Each year, over 490,500 fires are reported to U.S. Fire Departments, and close to $12.1 billion loses in fires (National Fire Protection Association). Everybody trying to reconstruct a fire-damaged property will know the moment of horror when they look into the rubble and discover that the pile of ashes they’re looking at has no way to tell them what was once there.
You’ll look in vain for any unburned items in the debris, but most things once solid disintegrate and are unrecognizable. There’s always a chance that among the scraps are things worth saving, and by completing an inventory before starting to clear up, you can have an idea of what you’ll be losing. Fire damage restoration experts in Portland, OR, will mitigate the damage by securing your home, cleaning it, and reconstructing it. Read on to learn how to keep track of items burned in a fire.
Assess a Room
You assess the room by following these steps:
- Make a diagram of the room. It will help you identify what went up in flames when you walk through the room.
- Photograph everything in the room by taking pictures from different angles. You can also photograph any scorch marks or damage caused by fire damage.
- List all items in the photograph, including brands, costs, materials used (if applicable), and any other relevant information, such as whether or not it is still usable after being burned.
After completing this process, you can list all items in your home on a spreadsheet or database. It will allow you to see which items were destroyed and which ones survived easily.
You can also use a scanning app to track what items you burned in a fire. You can download this app from the App Store or Google Play. Once you’ve downloaded this app, open it.
- Ensure you’re connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data before opening the app.
- Find your phone’s camera icon (it’s usually on the upper left side). Tap it and choose “Scan” from the menu that appears.
- Place the phone face down on the item(s) that burned (or are still burning) in the fire. When prompted, tap “Scan” again to begin scanning the item(s).
Assign Replacement Value
Using an inventory system, you can track the cost of replacing damaged items in a fire. You will want to use a point-of-sale system, such as QuickBooks, if you want to track costs for each item in your inventory. You will also want to create a separate category for replacing items damaged in the fire. This category should have different categories than other categories on your inventory, so it is easy to identify what needs to be replaced.
To calculate replacement costs, you add all the costs associated with replacing a damaged fire. These costs include labor and material costs when calculating replacement costs based on their current value before they were damaged in the fire.
As you do the inventory, provide detailed information like receipts and costs. Every item will depreciate depending on wear and tear and age by the Insurance company adjuster
Get Organized
Getting organized will help you organize the information and make it easier to find the information you need. You should also ensure that you copy the list before you start to burn the items. It will ensure an accurate record of what items were burned so that your insurance company can claim their money back from your losses.
You can create a new spreadsheet on any computer program such as Microsoft Excel or Google Docs (Google Sheets). You will then be able to paste all your lists into this document, where they will automatically be saved. Then print out copies of this document whenever necessary or save them as needed
If you have pets or other animals needing care after displacement by the fire, ensure you’re keeping track of their location and how they’re doing.
Use Credit Card Statements and Receipts
You can keep track of what items you have burned by using your credit card statements and receipts. For instance, if your credit card has a “merchant” name, such as Visa or MasterCard, you can use the receipts from those purchases. These documents will help you understand the expenses incurred during the fire and the amount recovered from insurance claims.
You can also find out where certain items were purchased by looking at your credit card statement. If an item was purchased at a gas station, for example, you might want to check the receipt to see if there was a specific brand of cooking fat used when making this purchase. You could take photos of the receipts or record the serial numbers and date codes on any items lost in the fire so they can be replaced if they are found after all this time.
Have an Appraisal
If you’re having difficulty keeping track of what burned in the fire, consider getting an appraisal. An appraisal is an analysis that determines the value of your property and can help you determine whether insurance coverage will be available for your losses.
A third party conducts an appraisal specializing in valuing property like yours and who has access to similar properties on which to base their evaluation. The appraiser will inspect the building and its contents, interview witnesses, and perform any other necessary tests or analyses before coming up with an estimate.
The appraisee can then use this information to help determine what items are covered under their insurance policy.
When a fire destroys your home, be extremely organized, or you’ll lose everything. Paper and computer filing systems are good methods for keeping records. You could also make a daily list of everything that was destroyed, and then when they release funds, you can go back over your list and confirm the items have needing replacement. The information on any valuables that are not listed should also be included on a separate list. These items include safety box contents, stocks, bonds, large gemstones, rare coins, etc.
