The devastating experience of a house fire is a horrible loss with emotional and financial consequences. It can be extremely difficult to think clearly when dealing with the complexities of insurance companies along with the paperwork involved with filing insurance claims as you cope with this traumatic event. Getting adequate compensation following a fire for your damaged property is generally never straightforward. However, there are certain things that you can inform yourself about regarding smoke damage claims and other fire-related insurance needs in order to make the process move along more smoothly. Read on to learn more about what you should do following a fire and how you can be the most prepared to protect your home. If you’re looking for an insurance lawyer in the Miami Dade County area, call Your Insurance Attorney today!
What To Know About Smoke Damage From a Fire
There are several things you should keep in mind when it comes to the different types of smoke damage that can occur. Every type should be approached a little differently due to the fact that they are not given the same treatment by every insurance policy. Smoke damage can often be more widespread than fire damage if the fire is contained and the property is not a total loss. If a kitchen fire is quickly extinguished, for example, and the damage is limited to the area around the stove, smoke damage can still spread into the surrounding rooms and maybe even the whole house. In order for you to understand the reason, you should learn how smoke behaves. Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ash, and chemicals that vary depending on what was burned is what smoke is composed on. Since smoke can easily travel and sticks to things, the damage caused by smoke can be quite extensive. Not only will there usually be damage directly above and surrounding the items that burned in the fire, you’ll also find additional, and often significant damage, outside and even in rooms down the hallway and on different floors of your home. When you assess the damages from smoke, top insurance lawyer Your Insurance Attorney notes that it’s crucial to document everything you absolutely can. You need to inform yourself about the places where smoke damage can hide in order to document thoroughly.
Smoke Damage Claims and What To Do
Since heat rises, hot, smoky air is pushed around by heavier cold air and hits all the colder areas. As heated air is more volatile, the molecules expand, move faster, and bounce around to more places. All of this means that smoke damage will generally occur behind, under, and inside of spaces that you may not expect. Be sure to check the insides of closets and drawers, though they may have been closed, and also the inside of window dressings, which attract smoke as they are cooler areas. Metals and synthetic materials are also particularly attractive to smoke, and you should also check in the duct work.
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There are many things you should be informed about regarding smoke damage claims. Call top insurance lawyer in Miami Dade County Your Insurance Attorney for your insurance litigation needs today!
