Frequently asked questions

Drying times differ depending on wall thickness, baseboard heights, insulation type, and severity of water exposure. An average water damage can take 3-5 days while a water damage involving hardwood floors and wood trim can sometimes take up 5-7 days. 

When considering insurance, it’s important to know what your policy covers, and if so, what the limits of your policy are. Different insurance companies offer coverages for different events. Don’t assume you’re covered. Understand your policy before you're exposed to a water damage event. 

It’s hard to put a cost to water damage mitigation. Severity of damage can alter pricing greatly. Some water damages are easily mitigated in the 1000-3000 range. Occasionally, water damages can be as high as 7000-12000. 

If your insurance does not cover the type of water damage your property has sustained, then yes, you may have to pay out of pocket. It is important to do your homework and make sure you understand your insurance policy so you don't get caught paying out of pocket. 

In some cases, yes. It depends on coverage and also how the mold occurred. If mold occurred from water, then you most likely have water damage. 

Drying times differ depending on wall thickness, insulation type, flooring type, and the severity of water exposure. An average commercial water damage can take 3-7 days while a water damage involving different types of flooring such as hardwood floors and wood trim can sometimes take up 7-14 days. 

Yes, we can work around your employees and customers and schedule service to stabilize the site before your employees and customers arrive, or we can stagger the water damage restoration work accordingly. 

It’s difficult to determine the cost to water damage mitigation because each water damage is different and the severity of damage can alter pricing greatly. Some minor water damages are easily mitigated in the 2000-10000 range. In other instances, major water damages can be 20000 and upwards. 

Not all commercial insurance policies are the same. Water damage can be sourced in so many different ways and the coverage differs among available commercial insurance policies depending on the cause. You may need to add water damage coverage or get additional coverage on top of the standard policy to cover a greater range of water damage sources. When getting different quotes, pay attention to what different companies offer and inquire about what the commercial coverage options are for water damage.

Some business water damaged supplies, documents, and furniture can be restored. ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services can help you assess which items are salvageable for drying and restoration. 

There are many factors that go into calculating the cost of a thorough COVID-19  cleaning and disinfecting service. Call us today for a pre-screening consultation to get your free estimate!Some of the residential pre-screening questions we ask are: What kind of resident do you have? Is it a condo, apartment, townhome, or house?How many square feet is your home? How tall are the ceilings?How many stories in your home? Is there an elevator or stairs?How many bedrooms?How many bathrooms?What material is the flooring?Is there a basement or an attic?

Typically, the technicians will complete a cleaning and disinfection within 1-2 hours. However, the time it takes to complete a cleaning depends upon layout of the home and the square footage.

After COVID-19 cleaning services, it is best to remain out of the property for at least an hour after disinfectant/and or antimicrobial solution is applied. If this is not possible, it is a good idea to cross-vent the premises by opening windows and doors to allow for fresh air exchange using fans.

You do not need to clean after COVID-19 cleaning services. Occasionally, there may be a slight residue on hard floor surfaces after fogging/spraying disinfection or antimicrobial application that can be simply addressed by wet mopping. If another individual tests positive for COVID-19 enters the premises after we’ve performed the prescribed cleaning services, and contaminates the residence, the COVID-19 cleaning & disinfection service may need to be repeated. 

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services is an IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) Certified Applied Microbial Remediation Specialist, the cleaning and restoration industry’s highest standard, and OSHA 30 certified. Please visit our IICRC company page to learn more. https://www.iicrc.org/

Yes, we can work around your employees and customers and schedule service to stabilize the site before your employees and customers arrive, or we can stagger the water damage restoration work accordingly.

Some of the business pre-screening questions we ask are: What kind of business do you have?How many square feet is your space? If you don’t know the square footage do you know the length by width of the space? How tall are the ceilings?How many stories does your business occupy? Is there an elevator or stairs?How many offices do you have?How many bathrooms and stalls?What material is the flooring?Approximately how many kitchenettes, cubicles, tables, desks, and chairs?

Typically, the technicians will complete a cleaning and disinfection within several hours. However, the time it takes to complete a cleaning depends upon the specific project scope and site square footage. For example, at a large distribution center with vertical pods and storage racks will take longer than a basic open warehouse with workstations. Additionally, a space with many small offices and rooms takes longer than a site with an open plan layout.

Typically, the technicians will complete a cleaning and disinfection within several hours. However, the time it takes to complete a cleaning depends upon the specific project scope and site square footage. For example, at a large distribution center with vertical pods and storage racks will take longer than a basic open warehouse with workstations. Additionally, a space with many small offices and rooms takes longer than a site with an open plan layout.

You do not need to clean after COVID-19 cleaning services. Occasionally, there may be a slight residue on hard floor surfaces after fogging/spraying disinfection that can be simply addressed by wet mopping. If an individual that has tested positive for COVID-19 enters the premises after ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons performs the prescribed cleaning services, COVID-19 cleaning & disinfection would need to be repeated. 

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services is an IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) Certified Applied Microbial Remediation Specialist, the cleaning and restoration industry’s highest standard, and OSHA 30 certified. Please visit our IICRC company page to learn more. https://www.iicrc.org/members/default.asp?user=ServiceMasterBySimonsChicago we’ll need to create a co profile for this DBA at IICRC

In most cases, yes. Be sure to thoroughly check your insurance policy and read through the section that refers to fire and smoke damage. Know your policy limits and deductible amount. 

Step 1. Obtain permission to enter and assess the damage. After the firefighters make sure an active fire is no longer a threat to your home, ask them for permission to enter the home. They may establish a safety zone, but make sure you have clearance to enter all rooms before going in. Remember, the absolute top priority following a fire is your family’s safety. Once that’s been accounted for, you can inspect the damage. Do your best to stay calm and take photos of items you will need to replace using insurance. Now is also a good time to seek out and salvage important documents like birth certificates or social security cards.

Step 2. Make the important necessary phone calls. First, you’ll want to contact family and friends who may be concerned about your safety. Let them know you are safe and unharmed. Next, contact your insurance agent, who will be able to talk you through emergency lodging and living expenses. You may also request a fire damage restoration company at this time like ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services to come in and begin contents and structure cleaning. Your last call should be to your landlord, if applicable.

Step 3. Secure the property. It is likely that your home will be uninhabitable, at least for the night. If you are staying elsewhere and the fire compromised the security of your home, you’ll want to make sure you utilize a board-up service to prevent possible looting. ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services is available to assist with this type of service.

Step 4. Focus on water damage, if necessary. If water hoses were used to extinguish the fire, you’ll want the water damage restoration professionals at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services to do a water cleanup. Water can lead to mold damage if not dried properly. Our company is an approved restoration contractor for many major insurance carriers and adheres to the highest standards in the restoration industry.

Step 5. Mind your family’s emotional health. House fires can cause intense mental health lapses. Children and adults alike might feel a traumatic sense of loss and disorientation and might benefit from counseling. Family members should take care to treat each other with patience, respect and compassion.Make sure that you choose an IICRC certified cleaning and restoration company like ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services. 

Fire and smoke damage can have devastating effects on your property's structure and the contents within. ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services strives to clean and restore your home’s structure and contents to get you back to pre-loss conditions fast. 

Sometimes content can not be restored. Some belongings may not be salvageable. It may therefore be necessary to claim it as a loss with your insurance company in order to receive a reimbursement or replacement of the item. After filing a claim with your insurance company, it is a good idea to create an inventory of items and take lots of photographs.

Depending on the severity of the smoke or fire damage, it can range from 5-7days on a small to moderate fire, or as long as three weeks on a more complex fire. 

Most business property insurance covers 100% of damage caused by fire or fire suppression materials. Business insurance property policies pay losses based on the actual cash value (ACV) of the damaged property. The actual cash value is typically calculated by subtracting a property's accumulated depreciation from its replacement cost. When considering insurance, it’s important to know if you have the right amount of coverage, and if so, what the limits of your policy are. Don’t assume you’re adequately covered for a fire. You should understand your policy before you're exposed to a fire damage event. 

Step 1. When experiencing a commercial fire and smoke damage, you will want to  contact your insurance company as soon as possible to notify them of the loss and file a claim. You will be assigned a claims adjuster and be informed of your policy limits, what is covered, what is excluded, your deductible and any other information that might be needed.

Step 2. Depending upon the type of policy you have, you may have to submit specific information to your insurance company. 

Step 3. Insurance payment processes will differ depending on the type of loss you have. For a small loss, your insurer may simply write you a check. For a larger loss, your insurer may advance some of the costs needed to rebuild or repair your business throughout the process. It's important to ask your claims adjuster how the payment process will occur in your situation, and more importantly, to get that in writing.

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services provides professional pack-out services for equipment, documents, furniture, electronics, and art.  We can move your content to our warehouse facility where your contents will undergo an evaluation, cleaning, cataloging, and packaging in preparation for your contents return.  We can also move your smoke-damaged goods to a storage area in your facility to undergo cleaning. Once the affected property is fully restored, ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services will return the items.

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services provides restoration services for inventory and work equipment after fire and smoke damage. 

ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services’ main goal is to get your commercial property up-and-running as soon as possible.  We aim to minimize business interruption.  In many cases, a business can continue running in some capacity while we do our commercial fire damage restoration work.  The time period for the cleanup and restoration will depend on the severity of the fire and smoke damage. 

Yes, we can work around your employees and customers and schedule service to stabilize the site before your employees and customers arrive, or we can stagger the water damage restoration work accordingly.

You should understand and be familiar with your insurance policy limits and coverage before calling a restoration company. 

Often, you will be responsible for the insurance deductible amount on your policy upfront. The claim amount will be typically paid out upon completion of the fire restoration process. 

Most property insurance covers 100 percent of your fire damage cost, but you’re responsible for paying a set deductible. Your agent or adjuster is your best resource for coverage information, and our staff at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services can help you navigate the process.

Your agent or adjuster is your best resource for coverage information, and our staff at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Cleanup Services can help you navigate the process.

The general answer is it depends on the type of claim and where you live in the U.S. Generally, you should save your insurance claims for those potentially catastrophic events that are beyond your control, like a fire and smoke damage. Use your insurance for the big things and take a higher deductible, even if it’s not a giant premium credit, because it is not always a good idea to submit claims for less than $1,000, $2,000, $3,000. If you can afford to increase your deductible, that may not only save you money, but will also keep you from making numerous small claims in the first place.