the contents professionals give special attention to high touch areas when restoring a home or office after a

We have been gathering stories from all over the world about the kindness and generosity of the contents pros. Like the team that hired a

John Andrew Perello was exhibiting his $400,000 abstract mural called, “American Graffiti,” in a South Korean museum. It looked like… well… graffiti. There were even

The contents pros have numerous ways to remove graffiti, soot, paint and even the char from wood that has been in a fire. Building restoration

The contents pros’ greatest secret of success may not be a secret at all. It comes in two “flavors” – generosity and kindness – and

If you had a fire in your home or office, you would want professionals who know how to remove smoke odors and soot. If you

Not long ago, the Daily Mail ran a story with a shocking headline that read, “Mobile phones are seven times dirtier than TOILET SEATS, finds

Insurance Business reported that Budget Insurance in the UK was promoting a new Alien Abduction Insurance policy option, offering to add their interested homeowner policyholders

Eliminating Smoke Odors from Soft Content Can Save You Thousands Our constant readers have enjoyed reading truly sensational articles that we presented in the past

Creating Satisfied Customers in Times of Crisis In one of her Contents Success classes, industry spokesperson, Barb Jackson CR, once said, “… When our clients

Artist Joan Miró was immensely successful among certain 20th Century aficionados. Some of his paintings had wild scribbles of line art, odd shapes and displays

Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with a large restoration company in Australia (40 offices). In the middle of our conversation, COVID-19 came up,

You have probably already heard about the J. D. Power & Associates’ Home Claims Satisfaction Study, in which they stated, “Among home insurers that provide

A few years back an article by Barb Jackson CR, appeared in a leading industry magazine with the title, “Contents Valet Need to Breathe.” It

Contents restoration professionals are valet. Some companies have made them part of the company infrastructure, (and why not, a good contents team will blend in

Here is another of those “Clever Contents Valet” tips. Let’s say that you have been attending a CE class with the Contents Pros. The instructor

It isn’t easy for an adjuster or broker to select the best company to perform contents restoration. When they are faced with an insured’s fire

Let’s say that an adjuster or building manager really likes the work a structural restoration firm does, but they don’t have a contents division. Their

When there has been a shooting, the contents valet step aside for the highly trained crime scene cleanup valet. Such was the case in a

Author and inventor Buckminster Fuller, once wrote, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes

If you are a constant reader of Contents Solutions you may recall the story in which an adjuster was trying to explain to the insured

We’ve written articles about “hoarding houses” before, and how contents valet go about cleaning them out, but one of the most fascinating stories was published

Some time back an insurance broker wrote to us, telling how she really enjoyed our articles that contained, “Clever Tricks” from the contents valet. So

In past Contents Solutions issues, we wrote about “mold sniffing dogs,” who were trained to locate hidden patches of mold in what appeared to be

When an adjuster gets highly detailed documents, photos, scope of work and digital inventory on any given restoration assignment, he (she) knows that there is

Many contractors are experts in everything from demolition, to board up, to reconstruction and beyond, but may not have an equal amount of training in

A well-trained Contents Manager does far more than simply co-ordinate cleaning and restoration on any given job site. Often she (he) starts by scoping and

Spokesperson Barb Jackson CR, first consults with the homeowner, then submits a “pre-estimate” that supplies the adjuster with all the necessary information – setting attainable,

1. Some contractors prefer to finish a job, then hand an adjuster their final invoice after everything is done. Barb Jackson CR, who has trained

Researchers at a Hong Kong university have produced a new substance that acts as an anti-viral coating for up to 90 days. They explain that

You already know about the policy some contents valet have of giving a small courtesy gift box to the insured at the beginning and end

The RIA, IICRC, and AIHA have released a report urging contractors to no longer use phrases like, “Clean and disinfect,” but to now say, “…they

Wherever you find damaged contents, more often than not, you will find contents restoration professionals. Adjusters hire them to improve their bottom line, impress their

So let’s say that the contents valet find a hutch or dresser that got wet long before they were called in and now there is

Not all water damage is quickly or easily identified – unless you are a trained and experience Contents Project Manager. Let’s say that a family

You may have seen the commercials for the new sprays that kill bacteria on contact – then keep on killing for up to 24 hours.

Most insurance companies need some sort of photo-inventory to justify a “total-loss,” and are happily surprised when the contents valet provide them with 360 degree

The Insurance Information Institute tells us, “Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the United States, causing billions in economic losses each

The contents valet function best when they work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and of course, trust and transparency. One contractor still talks about

Some adjusters find themselves facing huge stacks of claims, and only limited time to go through them to serve the insureds. Others like to go

Have you ever thought about how transparent you want the contents valet who work for you to be? You probably don’t need to know how

In this issue of Contents Solutions we are extolling the virtues of transparency in business interactions, but there are times when discretion and privacy must

“Transparency” seems to be a new buzzword for our culture. We want full transparency from our government. We need it from our police departments and

The truth is, we like vinegar as a cleaning agent. White vinegar and its twin brother apple cider vinegar, are being used by cleaning crews

One customer wanted the contents team to use baking soda and vinegar to get the smoke odors out of her kitchen (she had heard that

Sometimes even the contents valet need to call upon their contents specialty associates for some expert help. You may have seen contents frontline workers carefully

We have often referred to contents valet as “The Swiss Army Knives” of restoration. In the above article we mentioned that some of the team

2000 firefighters managed to save a vineyard, but the winery and the adjacent home were coated with thick soot and had fire damage to the

NBC news recently released a story for the “Today” show with the headline, “New test allows people to swab for COVID-19 on surfaces in public

In a past issue of Contents Solutions, we told of “robots” that were being used in some hospitals to decontaminate rooms using ultraviolet light bursts.

You already know that moving companies pay about 60 cents a pound for things they damage. Thus a $1000 television, weighing 30 pounds, will only

In this topsy-turvy world where an infectious disease is ravaging a major part of the country, some well-meaning homeowners have been known to make mistakes

There are certain items and substances which the pack out team have to disallow from their lists of things they will pack, transport and store.

Okay, picture this – there was a “Big Box” department store that had a small fire in the men’s department. Strong smoke odors were contained

There are startling new inventory methods available in modern contents restoration companies. And most of them have a foundation that is over a decade old.

In 2015 a major insurance company found itself on the cover of Fortune Magazine for being one of the first such companies to employ a

So there was a contents company that was performing a “Deep Cleaning” for a suburban home in which a grandpa had contracted the COVID-19 virus

You may recall the article in an earlier issue of Contents Solutions, in which a contents specialist was faced with nearly 30 computers that had

Contents valet do the extraordinary on virtually every job, and building managers, corporate heads, hospital administrators, county supervisors and others know it. If a building

Have you ever wondered who cleans out a “hoarding house” when a restoration company is called for such an assignment? Well we have heard of

After a severe flood, it was all hands on deck for a large, water- logged home. Contents valet and structural workers worked side by side.

For years we have pointed out that ozone can remove odors from homes and offices and it is a cost effective way to do so,

Barb Jackson CR, has trained thousands of contents restoration valet and she strongly recommends to their employers that the frontline workers be permitted to participate

If you have read our past issues of Contents Solutions, you already know that the contents professionals have saved huge sums for their clients –

You may have seen the headline, “Mortuary gives wrong ashes to family — who then scatter them.” and, “Family receives wrong ashes for cremated mother.”

Experienced adjusters can often tell at-a-glance whether a team used too many boxes or not enough to justify their invoice. And experienced Contents Supervisors most

Famed motivational speaker, Anthony Robbins, once said, “Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning we give it.” This sometimes becomes of paramount importance

Contents restoration professionals serve private businesses, homeowners, municipalities, hospitals, schools, county buildings, restaurants, theaters and many more public and private establishments. Over the years they

During the big fires in Southern California a restoration company (with a fully equipped contents division) was asked to clean, deodorize and decontaminate a small

When Hurricane Ike slammed into Galveston Texas, it tore through a two- story book store like a locomotive – leaving the first floor with a

There is a website (and download) from the American Chemistry Council that lists products that have been pre-approved by the EPA. It says in part,

Some contents restoration companies have elected to perform in-house laundering of virally infected or smoke-impregnated soft contents. In fact various restoration companies have banded together

The contents valet have known for a long time that a 70% alcohol gel or solution is better than 90% alcohol for killing encapsulated viruses.

In an exclusive interview with industry spokesperson Barb Jackson CR, Contents Solutions has found that an internationally known contents (and structural) restoration company has just

So how do we know that the solutions used by the contents pros to deactivate COVID-19 actually work – even though the testing process is

Viruses are not technically alive, so they can’t be “killed” per se. But they can be “deactivated” with disinfectants. The contents valet have compounds that

Some of the articles in this issue may give the false impression that we are cavalier in our attitudes toward this very serious virus. We

Time Magazine recently ran an article with the headline, “Airlines Are Using Disinfectant That Kills Herpes and MRSA to Clean Planes in Wake of Coronavirus

When there is a Category 3 (think “raw sewage”) water damage job. Some contents restoration companies find that they spend much of their time separating

When there is contamination inside and outside of an office or home, from mold growth, airborne contaminants, sewage back up, or flood. There is sometimes

You already know about bacterial contamination – the flu, H1N1. (the one that devastates some cruise ships), MRSA (flesh-eating), and even the common cold.  

It has often been said that the “Sing Sing” prison is not a pleasant place to live. But when a prison sewage pipe broke inside

They called it “coronavirus (Covid-19),” because, under high magnification. It has little spikes with protuberances at the ends (sort of like a crown). Even so,

So a contents crew finds a bunch of dusty, old vinyl records in the same room where a slow, oily fire occurred. A few were

The contents valet don’t just use obvious resources such as Ebay to help them decide an item’s worth (as was indicated in the first article

Let’s take a look at some practical examples of a contents manager making things easier for an adjuster. It isn’t always monetary when an argument

The CDC has a website where they research many types of disinfectants and sanitizers. They pointed out that alcohol, as an example, does pretty well

Do you recall the article about the contents pros who hired a cosplay batman to return some memorabilia to a little boy? Well, sometimes you

Upholstered furniture and bed mattresses are very difficult to restore after they have become saturated with water. There are some techniques that can be used

When water from the runoff held back by an ice dam, trickles down into a home and across the carpet or flooring, particle board or

Many adjusters across North America are selecting restoration companies based on whether they can restore the insureds’ valued contents, not just the damaged structure of

Winter water intrusions are often traced to two sources, ice dams and frozen pipes that expand, burst, and flood rooms or even entire homes. Ice

From the moment the contents restoration professionals arrive at a client’s front door, they are on the job. They restore the home or office –

 Article Written by Michelle Blevins Tens of thousands of documents. Months of work. Hundreds of workers displaced. Dozens of techs put to work. And working

Article written by Lisa Zierfuss   When it comes to getting ready for restoration, renovation, abatement, and remodeling jobs, proper preparation is key. That includes

Article written by Annissa Coy   As I prepare to write this article about handling contents during a CAT loss flood situation, I am watching

Article written by A big component of scaling your business up to respond to a disaster situation includes having the equipment to do the work.

Article written by Adam Webster   Restoration professionals are in a 24 hour, seven days a week, 365 days a year service. On top of

Sometimes you chase, and sometimes the storm comes to you.   Article written by   When the Storm Comes to You   Katie Smith/PHC Restoration

Article written by Alan James   As storms, hurricanes and floods become more frequent, the need to restore properties to a pre-loss condition faster and

Article written by Stephen Leung   Ask 10 people what “green” or “eco-friendly” means and you’ll probably get 10 different answers. “Organic”, “Botanical”, “Family-friendly” and

Article written by Cole Stanton   Coatings are an integral component of fire restoration, most crucially to prevent the recurrence of the smoke odor. Coatings

  Article written by Timothy E. Hull CR   Shortly after graduating from college, I spent the better part of four years living on a

Restoration desiccants dehumidify the air by exposing the humid air to a desiccant material that adsorbs moisture   Article written by Larry Carlson and Mike

Article written by Mark House We have attempted to learn all we can about the bedbug in this office. It is a creature that has

Article written by Michelle Blevins   The United States gets more tornadoes than any other place on earth, by far. The National Centers for Environmental

Article written by John Postava It seems like yesterday, but it was 1979. I was a college student and given the opportunity to work as an

Article written by Chris Spensley   Finding and efficiently eliminating areas of trapped hidden moisture is one of the many factors that differentiate an experienced

Article written by Dane McGraw Resources for safety in lead abatement It’s well-known that lead is harmful. Also well-known is the metal’s usefulness as a

Article written by Ryan Pritchard   From day one, contractors used pen and paper to capture everything into manila folders; the rest kept in memory

Article written by Stephen Leung Have you ever been driven crazy by a young child who keeps asking “Why?”  That kid may be onto something. 

Article written by Ivan Turner   Let me set the scene for you. The home in this case study is nestled atop 35 acres of

Restoration contractors can fill preparedness & response needs.   Severe storms cause billions of dollars in damage each year, yet a new survey from ServiceMaster Restore shows

If you’re like most of us, you rarely if ever venture into your home’s attic. Why would you? It’s not usually a place you care

Article written by Jeff Heyd Criteria for Choosing a Disinfectant Do you realize that antimicrobial products are not all the same? How does your go-to disinfectant

Looking closely at the last decade, today, and into the future of the restoration and remediation industry.   Restoration & Remediation magazine was created in

Article written by Michelle Blevins The passing of each decade brings numerous achievements big and small. However, time seems to have sped up with the

IICRC Technical Conference Registration is now open for the IICRC’s second-annual technical conference, “The Summit at Lone Mountain.” Taking place Aug. 9-11 at Big Sky

Article written by George Caruso Selling a home can be a challenge – one that’s magnified dramatically if the structure faces the damaging effects of

Article written by Steve Dodson Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to ever run for President of the United States, once said “I shall not change

Article written by Mike Wiebe Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is up to 100 times more toxic. When

Article written by Michelle Blevins No two mold jobs are alike. No two fire jobs are alike. No two water jobs are alike. No two

Article written by Brian Waple Sodium Bicarbonate (“Baking Soda”) has a long and established history. In 3500 BC, Egyptians used Natron, which was primarily made

Article written by Wendy Groover Did you know mold endangers approximately 100 million homes and commercial facilities in the United States? For anyone trying to

Article written by Chris Spensley Using the proper piece of moisture detection equipment at the appropriate time is essential for a professional water damage restorer

Article written by Jeff Jones The first homicide in human history is recorded in the Bible. In the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis,

Article written by Michelle Blevins   There are changes brewing in the restoration industry today, perhaps unlike any period before. We are seeing an industry

Reconstruction Cost Values Total Almost $40 Billion CoreLogic® (NYSE: CLGX), a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, released data analysis late Thursday evening

CoreLogic® (NYSE: CLGX), leading global property information, analytics, and data-enabled solutions provider. Has conducted an analysis of the flooding occurring as a result of Hurricane

Article written by Michael A. Pinto As a professional who has been involved in the mold remediation industry ever since it emerged from the shadows

Building stabilization and widespread reconstruction are the two priorities for Interstate Restoration as the Texas company prepares to begin helping people and businesses recover from Hurricane Harvey.

As we join together to unite in the recovery and restoration efforts, I asked a few of our industries leaders who live and work in

Article written by Chuck Violand   As the impact of Hurricane Harvey continues to devastate parts of Texas and the Gulf Coast. Many of our

Article written by Lisa Lavender   As we see and experience the widespread devastation in Texas, we also see an outpouring of support and help.

.Article written by Cole Stanton   Coatings are an integral component of fire restoration, most crucially to prevent the recurrence of the smoke odor. Coatings

Article written by Lisa Zierfuss   The containment building is a critical part of many restorations, remediation, and abatement jobs. These barriers, often made with

Article written by Greg Kochuk In areas devastated by natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes, dealing with mold is compounded by the fact that

With natural disasters dominating the news over the course of the last two months, the primary concern is for individuals affected to keep their families

Article written by Michael A. Pinto The first article in this series ended with a discussion on using fogging to assist particle control and the

Article written by Jeff Jones, Bio-Sheen Fact: Infectious diseases have killed more people than all the wars in history combined. Infectious diseases have been the

Every winter, especially if you live in a cold climate, your home is under assault from the elements. Eventually, that constant assault can cause your

Article Written by Michael A. Pinto   The issue comes up during instruction quite frequently.  In-mold classes, water restoration seminars, fire cleanup presentations, and forensic

Infographic provided by: http://b-air.com/ You weathered the storm. After all the warnings and speculation, precautions and concern, the worst is over, and your home is still

  Article written by Michelle Blevins   When hurricane season arrived this year, the U.S. had not seen a Category 3 or larger storm make

Article written by David J. Dybdahl   This is the third in a series of articles on how to get paid for insured restoration work.

Article written by Jeff Heyd In our industry, we face Jobsite odor problems almost daily, and no matter how much experience we gain. How much

Article written by Michelle Blevins   Restoration, in general, is not for the faint of heart. You can probably think of dozens of situations you’ve

  Article written by Michael A. Pinto,   Know What You Are Getting Into   As will be explained in greater detail, cleaning and restoration

Article written by Michael A. Pinto In the first part of this series, a number of core concepts were introduced including the: explanation of chemically

WASArticle written by Jennifer Williams Before we get into the “meat and potatoes” of this article, let me just say that this particular situation was

Mold can grow in virtually every area of a home and on any surface if given the right environment. That includes the beautiful carpets that

  Raw sewage in your basementPosted by Matt Buchanan   We got an interesting call today. A homeowner got home to discover they had about 4 inches

Building owners and homeowners often rejoice when they see the “red cloud” dumped by helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft on the wildfires approaching their homes and

When your team is called in to do a residential restoration job, you are being contacted to fix a particular problem. Perhaps the client’s home

Easily the biggest pain point that most residential repair businesses face is figuring out how to handle client belongings. When a home is damaged in

Your residential restoration company recently received a call to restore the main floor and basement of a large family home. A pipe burst on the

Perhaps your residential remodeling company already offers a pack-and-remove service for customer belongings. Maybe you’ve been thinking about adding such a service to make some

PODS (or Portable On-Demand Storage) has become a popular moving and storage solution in recent years, and it isn’t difficult to see why. Homeowners planning

A married couple has been living in the same house for 40 years. The home is beautiful and full of memories, from the couple’s first

Electronics are often a top area of concern for homeowners or business owners. Whose premises have been damaged by fire or flood. From laptop and

Electronic restoration is becoming increasingly viable as a method of getting information back from servers and devices that have suffered physical damage. The most common

Fire and water disasters can strike any home or business, and if the owners happen to have sensitive electronic data or machinery, then damage can

When a homeowner or business suffers a disastrous property loss such as a fire, flood, or storm damage, the financial and emotional toll can be

If a business you’re responsible for relies on backing up large amounts of electronic information, you’ll probably want to make sure there’s a way to

Need a fast and professional Xactimate Contents Estimate? If you do, contact me on my cell at 562-704-9494. Our estimates are designed to deliver peace of

3 Things that scare Adjusters More than Halloween Lack of Experienced Contents Professionals Frequently temporary workers hired to do Contents Pack-Out. To an amateur, smelly water

The 3 Key Ingredients in Your Contents Partner, Essential To Your Restoration Business Success   Partnership and Teamwork is natural in our Industry. Most Restoration Companies grow

Article witten by Stephen Leung We’ve all heard of the 80/20 rule. More than a century ago, an Italian economist by the name of Vilfredo

Article written by Mark Gibson   Eliminating odors after a disaster is important as no matter how well you may have cleaned, the first thing

My sump pump failed…now what?Posted by Matt Buchanan If you live in certain areas of the country where homes typically have basements, it’s smart to have a

Article written by Raymond Magno As far as the general public was concerned, most people had never heard of the drug fentanyl until iconic musician

.Article was written by Benny Lichtenwalner   In the residential restoration business, water, fire, mold, and smoke remediation make up the majority of work for

During the pack-out process, some beginning (untrained) content companies make some pretty basic errors. But whether the contamination is as a result of a fire,

Article written by Wade Hannon When tackling the removal of coatings from brick, wood, and metal surfaces, one of the most challenging materials to remove

You wear many hats as a restoration contractor, but the most important one you need to know about on a water damage job is this

Article written by Cole Stanton   Like the boy that cried wolf, some fire professionals have been hearing about the first-ever internationally accredited fire restoration

We wrote earlier about time being a major factor in mitigating costs on fire and smoke assignment. But on occasion, we have been called in

Article written by Frank Pedeflous In the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and the wildfires in Napa and Ventura counties, there is a new

Article written by Robert Klein The devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the U.S., and the damage inflicted on Puerto Rico by Hurricane

A look into improving the contents restoration experience.   Article written by Mike O’Donnell   I spent one afternoon this past week reaching out to

Article written by Cole Stanton This is a case study about a solution for fire damage that hasn’t existed until very recently. This is an

Article written by Michael A. Pinto The first three parts of this series covered an overview of chemical sensitivities, the critical importance of source removal

Exclusively Contents, Inc. valets are not “moving men” or “cleaning ladies” (although they have been mistaken for either or both). They are in fact elite

When some adjusters by-pass the vendor list to hire us, it is usually with their bosses’ strong approval. The reason is pretty simple – we

Article written by Bret Sallee Containment in remediation protocols is an industry staple. But all too often mold valets are missing the point and failing to

Asbestos has been used in construction even since the times of ancient Rome. Its durability and fire resistance earned the mineral “miracle” status and its

If you have been an insurance adjuster, agent or building manager for more than a few years, you may recall the days when some restoration

Article written by Andrew Rynhart   Remote monitoring has been a buzzword in the restoration industry for a several years. In case anyone reading this

Article written by Damon Sanchez It was another warm and windy night in Southern California. As with any strong East wind event, we anticipated hearing

Article written by Michelle Blevins With the advent of the internet and online learning, hands-on training seems less necessary when a quick online course can

Take a moment to answer a few questions. How long do you think it takes to fully dry a structure? Do you believe you can

Article written by Lisa Lavender   Lisa Lavender, the COO of Berks Fire Water Restoration, writes a monthly Restoring Success column featured the first Friday

Article written by Mitch Byrom Thermal imaging cameras are pretty cool……  let’s admit it most of us have been wanting one since we first watched

Article written by Jeff Bishop   Question: If you hired a restoration firm and paid them to restore your structure and contents, would you expect them

Article written by Tom McArdle   Hydroxyl generators were introduced to the disaster restoration industry in 2008 as a new and disruptive technology, and have

Article written by Andrew Rynhart   In the restoration industry, the level of understanding of moisture in building materials is generally very high. However, there

Article written by Wendy Groover Flooding and water damage can be a devastating event. Taking immediate action can help save your property from mold, mildew

Article written by Jeff Heyd   There has been a significant increase in new mold stain remover products in the restoration/remediation market lately. Part of

Article written by Todd Taylor Aside from our industry standards, there is little to no regulation or licensing required to perform mold remediation and inspections

Article written by David Walters Dogs have been trained throughout history to perform a myriad of services to assist humans in the completion of essential

Article written by William D. Kirk The term PPE, or Personal Protective Equipment, refers to protective clothing, respirators, goggles, hard hats, gloves, and other garments

  Take a moment to answer a few questions. How long do you think it takes to fully dry a structure? Do you believe you

As a restoration professional you have several unique advantages in adding bed bug eradication to your service portfolio to generate additional revenue. First, you already

Article written by Damon Sanchez It was another warm and windy night in Southern California. As with any strong East wind event, we anticipated hearing

Article written by Michelle Blevins Many people look at January and the New Year holiday as a time for a fresh start. I don’t know

Article written by Michael A. Pinto   This is the last of a five part series providing insights and suggestions for restoration contractors who are

Article written by Damon Sanchez Remediation. Mitigation. Abatement. All great words to use with our customers when describing how to eliminate their mold problem. We

Article written by Jeff Heyd It’s safe to say math was one of my least favorite subjects in school.  Well, as I have discovered over

If you own your own home, then chances are you’re at least a little familiar with homeowners insurance. If you financed the purchase of your

So what does an Exclusively contents manager do when faced with a room so badly damaged by the fire that there is nothing left but

Some causes of household fires are rather obvious, but others? Not so much. Many of us knowingly keep flammable items in our homes, carrying on

Fire damage restoration cast study.   Home fires can be devastating, and it takes little to no time for smoke and flames to damage a

Article written by Jeff Heyd   Tips from a seasoned restoration industry pro on profitability, liability, education, and more.   Over the years, I’ve involved

Article written by Tony Macaluso Handling real and psychological odors. Odors emanating from a variety of sources: the off-gassing of incomplete combustion, decomposing organic matter,

Article written by Brandon Reece It comes down to 3 basic questions. For those of us who have accepted the responsibility of biohazard clean-up, there

Duct tape is an important tool for many jobs – and it’s critical to know which tape to use for which job. Plus, there are

Article written by Grete Heimerdinger Why do we need moisture meters in water damage repair at every step of every job? The answer is quite

Article written by Taly Dery The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was remarkably destructive, with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria significantly impacting parts of Texas, Florida

Preparing your team to respond to catastrophe losses far away, and close to home. Several years ago, the R&R team started talking about the idea

When we think of contaminated contents, perhaps your thoughts turn to the contents team in Texas that cleaned up everything in the home of the

Why Agents Adjusters and Tpas David J. Dybdahl, CPCU,ARM, MBA is the president of ARMR. Network, LLC, a specialty insurance brokerage firm, and in a