How to Protect Your Valuables in the Event of a Fire or Flood
When disaster strikes your home, it can leave a trail of devastation behind. But the real gut-wrenching loss are those valuables that cannot be replaced, whether a family heirloom, photographs or some other memento. While we certainly cannot predict when a fire or flood will hit, there are some steps you can take to protect those items that are most valuable to you.
Keeping valuable items safe from disaster
The easiest way to keep smaller items safe is with a waterproof, fireproof box. These safes come in a variety of sizes. You will want to consider what items are most important to you before deciding on the size. Items such as priceless jewelry, birth certificates, passports and copies of digital files are some of the most commonly items stored in safes.
You may also want to consider storing items in a safe deposit box at your local bank. Your valuables will be stored in the bank’s vault, with access limited as you choose. Keep in mind that the items in a safe deposit box are not insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. However, this is a good option to protect valuables from a fire or flood.
Don’t let a fire or flood take your sentimental belongings
If your valuables are papers or photographs, it is worthwhile to create scanned copies. Store these files externally, either on the cloud or on a hard drive in a separate location. If a fire or flood does strike your home, destroying your most valuable belongings, with these digital copies all will not be lost. While they may not be able to fully replace the originals, having this will be some consolation if a fire or flood destroys your belongings.
Smart storage of everyday items
Obviously not everything in your home is sentimental or of great monetary value. That does not mean you shouldn’t take steps to protect those items from disaster. Take a look at how and where you store your belongings. Most items are stored in the basement, garage or attic. In these cases, plastic totes are typically preferable to cardboard boxes to reduce moisture intrusion. Elevating items off the floor can also be helpful in the event of flooding.
Soil-Away’s 24/7 Emergency Service
If a fire or flood does strike, Soil-Away has a team of IICRC certified technicians ready to work with you through the restoration process. Soil-Away responds to property disaster 24/7 and can be reached at 603-641-6555 or click here to contact our property damage restoration experts.
