Contamination Inside and Out
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 a disagreement between the homeowner or office manager, and the adjuster, or the contents professionals.
Our rule of thumb is, “If it touches your body or is ingest by you and expose to contamination, it is a total loss.” That box of macaroni and cheese in the closet that got damp when a pipe burst, may look all right. As might that box of cereal that had a plastic bag inside the cardboard box. But if there is contamination on the box, there is contamination on the plastic bag and once it opens, odds are good the contamination will spread.
Medicines in plastic containers and blister packs face the same challenge – if they expose to a contaminant, they need to replace, even if the contamination only happens on the outside of the container.
Frozen meat that thawed cannot refreeze safely. Cosmetics touch the owner’s body – and any contaminant on the casing will transfer to the owner’s hands.