Vacation Checklist: Things to Do Before You Leave

It’s summertime and that means vacations for most families. Unfortunately, your vacation buzz can be lost too quickly when you get home and realize that you forgot to take care of a few essentials. Your vacation should be an enjoyable and relaxing time, so before you head out here are a few things to be sure to check off your list so that you can come back to your home in the safe condition you left it.

• Hold mail and newspapers.

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Dustless on the Other Side

Picture this scene: Your house has finally been restored so you don't have to spend another night in a hotel. The walls of your house are freshly painted per your color preferences, the new floors have been stained and finished, the last of your furniture has been moved back in from a container and the final cleaning has been completed.

But, while you are moving back in, you notice that although the cleaning crew seemed to have worked diligently for most of the day, there is a thin layer of dust on everything in the restored areas.

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Champion vs. Old Man Winter

In January of this year Old Man Winter hit Georgians pretty hard. Temperatures in our area dipped down into the teens at night and barely got above freezing during the day on a couple occasions. Champion has learned from past experiences to be prepared for an influx of jobs from pipes freezing, thawing out, rupturing and then causing minimal to sever water damage to a home. Pipes can freeze in the wall or in the attic if not properly insulated.

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A Proactive Solution to Disaster

There are so many things to think about when you have a disaster.  You've barely had time to process the fact that you've had a loss and now you're being asked to try and remember everything  you own in detail in order to be compensated.  Naturally your stress levels increase and your patience decreases as you long for everything to just be over with.

Fortunately, there is something you can do right now in order to save your sanity later should you have a fire, water or storm loss.  Take a disposable, digital or video camera as well as  a notebook and create a detailed record of your belongings.    Be as specific as possible by jotting down model numbers, serial numbers, sizes, quantities, dates and other descriptive or important details.  When you are finished, place the developed photos, memory card or videotape and the notebook in a fire-proof, air tight container.  Safes usually provide the best protection.

Now, if you become the unfortunate victim of fire, water or storm loss, you have everything you need to fill out the necessary paperwork.  No, it won't make all of your stress levels disappear but it will help you overcome feelings of helplessness and will expedite the restoration process.  With a little time and effort you will have peace of mind.

Chloe L. Hudson - Senior Contents Technician

How to Prevent Water Damage

In 2007, 22% of all homeowner’s insurance losses in the United States were caused by water damage.  Just a few steps could help you prevent a water damage from happening.

1. Know where your water shutoff valve is located.  Be sure that the entire family knows how to shut off household water supplies in the event of a sudden pipe or hose break.


2. Let faucets drip during extremely cold weather. This keeps the water moving and helps to reduce the chance of freezing.


3. Never leave the house with appliances, such as dishwashers, washers or dyers, still operating.


4. Turn off the water while you’re out of town. Many homeowners have returned from vacation to find their washer hoses have burst and flooded their homes.


5. Inspect your plumbing every year. You should inspect your water pipes and fittings annually. This is a simple check that takes only a few minutes but could prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.


6. Inspect your water heater, washer, dishwasher, sinks, toilets and refrigerator ice maker for evidence of water leaks and repair immediately.


7. Use the exhaust fan in the bathroom while the shower is on. This helps to remove steam from the room.


8. Check your hoses and replace them if they indicate wear.  Consider replacing hoses to your washer and dishwasher every two to five years.


9. Repair window and door cracks with caulk. This helps to prevent water from seeping into the house from outside.


10. Clean out gutters and down spouts regularly. This helps prevent overflowing, which may damage your roof.

Hail Storms - How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

On Wednesday, February 18th, fierce thunderstorms swept Georgia with tornadoes, hail and lightning.  The National Weather Service confirmed at least nine tornadoes touched down during the storms. In addition to the tornadoes, extremely large hail was reported across the state. Widespread reports of golfball to baseball sized hail were received.  Below are a couple of links to some YouTube videos of the hail storms in Coweta and Fayette counties that you might want to check out.

Hail Storm in Coweta County

Hail Storm in Fayette County

Hail might not seem like a big deal, but it can shatter windows, leave pockmarks in siding and destroy or damage roof coverings. Hail causes $1 billion in damage to crops and property each year.  In light of these facts, I wanted to share some helpful information I came across on www.flash.org. 

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13 Inches of Standing Water - What a Mess!

Recently in Jonesboro, we dried a house that had flooded resulting in 13 inches of standing water in the crawl space. It took 3 days to pump all of the water out of the crawl space. The dirt had turned into mud and the structure was completly saturated.

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I Am a First Time Blogger

I work in the mitigation department at Champion Construction Systems. We dry structures that have been damaged by water. It's pretty cool actually. I am glad that we can say with confidence that we have the fastest drying system.

Thomas Stuart - Mitigation Crew

I've never had a claim...how does my insurance claim get paid?

The whole insurance claim process can be confusing.  Its true that your insurance company approves the scope of the repairs and provides the claim funds.  But your contractor (not the insurance company) is responsible for performing satisfactory repairs, and you the homeowner (not the insurance company) are ultimately responsible to make sure that your contractor gets paid.

A common question people have is 'what do I do with my deductible?'  Your insurance company will 'deduct' your insurance deductible from the total claim funds that they pay.  If you have a total claim of $10,000.00 and your deductible is $1,000.00, your insurance company will pay $9,000.00 and your $1,000.00 deductible is to be paid by you directly to your contractor. 

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What a disaster!!!

What a disaster!  Water can be a mighty and destructive force.  And now your plasma television is dripping and your shoes are ruined.  But those aren’t the things that have your heart breaking.  It’s the antique photo of your grandparents on their wedding day setting right beside your own wedding photo and both are wrinkling and peeling as a photo album floats past you on the floor.  Everything else is replaceable, but those moments captured in an image on paper can never be duplicated. They are your memories, your trips, your precious loved ones and your family history. 

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