Public Adjuster Tips to Prepare for the Spring Season

Nothing ruins your enjoyment of a fresh new Spring season in your home or at your commercial property than having to submit a property damage claim. This can be avoided or minimized if you follow a few tips from United Public Adjusters & Appraisers. As residential and commercial public adjusters, we can review and advise you regarding your current policy coverages, thereby allowing you to fill any gaps now that could prove costly later. In the event that you have to prepare and submit an insurance claim for asset damages, liability, or losses, we can additionally guide you to document and prepare your claim. Our services also include negotiating with your insurance carrier to bring about the highest settlement that your policies allow. As highly experienced public adjusters, the team at United Public Adjusters & Appraisers offers the following tips to prep your premises for Spring and beyond:

Exterior:

• Clean your gutters or have a service perform this task. Additionally, as part of your routine maintenance, be sure to have the structural integrity of the gutters and downspouts checked. Make certain these are firmly attached to your structure. Experienced public adjusters know that keeping your eyes and ears open as you perform Spring cleaning chores will enable you to spot any potential problem areas, so these can be fixed before an issue occurs.
• Check for cracks in walkways and driveways. As commercial public adjusters, we advise having these repaired immediately to prevent slips and falls and potential liability claims due to injury. It is a good idea to rout any weeds you find growing from these cracks, as this is a leading cause of widened and extended cracks- i.e., additional damage = costly repairs.
• Trees: If your property or your adjoining neighbor has tall trees with major limbs close to your home or if your trees could topple and damage your neighbor’s property, hire a tree service to tree back limbs that could potentially spark a property damage and/or liability claim.
• Listen to daily weather reports. Should a major storm be in the forecast, secure or store loose patio furniture and outside decor to prevent damage by wind borne items.

Interior: 

• Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This should be performed twice a year, so sync this task with your Fall cleanup as well. As your commercial public adjusters, United Public Adjusters & Appraisers cannot emphasize the importance of performing this task routinely. Not only will it protect residents and employees, but also should an event occur, insurance investigators will seek to determine if these devices were installed and functional at the time of the event.
• Have the dryer vents and ducts professionally cleaned. Of course, you clean the dryer lint trap after every use, but lint can still infiltrate your vent duct system leading to buildup. In addition to making your dryer less effective, thereby increasing drying time and raising your electric bill, clogged dryer ducts can cause fires. Keep your family and your home safe by having your ducts professionally cleaned annually. Experienced public adjusters will tell you that for maximum safety, if you are running your laundry machines several times a week, step up and have the ducts cleaned twice a year.
• Caulk your tub/shower surround. While it is true that plumbing leaks are a major cause of interior flooding, over time, water seepage from daily showers and bathtubs can create unhealthy mold, water damage to flooring, tile work, and more. It can easily be prevented by routinely checking the condition of your caulking as you clean. Should your caulk need to be replaced, this is a simple, inexpensive DIY task that takes only a few minutes to view a YouTube video online, and a less than $10 spend at the big box store. This one task can save you thousands of dollars in property damage, so make sure to add it to the Spring chores list! 

It is important to maintain residential and commercial properties to prevent serious injury, property damages and losses and more. Consult with United Public Adjusters & Appraisers to learn more about how our services can assist you to keep your family, employees, and business safe and secure. Contact us today!