Safety

This is a question that many homeowners and business owners want an answer to, and a situation that many of them have had to face. This is a crucial issue that occurs more often than it should. In fact, the claims that happen the most in South Florida are for water damage. Even more so now that we are in hurricane season.

Before even thinking about the damages that you can suffer in your home, why don’t you think about ways of preventing water damage from happening altogether? Wouldn’t it be much less of a hassle if you didn’t have to deal with the aftermath of water damage? I would sure think so.

While there may be times that water damage cannot be prevented, there are certain types of water damage that could be avoided. We want to provide you guys with some simple steps of how to prevent certain types of water damage from manifesting itself in your homes.

Miami Public Adjusting Firm Tips to Prevent

We offer our clients and any prospective homeowners tips on how to help prevent some water damages:

• Have a good drainage system in place: You want to keep the water outside where it belongs, and this can be achieved by making sure you have an appropriate method of water drainage. You don’t want pooling or standing water to stay close to your home. Not only can it cause water damage, but it also attracts mosquitos.
• Have regular maintenance of your pump: You have to make sure your pump is working properly by inspecting it on a daily basis if you do have a sump pump. Sump pumps are typically not covered if they fail or overflow.
• Be consistent: Always check for any leaks in your home. If you have a gradual leak that builds up to intense water damage, you may have a problem with your insurance company because you failed to maintain your property. For that reason, checking for leaks and finding the source of the problem as soon as possible will avoid many problems ahead. Make checking for leaks a habit.

Water is an element that poses that most risk to lives and property. In fact, water, floods, and water surge are the cause of the most amount of property damage and deaths after a hurricane. It is crucial that as a responsible homeowner you prevent and avoid becoming a victim of water damage. Be clear minded and ensured that you could be protected if you take those simple steps. If you do suffer damages, our experienced public adjusters in Miami are here to assist you. Take action by getting in touch with us.

Recovering and rebuilding from the effects that occurred in 2017 by hurricane Irma is still taking place for various homeowners and business owners across Florida. The damages that were most seen were to roofs, despite that there were damages present to all areas of homes. Due to the fact that roofs are the front-line to any storm that comes, they are often struck with the wind and intense rain that comes, which often leads them to be the most damaged.  A popular choice for rebuilding homes has been metal roofs. Despite no coverage that can be placed will ever be 100% against hurricanes, metal roofs have proven to be more resistant to the force of a hurricane. Policyholders look for Miami Public adjusters after they have sustained roof damage, but what is that was a problem that didn’t need to occur? What if roof damage during a hurricane could be prevented?

Roof damage can be costly, and it can even cause other problems to a home’s structure. Water could leak in, and even cause major flooding within a property. As professional public adjuster in Florida, we offer our suggestions in acquiring metal roofing. Simply stating that we recommend does not suffice, we need to provide reasons as to why metal roofing would be essential in preventing damages to your roof. If you read on, you will learn of the reasoning behind it all.

Metal Roofing: The “Why” To It

All types of roofs, including metal ones, are vulnerable to hazardous items that a thrown around by the wind. This vulnerability could result with the roof losing its panels, but for metal roofs, even though they lose their panels, they still hold in place. For example, a destructive hurricane with winds of 183 mph went through St. Maarten last year. The homes that had metal roofing remained in place, while the homes that contained clay or asphalt roofs immediately were blown off. This goes to show that metal roofing could keep your home or business safe.

The way that the installation works is pretty simple. Two sheets reinforce the metal instead of the single layer to titles or shingles in the average home. The top sheet covers the securers, whereas, the bottom sheet maintains the screws in place. A great deal of expenses and headaches can be saved for homeowners and business owners. A home is sacred, and no one wants to see it crumble. Businesses maintain families afloat, which is why preventing the damages altogether would be the best solution.

Thousands of claims have been brought to the Public adjusters in Miami. The majority of those claims as a result of hurricanes being debris punctures, replacements of titles, and even roof leaks.  While it may take a while before the metal roofing takes over the traditional roofing, the Churchill public adjusters are available to help any victim that Mother Nature affected. Business owners and homeowners should remain at ease knowing that they have us to turn to for all of your property damage claims.

What Are Some Pros/Cons of Metal Roofing?

As with everything in life, there are benefits and downfalls. Metal roofs do have substantial benefits, but the cons of it also exist. Below will be listed the pros and cons associated with metal roofing.  The following advantages for metal roofing might be a factor in changing the minds of a homeowner who is hesitant with selecting a metal roof as a reinforcement:

Pros

Life expectancy: One con to metal roofing is the life expectancy that it has. Usually, the life expectancy of metals roofs is equivalent to the life span of a house, compared to typical roofs. Metal roofs do not rot, they do not get destroyed by fire, termites can’t eat it, and mold cannot attack it. This means that a metal roof will last much longer than an asphalt roof. The warranties on these roofs vary from company to company, but in most cases are 20 to 50 years.

Weight: Metal roof is very light compared to tile and concrete tile. The difference is quite significant. Metal weight 50 to 150 pounds per square, while concrete weighs 900 pounds per square. Due to its lightweight, money can be saved on the number of workers needed and engineering.

Fast installation: Metal roofs could be installed quickly compared to the traditional roofs because metal sheets usually come in multiple-shingle sections, leading to its quick installation. This is especially beneficial when your roof has been damaged, and you need it quickly compared. It could be installed up to 2 days quicker than the usual process.

Resistance to fire: A class A rating is given to metal roofs because they are noncombustible. One needs to be aware of the material that lies underneath the roof, though. A lower fire resistance classification will be given to roofs that are installed over combustible material like wood.

Heat repellant: The heat that comes from the sun is repelled by these metal roofs, a fact that many individuals may not know. The sun is reflected off of these metal sheets, hence, reducing the amount of heat that is compromised within the home. This will save you money on cooling costs.

Cons

Noise: One con with metal roofs is the sound that comes from it. Noise will come with metal roofs during rainfall, wind, or hail storm. Although noise from these metal sheets is a con that can be expected, the drumming effect that it has can be reduced by using specific materials.

Cost: This could be a drawback for many, the cost. The value of this type of material is the same as any premium material. The prices go from $150 to $600 per square. While the costs may be more than the traditional, one has to think about how much money they would save if a disaster were to ruin their roofs. You will save the difference and more because of its durability.

Denting: A metal roof will dent just like a car would. If hail falls on it, or debris, it may dent. Yet, it depends on the type of metal that is used. However, some companies guarantee that it won’t dent. You have to seek out your options and what best suits you.

Every homeowner and business owner need to weigh out every option they have. They need to take time and see what will be best for them. Research should be done on metal roofing, but hopefully, the pros and cons listed above have brought some relevant information for prospective metal roofing policyholders. Nothing is perfect, and there will always be downfalls for every decision made, but some individuals need to see which option has more pros than cons.

List of Metal Home Roof Installers

These are some companies that officer metal roof services in Florida provided by home advisors. Also, you could go to this website and look up a contractor through a specific zip code and request a quote in your area. In addition, you could go through the reviews of each company and see which one has the best reviews, along with price:

Curtis Smith Construction, LLC

See All Reviews

(866) 773-8684
10141 Sandy Run Road
Jupiter, FL 33478
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL

Get a Quote

Duvoph Corporation

See All Reviews

(754) 240-0280
18230 NW 191 ST 26A
Miami, FL 33322
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL

Get a Quote

JAE Construction Group, Inc.

 See All Reviews

(754) 260-1786
PO Box 5362
Pompano Beach, FL 33310
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL

Get a Quote

RHI Construction, Inc.
See All Reviews

(954) 290-3992
4041 Northeast 7th Avenue
Oakland Park, FL 33334
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL

Get a Quote

Soleil Roofing and Construction, LLC
See All Reviews

(954) 684-9491
630 Southwest 4th Avenue
Hallandale, FL 33009
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL

Get a Quote

Metal Roofing Information

These are some figures and facts on metal roofing that may enable some to elect it:

• 30% of the homes in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee had their traditional roofs removed and replaced with metal roofs
• In 2015, 64% of homes were using asphalt roofing, and in 2016, only 59% of households were using it
• An attractive appeal was the reason that 29% of homeowners selected metal roofing; 18% chose it for its longevity; adding value to their homes and a good investment was 20% of homeowners reason, and that it provides protection and strength was 17%
• There will be a 2% demand growth for metal roofs by the year 2021
• The average cost of a square of metal is between 150 to 600 dollars, making it a little expensive
• Metal roofs serve as a heat conductor, reducing heat
• Metal roofs are expected to last a lifetime

This graph shows how metal roofing has increased over the years. Provided by metal roofing industry news.

What Can a Hurricane Public Adjuster Provide Their Clients

Whether you elect to replace your roof with metal or use the one you currently have now, our public adjusters are experienced with damages surging from hurricanes. Although we offer the advice of selecting metal roofing, we understand that many will opt not to choose it. Regardless of the matter, we provide a variety of benefits for all of our clients and strive to see their claim go through with 100% success rate. These are some benefits for you:

• We advocate for you
• We present you
• Your interests are protected by us
• We fully analyze and review your policy because there are many exclusions and endorsements present in policies
• We let you know of all the entitlements that you are eligible for
• All of your damages and losses are professionally evaluated
• Your claim is aggressively presented to your insurance company

At Churchill, we maintain our professionalism. Choosing a public adjuster to help you with your needs, and especially for a claim of roof damage is one move that you will not regret. Public adjusters offer many benefits for their clients and always find ways to improve their work. Contemplating on purchasing a metal roof or not is understandable. Definitely, never contemplate on electing a public adjuster to assist you for any claim on damages that you intend on doing.

References:

• http://industry.metalroofing.com/2017/09/06/residential-metal-market-share-jumps-to-14-in-north-america/
• https://www.freedoniagroup.com/Metal-Roofing.html
• http://www.throofing.com/maximize-insurance-settlement-public-adjuster/
• https://www.hometips.com/buying-guides/metal-roofing-drawbacks.html
• https://www.homeadvisor.com/tloc/Fort-Lauderdale-FL/Metal-Roofing-Install-or-Replace/

Hurricane season is here. In 2017, we saw the devastation in various countries and portions within the United States that left many homeless, numerous deaths, and a lot of losses in property. The aftermath of hurricanes can leave people weeks and even months without electricity. Just look at Puerto Rico; there are many individuals who are still without any power in their homes. In addition, look at the billions of dollars in property damage that the United States experienced. A state that was impacted severely was Florida. Being in Florida during hurricane season could be frightening because it is a state that is prone to hurricanes, resulting in excessive flooding. We are surrounded by water and by oceans that produce the majority of hurricanes, not to put into the picture the presence of El Nino. The state of Florida has a lot of cons for it when it comes to natural disasters, and throughout the decades it has been through many hurricanes, including hurricane Andrew in the year 1992.

The aftermath of any disaster cannot be determined. One may be lucky not to suffer any losses, but there are other individuals that are not as fortunate. One needs to protect themselves, family, and home prior to hurricane season. First, a homeowner needs to ensure that they have the proper coverage for their homes. Reviewing the coverage that they currently hold with a knowledgeable Miami public adjuster would ensure that the needed coverage is being offered and that within their policy, they have flood insurance. Knowing the ways to protect your home and reducing the number of damages that it endures is a key element during the claims process. We provide various tips to safeguard your home, read on.

Suggestions in Protecting Your Home: A hurricane is Near!

Have your property prepared for hurricane season. As a public adjuster with experience in dealing with various cases of property damage from hurricanes. We tend to notice the various tips that many homeowners did not follow prior to a hurricane. It is crucial that these following tips are taken into account and are used as methods to fortify ones’ home before a hurricane comes crashing through:

• Removal of damaged trees and objects lying around; Hurricanes will undoubtedly bring powerful winds. Having trees around your home that are already in a bad state or objects just lying around could cause more damage to your home. It can be blown by the wind and slammed right into your living room window, bringing in water and more debris. For this reason, before a hurricane is to come, make sure that branches and other debris are removed and placed in a secure location.
• Usage of protective tools; Ensuring that your home is secured with the proper tools is vital. Your garage, doors, roof, and windows are the primary areas of your home that need to be secured. You could place shutters on the exterior of your windows, a lock on your garage door, seals gaps in your home with calking, secure soffits, and even a protective tarp over your roof to prevent damage to your house.
• Stock up on Supplies: In case you decide to remain in your home, you must make sure that you stock up on supplies that can be used without electricity because the power will most likely go out for a few days, even weeks. Stock up on food that is not perishable outside like cans, cookies, and more. In addition, it would be wise to purchase a generator when the power does go out. But please, keep generators at least 20 feet away from any entry point of your home (windows, doors). They need to remain outside. Last year, there were people who died from carbon monoxide poisoning from generators used during hurricanes.
• Make an Inventory: Before a hurricane, you should mark down everything you have in your home and how much it is worth. Knowing what property is in your home before devastation strikes are important during the claims process. Like that, you are not trying to remember what you had inside your home and already having a list makes it much easier.
• Have your Insurance Updated: Try to fill in any gaps that are within your policy. You want to know that you have the right coverage and for the adequate amount.

Along with the above methods to provide protection for your home. Have a public adjuster ready-at-hand to assist you with the aftermath of the hurricane. Filing a claim with your insurance company for a natural disaster is the next phase that should be completed if a home or business sustained damages.  With a trained public adjuster, the proper payout amount could be recovered.

Also, do not forget about ALE coverage. Does your insurance have ALE coverage in case you must evacuate your home? ALE coverage is very important when someone must leave their homes. It covers numerous costs that would otherwise become quite expensive if one must pay for it out-of-pocket.

Definitions of Hurricanes

A hurricane can occur at any given moment throughout the year, and hurricanes have formed despite the typical time-frame of hurricane season being June 1^st to November 20^th. Hurricanes have three different classifications that determine the intensity of them and the predicted damage that they will bring. Those three categories include:

A tropical depression: A tropical depression has its winds of 38 mph or less.

A tropical storm: The winds of a tropical storm are in between 39 mph and 73 mph.

A Hurricane: The given name “hurricane” is different for different regions. Cyclones is the name given by the Indian Ocean and the South pacific, whereas, Typhoon is the name given by the North Pacific. The winds of a hurricane are more than 74 mph but less than 111mph, placing them as either category 1 or 2.

A major hurricane: Now, a major hurricane is a hurricane that has been deemed category 3, category4, or category 5. The sustained winds of a major hurricane are above 111 mph.

All of the above have their specific wind speed that makes them what they are, and all perform different amounts of damages.

Storm Statistics and Charts

These are some relevant charts, images, and statistics on hurricanes.

• In 2017, there was a total of 103 combined deaths from major hurricanes that took place, including, Irma, and Maria.
• At least three million people suffered from power outage as a result of hurricane Irma
• 88 inches was the amount of rainfall that hurricane Harvey brought in 2017
• An estimated 12 named storms make landfall every year in the United States. Out of those 12, an average of 3 of those storms will become a major hurricane (category 3 or higher)
• The most hurricane-prone state is Florida
• Prior to hurricane Irma, Florida did not experience billions of dollars in damages since hurricane Andrew in 1992
• Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 1,200 deaths

This is the typical track of hurricanes and their zones of origin for the month of August. As noted by the image above, Florida is in the more likely zone and in the way of the hurricane’s path.

Below is a chart of major hurricanes that have made landfall in Florida, the city where they made landfall, the category they were, and the year it took place:

 *Chart provided by Wikipedia*

 Here for Your Needs, Our Miami Public Adjusters in Churchill

Our Miami Public adjusters can take care of anyone who has endured the effects of a hurricane that has caused expenses, pain, and anguish. There is no need to fear when they are here. Whether you have already been through the aftermath of a hurricane or not, the above information, statistics, facts, and charts can show how powerful and destructive one of those storms should be. Being prepared and knowing the steps to take that not only is your home secured, but your family, and own life, is a key aspect before any significant storm. Our public adjuster prides themselves in not only the expert job they do at combating against insurance companies, but they also provide exceptional customer service to their clients. The suffering and pain that a homeowner can go through after a hurricane are unimaginable, but their compassion towards their clients never ceases to amaze.

References:

• https://www.stellaradjusting.com/tips-for-florida-hurricane-season/
• http://time.com/4952628/hurricane-season-harvey-irma-jose-maria/
• http://trackthetropics.com/hurricane-season-statistics/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Florida_hurricanes
• https://knoema.com/wdqlyq/us-hurricane-statistics
• https://www.kiplinger.com/article/insurance/T028-C001-S001-6-steps-to-protect-your-home-from-hurricanes.html

Home is where the heart is, and hence you need to make sure that there is no potential damage to the property both from inside and outside. Every year there are thousands of people who lose their lives because of house fires, and if we talk about the financial loss, the damage is in billions of dollars. Even though there has been a substantial decrease in the number of casualties compared to previous years, it is still too big of a number for something that is preventable to a lot of extents. And the strange part is that most of these fires are caused by something we generally consider to be safe like cigarettes, stove burner or a water heater to name a few.

Many of us consider our homes to be safe havens for us as well as our children. Surprisingly, there could be genuine dangers within the property as well. A home fire could be among the top disastrous devastation’s you could imagine and poor judgment, hasty actions or carelessness. It does not happen all the time that the fire department would be able to respond to home fires immediately even though they make their best efforts. While mistakes are bound to happen if you incorporate safety habits, the likelihood of you or any of your loved ones facing the fire tragedy could be almost eliminated. Let us explore some of the fire prevention tips with which you could place everyone in the house at least risk.

Fire alarms are considered as your best buddies in the event of a fire at your place. According to studies, more than 60% of the casualties due to fire happen in residences where there is no smoke alarm installed. In other cases, many people die as a result of the alarm not being in fully functional condition. The issues could be related to batteries like poor battery connections, empty or a dead battery. We normally ignore the importance of fire alarms at our homes and often do not value the importance of the equipment which could potentially save a life. If you implement the following fire prevention tips, it is less likely that you will face a deadly fire at your place:

• There are different kinds of fire alarms available in the market; some are good at detecting flaming fires while others are smarter in the detection of smoldering fires. Your best option is to go with an alarm device that uses both the technologies.

• Since bedrooms are the rest areas at our homes, try to install a fire alarm in all the bedrooms. If you have a multi-floor property with basement, then make sure that an alarm is installed in the basement and at least in one place on both the floors.

• Make sure that the alarms are tested periodically, say at least once every month. If it doesn’t seem to work, replace the batteries and if there are issues with the battery, do not hesitate in replacing the alarm as it could go a long way in saving a life.

• Even if the alarms are in working condition, check to see if you could replace them after a certain number of years to make sure you always have an equipment that always works.

• A lot of people tend to turn off the alarm while they cook. Do not make this mistake as cooking is cited as one of the top reasons for the home fires. If there is smoke coming out of the cooking area, turn on the vent fan rather than switching off the life-saving device.

• With advancements in technology, there are alarms that work with vibrations as well as those that have strobe light options. So even if you have someone who is physically impaired at your place, using these devices could help tremendously.

If you live in a multi-story residence or a single story house with a basement, you might want to have an escape ladder at your place. While you are considering to buy these ladders, make sure there are standoffs; in other words, check to make sure that there is enough space for the foot to move without any possibility of slipping. Also, there are different sizes of ladders available in the market which suit different home styles; hence choose accordingly that best suits your needs. Load testing is another aspect you need to consider before purchasing an escape ladder. Make sure it is adequately tested with heavy loads such as 1000 pounds to avoid any falls during emergencies. Even if you have guest rooms art your place, have a ladder for each of the rooms, and it wouldn’t harm if you inform the guests about the same.

Fire extinguishers should not be ignored. People generally tend to misunderstand the proper usage of fire extinguishers and use it on all kinds of fire; in fact, it should only be used for fires which are smaller in magnitude. And if the fire gets bigger, avoid implementing heroic activities and try to vacate the area as soon as possible. It is always a good idea to place these extinguishers in areas where the likelihood of fire is more than other places. Locations in the home where the fire extinguisher should be placed are in kitchen and garage spaces. Try to look for an ABC classified extinguisher when you decide to spend some money for it.

Whenever there is a fire, the size amplifies exponentially, and hence everyone at the house needs to know how to use an extinguisher in emergency situations. But unfortunately, many of the Floridians do not know the exact way of using them even when they have it in their homes. Let us explore some of the best ways of using the fire extinguisher.

• The most important thing is to determine if you can handle the high levels of stress while using the fire using the extinguisher. If it’s too big, do not think twice before vacating the area along with everyone else in the vicinity.

• Avoid placing yourself in a situation where there is smoke in the room, and you are in one corner with just the extinguisher for your assistance. Try to escape in a way where you position yourself on your back.

• If you could extinguish the fire, then try aiming the nozzle to the bottom of the fire and not the top portions. Also, squeeze the trigger appropriately to make sure that the agent in proper quantities is released.

And last but not the least, make sure that there is an escape plan at your place. People tend to ignore this and when everyone in the household is present, discuss and come up with an escape plan. Walk through each of the rooms, identify the high-risk areas and make sure that everyone is aware of the actual physical location of the fire extinguishers. Try to assign a place outside the property as a meeting area and once all of this is laid out, try to practice at least twice a year to make sure everyone is well aware of the plan.

Another important factor is to keep in mind the insurance coverage for these kinds of emergencies. Discuss the possibilities with your insurance agent or public adjuster and get the insurance coverage that would best suit your requirements. In many situations, it is often a hassle to claim the insurance, and this is where public adjusters come into the picture. The public adjusters mainly represent the insurance policyholders to make sure that they get what they are entitled to in a much smoother fashion. Lastly, all of this might seem quite overwhelming, but with a proper set of safety prevention tips, much of it could be avoided without reaching the next stage.