No one expects a disaster. Whether it’s fire, water, wind, or storms, when your house is damaged you need to know where to turn. You need help you can trust and you need it fast. There are storm chasers out there who show up following a disaster and try to take advantage of panicked homeowners. TrustDALE is here to help you avoid the scammers and find real help.

When Disaster Strikes

Many people are worried about fire damage to their home, but water damage is actually 13 times more likely. Even in a fire, the fire department is concerned with putting out the fire, not saving your belongings. That means that most fire damage is accompanied by significant water damage. To make problems worse, many homeowners are underinsured. This means that they simply don’t have the insurance to cover all of their losses. In the case of a disaster that causes major damage to your home and property, being underinsured could leave you in a terrible position.

Preparing for a Disaster

Insurers and disaster recovery specialist recommend reviewing your insurance annually to make sure that it is sufficient to cover your home and belongings in the case of a disaster. They also suggest making sure that you have a record of all of your property. If your property is destroyed in a disaster, your best chance of getting it covered is if it is documented.

Paul Italian, with Archer Restoration, suggests taking photos of all of your property twice a year. On New Years Day, when no one is doing anything besides watching football, take a camera around your house. Take pictures of everything. That means all of your furniture, but also all of the smaller items. Open up drawers. Take photos inside closets and cabinets.

Italian tells the story of one woman who was concerned over the loss of a custom can opener. She had no way to show that she ever owned it. Make sure everything is documented. Do it on New Year’s Day, then do it again on the Fourth of July, another day you’ll most likely have little going on. Keep copies of these photos on two separate USB drives, so you always have backup. And keep them somewhere other than in your home. In case of an emergency, this will be the key to receiving appropriate payments to cover your belongings.

Avoid Scammers

After you’ve had a disaster damage your home, you may be in a state of shock. With your life turned upside down, it’s hard to keep track of the rebuilding process right away. Scammers know this. Often, after a disaster you will receive dozens of solicitations from a variety of contractors and disaster remediation specialists. Remember, a good contractor doesn’t need to chase you down.

Many homeowners are distraught after a disaster and would be willing to sign almost anything to get their lives back on track. Scammers take advantage of this. But you can protect yourself with a few simple rules. First of all, don’t sign anything right away. Scammers will typically try to get you to sign documents while you are still recovering from the initial shock of a disaster. Reputable companies will instead work with your insurance company first. Also, don’t make any payments up front. Some homeowners write checks for thousands of dollars, only to never see the contractor again. This kind of swindling is more common than most homeowners would like to think.

Making the Right Call

The right call in case of a disaster can make all the difference. It’s hard to know, in the immediate wake of a disaster, who to trust. Luckily, you know that you can trust in TrustDALE. Dale has done the research so you don’t have to. With TrustDALE’s rigorous 7-Point Investigative Review process, you can be sure that any company TrustDALE recommends will treat you right. In the case of disaster recovery, TrustDALE recommends the services of two companies, Archer Restoration and American Property Restoration.

Archer Restoration

Archer Restoration is a family owned business with a combined 50 years of experience in restoration and disaster remediation. Archer Restoration’s courteous and professional staff have the experience and the know-how to get any job done, no matter how large or small. But the number one difference at Archer is that they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Disasters don’t work on a schedule, so neither does Archer. If you have experienced damage form a disaster, you can call Archer any time of day or night and you can expect to get a real live Archer employee, not an answering service. In most cases they can be at your home within an hour of your call. And unlike the scammers, they’ll never ask you for money up front. They offer the convenience of direct insurance billing. They will deal with the adjuster and all you have to pay for is your deductible.

Archer Restoration is a full service restoration company. That means that they are licensed residential and commercial contractors who have the experience and know-how to handle your unique situation. Whether your damage is form fire and smoke, water and mold, or even a tree that has fallen through your roof, Archer knows how to handle it. They can handle your restoration project from start to finish, without the need to bring in another company. Archer has completed over 7,000 restoration jobs, so there is very little they haven’t seen.

Archer doesn’t just have the expertise, they have the right tools to make your home or business whole again. Some restoration companies try to cut corners to make as much money as they can off of the insurance companies. Archer doesn’t work that way. They use the latest technology to make sure that the job is done right. In the case of water damage, Archer uses hydrometers, thermal scanners, and other cutting edge technology to find wet patches that aren’t easy to spot. They’re not satisfied with “good enough”. They want to do it right.

American Property Restoration

American Property Restoration has been in the business of restoration, remediation, abatement, consulting, and construction for a combined total of over 75 years. When you call them, you can rest assured that you are working with a company with a proven track record. They cover pretty much any disaster you may come across. Their experts are able to handle fire damage, water damage, and storm damage. They also have the knowledge and experience to handle hazardous conditions such as mold and asbestos.

American Property Restoration knows that you can’t pick the date and time of a disaster, which is why they are available 24/7. However, you can be prepared for a disaster, and American Property Restoration wants to help. American Property Restoration can help your business develop a disaster contingency plan. By partnering with American Property Restoration, you can ensure that your business has the fastest possible access to emergency services should disaster strike. All the necessary emergency services and contractual agreements can be specified before a disaster occurs. Restoration services and costs can even be pre-approved by your insurance broker or agent.

American Property Restoration is also trusted by large institutions and governments. Many cities, counties, municipalities, and educational institutions throughout the state of Georgia rely on American Property Restoration as their standby emergency restoration provider. People rely on these organizations, so they can’t afford any disruption of service. That’s why these organization rely on American Property Restoration. They know that American Property Restoration will be there for them with complete, reliable, professional service whenever it’s needed.

You Are Not Alone

If you are ever in need of emergency disaster restoration, you don’t have to feel alone. Just turn to these TrustDALE certified providers and they will start you on the path to getting your life back. No scams. No gimmicks. Just real help when you need it most.

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Dale's New Book:
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SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS