What to do Before Calling an After-disaster Cleanup Expert in Montreal

Disasters offer no notice of their arrival. They don’t care whether or not you are prepared for them, and in most cases, they hit when you least expect. However, this is not to say that you should always allow the disaster to get the best of you.

There are various ways you can prepare for one. The most important thing is how you carry on after the disaster, so that you can resume the normal use of your home, as soon as possible. Among the many things that you may need to do after a disaster, is a thorough cleanup. Generally, companies offering after disaster cleaning in Montreal, will show up at your residence within a few minutes of calling them.

But before you make that call, here are a few crucial steps you need to make just right after the disaster.

Safety First

Your greatest concern immediately after a disaster is to ensure your safety, and that of your loved ones. Depending on the disaster – fire or floods, it is imperative that you evacuate all the occupants from your dwelling to a safer place, until it is safe to resume the normal use of your home or office. Immediately after the disaster, make sure that everyone is safe and accounted for.

In case of any injuries, call an ambulance immediately to ensure critical aid to anyone that might have been hurt during the disaster. Only once everyone is safe and accounted for, can you proceed to assess the damage.

Assessing The Damage

You may not have the technical know-how to assess the full extent of the damage caused by the disaster. In spite of that, you can carry out a visual inspection to try and gauge the scope of the destruction. This does not only apply to the structural components of your home, but also to the items inside your house that might have been affected by the tragedy.

In the case of fires or floods, you should take out all the affected items, and determine the ones that can be salvaged, restored, or repaired. They may include carpets and rugs, furniture, home appliances, and wall art, among other items.

Note that if it’s a fire disaster, you may not be well-prepped to remove affected items. For such, it is a good idea to wait for the after-disaster Cleanup Montreal crew, to come and offer further assistance.

Document The Damage For Insurance Purposes

Once the emergency cleaning and decontamination crew arrive at your premises, you will have no time to document the damage for insurance purposes. This is among the many things you need to do immediately after the disaster if you plan on making any claims through your insurance company.

Do this in the event of fire and water damage that may warrant significant repair and restoration work. The documentation process doesn’t have to be anything special, and you don’t have to hire a specialist to do it for you. All you need, is to take clear photos and videos of the damage caused to each structure. Also, capture specific household items that might have been affected by the catastrophe.

This is evidence that you will be presenting to the insurance company. Without it, you may have very slim chances of getting compensated commensurately to the damage caused by the disaster.

Notify Your Home Insurance Company of The Disaster

While you document the damage, you should notify your insurance company about the disaster. In addition to that, let them know that you will be making claims. The purpose of this is to give them a chance to send their adjusters or representatives to evaluate the damage.

Remember, it is not advisable to call your home insurance company after calling for emergency cleaning services in Montreal, because they may not ascertain the full extent of the damage, once the cleaning crew is on the ground. Besides, it will also help you avoid unnecessary conflict with the insurance company, as they will be compelled to rely on your evidence alone for the valuation of the compensation you should be getting.

Notify The Utility Companies

A serious storm will significantly impact utilities such as electricity, water, and gas supplies. Components of the utility lines may be damaged in some way. When this happens, don’t try to fix anything on your own. Instead, call the company and have them send over their technicians immediately.

Keep in mind that faulty electricity or gas lines are after a tragedy pose potential danger, and you shouldn’t meddle with them in any way. For power and gas, it is advisable that you switch them off from the main supplies, and then wait until an expert gives you a green light to resume their normal use.

Know The Right Company to Call

There are several disaster clean up companies in Montreal. Note that not all of them are equipped to deal with your kind of disaster. Contact the most suitable company that helps with emergency cleaning services in Montreal. This way, you can quickly resume normal use of your residence.

If you’re dealing with water damage or a fire disaster, always contact water damage or fire damage emergency cleaning and decontamination service providers, respectively. Also, you need to have the emergency contact of such companies beforehand, and not wait for an actual disaster in order to start scrambling around for their numbers.

Finally, don’t rush back into your house before cleaning and restoration is complete. Wait until the experts say it is okay for you to move in again.