BBB Tips for Hermine Flood Damage Clean-Up and Repair

BBB Tips for Hermine Flood Damage Clean-Up and Repair

Austin, TX – September 8, 2010 – Tropical Storm Hermine has already required hundreds of Texas homes to be evacuated and is expected to cause water damage in thousands of buildings across the state as floodwaters continue to rise. BBB urges all home and business owners to take precaution in cleaning up water damage and hiring contactors to help with the repair.

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Top 3 Tips for Flood Damage Clean-Up:

· Call your insurance agent immediately to file a claim. Be sure to ask for specific procedures or paperwork needed to move forward with repairs.
· If possible, take photos of any water saturation. An insurance adjuster may need to see what's been damaged in order to process your claim.
· As soon as the majority of water is drained away, all wet items should be discarded or cleaned and thoroughly dried within 48 hours of flooding to prevent the growth of mold, according to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Following the storm, BBB also urges everyone to be careful of potential repair contractor scams.

Top 5 Tips for Hiring a Repair Contractor:

· Beware of “fly-by-night” contractors or “storm chasers” who swarm the area after a storm. They may not be properly licensed or insured and may be hard to locate in the future.
· Beware of price gouging. Some unethical businesses may be marking up their products or services by as much as 500 percent.
· Take time to shop around for contractors, get competitive bids, and check references and licensing requirements. Check a company’s rating with BBB to determine your level of trust.
· Contractors should always provide and sign a written contract, detailing all services, materials and labor.
· Never pay for all repairs in advance and don't pay with cash.

To check the reliability of the company and find trustworthy businesses, visit BBB.

About BBB:
BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior.

Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preeminent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities. 

Contact BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas at (512) 445-4748.

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