Fire and smoke damage in Provo
After a house fire, the work splits into two jobs: stabilizing and cleaning the house, and rebuilding what was destroyed. Provo's climate shapes the first job, and Utah's licensing and insurance rules shape the second.
Winter makes a damaged house fragile
NOAA's engineering weather data for Provo, at 4,492 feet, gives a 99% winter design temperature of 10°F and counts about 54 freeze-thaw cycles a year. A house with broken windows, a damaged roof or no heat can freeze within a day. Pipes that freeze and burst add water damage to fire damage. Ask the restoration company how quickly they can board openings, tarp the roof and either drain the plumbing or keep heat on. Ask that the water be shut off if the house can't be heated.
Firefighting water still has to come out
Even in a dry climate, the water used to put out a fire soaks into insulation, subfloors and wall cavities. Provo's air is dry most of the year, with only about one hour a year at a wet-bulb temperature above 73°F, so exposed surfaces dry quickly, but water trapped inside walls and under floors does not. Ask the company to measure moisture, explain how they will dry hidden areas, and write down the readings before walls are closed.
Soot and smoke odor
Soot can etch glass, metal and finishes if it isn't cleaned promptly. Smoke odor settles into drywall, insulation, carpet and the HVAC system. Ask how the company will decide what to clean and what to remove, how they will clean the ducts and replace the furnace filter, and what odor treatment they use. Ask for a written inventory of contents they take for cleaning.
Rebuilding and Utah's licensing threshold
Utah law exempts alteration, repair and remodeling work with a contracted value under $7,000, labor and materials included, from contractor licensing. Even on those jobs, plumbing or electrical work must be done by a contractor holding the right Utah license. Most fire rebuilds cost far more than that threshold. Look up the contractor with Utah's Division of Professional Licensing, and check the license classification for structural and trade work.
Dealing with the insurer
Read your policy's coverage for dwelling, contents and additional living expenses. Keep a log of every call, adjuster visit and receipt. If you can't resolve a dispute with the company, the Utah Insurance Department takes complaints through its online portal, forwards each one to the insurer for a response, reviews the response and sends you its findings, a process that usually takes three to four weeks.
Questions for a restoration company
- How soon can you secure the house and protect it from freezing?
- How will you dry hidden water, and what readings will you record?
- What will you clean, and what will you replace?
- Do you bill the insurer directly, and what am I responsible for?
- Who will do the rebuild, and what Utah license do they hold?