Category: News

While you may assume that fire safety regulations are government requirements, they can help your business avoid costly disasters. Practicing proper fire safety and ensuring you have all the correct protocols in place can protect your employees, equipment, and property.

In short, investing in fire safety equipment and adhering to all of the relevant fire safety regulations is one of the most important ways you can protect your business. To learn more about the importance of fire safety procedures, we encourage you to take this guide seriously.

We will not only explain what fire safety is and why it is essential, but we will also cover some of the most effective ways you can protect your business. So, let’s get started!

What Is Fire Safety?

While certain industries and businesses have a higher risk of fires breaking out than others, fire is always a risk in all workplaces. For this reason, fire safety is critical for preventing injuries, fatalities, and damage to equipment, property, and inventory.

Fire safety is a set of practices and plans intended to protect personnel and reduce the destruction caused by a fire. These fire safety practices can be used to prevent the initial source of ignition that could lead to a destructive fire, as well as plans to limit the damage caused by a fire after it has been started.

This means fire safety covers everything from escape plans for employees, fire protection equipment, like a fire sprinkler system and strategically placed extinguishers or portable fire extinguishers, and regular fire prevention strategies and equipment that reduce the chances of a fire starting in the first place.

Why Is Fire Safety Important for Your Business?

• Reduces the risk of injuries and fatalities for employees, customers, and all other individuals
• Avoids the incredible cost of having to shut your business down for an extended period due to fire damage
• Can reduce the amount of damage to your facility
• Safeguards your business against fines related to disregarding fire safety regulations
• Protects equipment and inventory
• Builds trust among employees
• Reduces insurance premiums for your business with proper fire safety equipment and training
• Avoids dragging your business into potential legal issues from fire deaths, injuries, or property damage to surrounding businesses

Given that fire safety procedures are relatively easy to employ, and they are almost always government requirements, there is no reason why your business should be taking a massive risk by not practicing proper fire safety measures.

Types of Fire Safety Your Business Should Employ

To help you learn more about fire safety in the workplace, we are going to break down the different forms of fire safety in detail.

Fire Response Initiatives

While you will want to prevent fires from breaking out in the first place, all employees must know how to react in the event of a fire. This can prevent fire deaths and severe injuries, so the importance of fire response plans cannot be overstated.

Your workplace’s emergency fire safety plan should cover the following:

• Emergency evacuation procedure and routes that all employees understand
• Clearly posted emergency plan, routes, exits, fire extinguisher locations, and meeting places
• Regularly conducted fire safety training that involves all employees
• Regular fire alarm or smoke alarm tests conducted in conjunction with the local fire department
• Outsourcing fire safety training sessions that include fire prevention tactics, burn-related first aid, safe use of fire extinguishers, and proper evacuation procedures

Fire Prevention Efforts

The best-case scenario for your business is that your fire safety efforts prevent a fire from occurring in the first place. This should include the following:

• Installation and regular maintenance of an appropriate fire sprinkler system
• Positioning smoke detectors in all locations and having them tested regularly
• Have all employees participate in fire prevention training
• Designated smoking areas that are in a safe and distant location
• Proper storage of all flammable materials and controlled chemicals
• Appropriate number of fire extinguishers positioned throughout the business. The fire extinguishers should also be professionally inspected by the fire marshal or fire department and replaced at appropriate intervals to ensure everything is up to fire code.

Testing your fire prevention equipment is just as important as having it installed in the first place. We suggest reading our guide about fire extinguisher maintenance – How Often Should You Inspect Your Fire Extinguishers?

We also suggest reading What Is a Fire Safety Inspection & Why Is it Important?

What Else Can You Do to Protect Your Business?

There is no doubt that a fire sprinkler system that is regularly tested can prove to be incredibly valuable in the event of a fire. Their ability to effectively put out a fire before it has the chance to spread and cause significant damage is incredible.

With that said, a misfiring sprinkler system can end up causing a tremendous amount of water damage, especially if your business is filled with expensive and water-sensitive equipment and supplies. In fact, fire sprinklers that are accidentally activated tend to cause an average of $35,000 in water damage!

Most people have to wait for the fire department to arrive on the scene to have the sprinkler shut off. When just five minutes of running a single sprinkler head can cause tens of thousands of dollars in water damage, you do not want to wait for the fire department to arrive and shut the sprinkler system off at the source.

What Is the Solution?

The Shutgun is a straightforward fire sprinkler head shut-off tool that requires little-to-no training to use. In the event of an accidental misfire, a single employee or responsible person can shut off your fire sprinkler system in seconds.

Given that the tool costs just $65 and can save your business tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, it is a no-brainer to have one located on every floor of your business.

Just like fire safety and prevention initiatives are vital for all businesses, anticipating other types of disasters before they occur is just as critical. Do not wait until a costly accident occurs; protect your business with a low-cost, straightforward tool trusted by thousands of well-known businesses!

Learn more about the Shutgun and order your own by visiting the Shutgun product page.

While fire sprinkler systems can save lives and prevent a house or business from succumbing to fire damage, a fire sprinkler that is accidentally triggered or releases water for too long can cause significant and unexpected water damage.

While there is undoubtedly an argument to be made that water damage is preferable to fire-related property damage, that does not change the fact that water damage cleanup and repair fees from accidental sprinkler activation can be incredibly costly. Professional water damage repair and cleanup services are required to prevent rot, mold, and other water-related damages.

If you want to know how much fire sprinkler water damage can cost to repair, you have come to the right place. We will discuss the costs associated with these types of water restoration services and explain how you can prevent this type of destruction from occurring in the first place.

So, let’s get started!

How Do Fire Sprinkler Systems Cause Water Damage?

When an automatic sprinkler system is activated, a plug holding the water back is released, and water is immediately ejected from the fire sprinkler in all directions.

The result is the same whether this release is caused by high air temperatures that would indicate a fire or the fire sprinkler has activated due to a malfunction. Once the fire sprinkler has started to spray water, it will not stop until the waterline has been shut off or the sprinkler valve has been blocked in some other way.

How Much Water Is Released by a Fire Sprinkler System?

The amount of water a specific fire sprinkler releases will depend on the type of system and the pressure the sprinkler system uses. As you would expect, larger commercial and industrial buildings use fire sprinkler systems that release more water than those installed in residential buildings.

With that said, a typical fire protection system will release between 35 and 150 gallons of water per minute. In most cases, the water will range 12 feet in all directions.

For perspective, this means that just one average residential fire sprinkler can release enough water to fill a bathtub in less than one minute!

Just think how much damage would be caused if someone dumped a bathtub full of water into your living room or kitchen. A single fire sprinkler would fill the room with at least that much water in a single minute.

Now imagine that your residential fire sprinkler system, like most fire protection systems, had multiple modern sprinklers, and it was allowed to run for 25 minutes without being shut off. Your home, office, warehouse, or any other indoor space would be in horrible shape.

What Is Considered Water Damage?

While you probably know how damaging excess water can be in an indoor space, it helps to understand the types of destruction water can cause. This is why we are going to quickly highlight some of the types of water damage a faulty fire sprinkler system can cause.

Structural Damage

If significant amounts of water are allowed to pool, it can cause serious structural damage to a building. For example, water can cause wooden floors to swell and warp. It can also weaken drywall and other common building materials.

Metal is also highly susceptible to corrosion if it is not dried properly. This can be a significant issue for the long-term structural integrity of your home or business.

Damage to Electrical Appliances and Equipment

Any electronics plugged in when a fire sprinkler runs could be at serious risk of permanent damage. Not only can the water released by automatic sprinklers immediately damage appliances, electrical equipment, and even personal electronics, leftover and trapped moisture can trigger problems in the future.

In other words, if you cannot shut a fire sprinkler system off immediately, sensitive electronics, such as computers, could be destroyed.

Mold and Mildew Growth

One of the most destructive consequences of water damage is the growth of mold and mildew that can occur after the majority of the water has been mopped up.

Not only can mold spores cause serious respiratory issues in the future, mold and mildew can destroy organic substances, including wood support beams, flooring, walls, and so much more. It can also discolor and destroy carpets, furniture, and other soft surfaces.

How Much Does Water Damage Cleanup and Repair Cost?

While the destruction caused by a faulty fire sprinkler system can be immediate, addressing the issue afterward can also be incredibly costly. Most insurance companies will not pay for water damage caused by an accidentally activated fire sprinkler.

While you may assume that you could simply mop up the floors and do the water removal yourself, there is an extremely high chance that you would need more time to do an adequate job. In other words, by cleaning up the water yourself, you could leave your home or business susceptible to higher costs in the future.

You have to consider the extent of the water damage restoration, which can include carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, water extraction, and more.

 Non-professional water damage restoration efforts almost always leave trace amounts of water and moisture behind, leading to mold growth and spreading dangerous bacteria in your home. Mold remediation and mold removal are also significant expenses.

Again, the damage caused by mold and mildew would not be covered by your insurance company, especially if they know that you did not hire a professional water damage restoration service with specialized equipment for repair.

Average Cost of Water Damage Cleanup Services

Unfortunately, the average water damage repair cost caused by fire sprinkler systems is just under $35,000! Although water damage restoration services are expensive, these specialty cleaning services are indispensable, as you will only spend more in the future if you do not address the issue immediately.

Water damage cleanup and water damage repair services are expensive because it is very labor-intensive. The structure needs to be thoroughly dried; then all surfaces need to be cleaned, which can include carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, and contents cleaning, and all damaged surfaces and items need to be replaced.

Depending on the damage, as well as the size of the affected area, the process could take several days to several weeks to complete.

When it comes to water damage, time is money. The longer the water was allowed to flow, and the resulting standing water was left alone, the more expensive the water damage restoration cost will be.

The same applies to an activated fire sprinkler head, as a minute’s worth of activation could cost thousands of dollars in water damage.

Fire Sprinkler Water Damage Prevention

As is often the case with costly repairs, prevention is far better than the cure when you are dealing with fire sprinkler damage.

While fire sprinkler systems are vital pieces of fire safety equipment that can save lives and protect your home or business from burning down, they can cause serious problems if they are accidentally activated or allowed to run longer than necessary.

Fortunately, there is a simple and affordable tool that you can purchase to shut off an activated fire sprinkler instantly. The Shutgun is the world’s leading fire sprinkler shut-off tool. Since 90% of fire sprinkler activations are accidental, the ability to shut off your system quickly can be incredibly useful.

When you leave it up to the fire department to deactivate your fire sprinkler system, it can take minutes to hours and could mean tens of thousands of dollars in water damage.

Given that the Shutgun is only $65, keeping one on any floor with a fire sprinkler installed makes sense.

To learn more about the Shutgun and purchase one of your own, simply click the following link: Get My Shutgun.

Insurance companies deny fire claims either genuinely or out of bad faith, and sometimes they won’t even give clear reasons behind the denial.

If you have had such an encounter or are doing research before taking out a fire insurance policy or homeowners insurance policy, you may be interested in knowing the major reasons insurance companies deny fire claims. Now that you are here, let’s get to it!

Reasons for Denial of Fire Claims by Insurance Companies

Insurance companies may reject fire claims for the following reasons:

1. Suspected Arson or Fire Insurance Fraud

If your insurance company suspects that you set your building on fire intentionally to defraud them of insurance money, they may refuse your fire claims.

Evidence of arsonist behaviour in the past or proven fraudulent claims of fire damage or similar types of damage will cause the company to reject your claim.

Sometimes, a rogue company may front the fraud issue out of malice to delay the payment with a dragged-out trial to prove whether arson caused by the claimant or a person acting on their behalf was the cause of the fire.

To counter the company’s argument, you must have enough credible evidence that you were not the arsonist or that no one acted on your behalf as the arsonist. It should also be proven that the fire was not caused by arson.

2. Dishonesty or Misrepresentation of Crucial Information

Some fire claimants distort the truth or withhold crucial information from their insurance company regarding the source of the fire or even the property insurance claim itself.

Claimants who lie or omit such crucial information usually do so out of fear that the company may blame or fault them for the fire.

Once the insurance provider learns the truth, your claim will be denied.

3. Insufficient Policy Coverage

Your fire claim will be denied if the policy doesn’t include the type of fire that razed down your premises. The policy may also only cover damages that directly result from flames rather than smoke or water from fire sprinklers.

For example, a fire caused by a catastrophic occurrence, such as war, may not be covered in your policy, and the insurance provider will deny such a claim.

4. Disputes in Valuation

An insurance company will deny your fire claim if it assesses that the damages sustained are worth much less than you claim. If you have inflated the fire insurance claim, your request will be denied.

Most insurance providers will give you a first offer that’s usually lower. Accepting this offer means that you might be shortchanged, so you should always try to get more from them if your damages are worth much more.

To avoid the problem of delays caused by conflicting valuations and making counter offers, ensure you always have records of the building’s construction costs, repair and maintenance costs, and its state before and after the eruption of fire.

5. Lack of Proof

You must prove that you own the items included in your fire damages claim. The value of these items must also be known and provable. There should be sufficient proof of the extent of fire damage.

Your insurance company will deny your fire claims if these proofs are not available or verifiable.

6. Poor Craftsmanship/Design

The fire claim will be denied when a fire erupts in a home or commercial building because of poor artistry or construction design.

The poor condition of the building will be seen as a predisposing and precipitating factor to the occurrence of a fire, something that would have been prevented if you and your contractors were keen enough.

The claim may also be denied if you constructed it with materials that relevant authorities or manufacturers have since recalled for poor performance or ineffective fire protection.

7. Unpermitted Building Works

Fire claims after a fire stemming from unapproved works on a building won’t be approved. For example, if you maintain the electrical system yourself and a fire erupts through the system, you will not be compensated.

A trained, licensed, and trustworthy professional must complete all building repairs and maintenance activities. They must also be recorded for proof of validity, cost, and completion.

8. Fire Safety Negligence/Poor Preventative Measures

Lack of good and timely fire safety measures or preventative interventions will lead to the cancellation of your claim.

You must ensure your electrical and all fire equipment, such as Shutguns, extinguishers, and sprinklers, are kept in good working condition.

You’ll also not be compensated if a fire arises from a failure to repair past damages, natural wear and tear, or failure to prevent future losses.

9. Illegal Activities

Your insurance carrier will deny your fire claim if it’s proven that illegal activities such as manufacturing or selling hard drugs or illicit alcohol took place on your premises.

This is particularly critical if the cause of the fire was such drugs or misconduct of people intoxicated by the drugs.

Other Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Fire Claims

• Your building caught fire from nearby buildings that spread the fire to it (this may not be in the policy coverage)
• Unpaid policy premiums or late payments
• Not filing claims immediately or in good time
• Underinsuring your personal property
• The cost of fire and smoke damage sustained is lower than your deductible
• The policy has expired, or you canceled it before the fire occurred

Preventing Fire in the First Place

Although fire is sometimes an inevitability, taking appropriate measures to prevent its occurrence can help you avoid the back and forth that happens when your insurance company denies a fire claim.

Installing fire prevention equipment such as extinguishers, sprinklers, and our quickstop fire sprinkler tool can help you avoid fire and water damage.

We can save you thousands with Shutgun in the form of fire damages, water damages, and losses from a denied fire damage claim.

Fire extinguishers are essential life-saving equipment for commercial buildings and homes. They need routine maintenance to keep them operable and ready for use in a fire breakout.

Unfortunately, many people assume they will never need to use their fire extinguisher and thus tend to forget about them until the need arises, at which point it may be too late. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 83% of Americans don’t inspect their fire extinguishers.

It’s inadvisable to wait for an emergency to occur only to realize you’ve been keeping an uncharged or faulty fire extinguisher that won’t help you.

This post will address everything you need to know about fire extinguisher inspection, including testing and maintenance protocols that will leave your fire extinguisher in peak performance shape.

The process of fire extinguisher inspection breaks down into:

• Visual inspection
• Maintenance inspection
• Hydrostatic testing or internal maintenance inspection

Each level of inspection follows a different procedure and requires different levels of qualification and inspection frequency.

But before we answer the question, “how often should you inspect your fire extinguisher,” let’s first address the importance of a fire extinguisher inspection.

Why Do You Need a Fire Extinguisher Inspection?

According to 2022 house fire statistics, a small flame takes only 30 seconds to turn into a major blaze. It takes a well-maintained and inspected fire extinguisher to mitigate the effects caused by fire breakouts in a home or office.

Proper fire extinguisher inspection keeps it ready for use in an emergency. Besides failing to work during an emergency, a poorly maintained fire extinguisher can be more dangerous than if you had none.

Of course, you’ll also need other fire fighting equipment like a sprinkler system and Shutgun, which helps you mitigate water damage from accidentally activated sprinkler heads.

Visual Inspection

Visual inspection is the basic and most straightforward fire extinguisher inspection anyone can do. Usually, a visual inspection is done once a month to ascertain the following:

• The extinguisher is in its designated location and is accessible during an emergency
•  The fire extinguisher is fully charged and operable
• There is proper signage indicating the location of the extinguisher

Use the following guidelines to perform a monthly visual fire extinguisher inspection:

• Check the position of the pressure gauge and ensure the indicator is within an operable range
• Toggle the push-to-test pressure indicators for a non-chargeable extinguisher to ensure it’s working well
• Weigh the cylinder to ensure it’s full
• Ensure the pull-pin seal is intact
• Verify the last professional inspection date
• Check for any physical damages such as dents or corrosion
• If you own a wheeled extinguisher, check to ensure the wheels, tires, nozzle, and hose are working perfectly

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends visual extinguisher inspection during installation, followed by a routine monthly inspection.

However, you may need to inspect it more frequently if it is installed in a damp location prone to physical damage like rust or corrosion.

Remember to record all the maintenance inspections on a tag or stick a label on the extinguisher. In your record, indicate the month, year, and name of the person carrying out the inspection.

Maintenance Inspection

Fire extinguisher maintenance and servicing inspection are more in-depth than a visual inspection. It’s performed by a certified technician or a professional fire protection company. The technician must be familiar with the NFPA 10 standards and maintenance procedures in the manufacturer’s service manual.

During the inspection, a thorough examination and repairs are done and focus on:

• Extinguisher’s mechanical parts
• Expelling means
• Extinguishing agent
• Physical condition

These, including internal part examination and maintenance, are performed using specialized tools and following the extinguisher service manual.

During maintenance, the technician checks and corrects any potentially hazardous circumstances. This is to ensure maximum compliance with the NFPA requirements.

A maintenance inspection is done once every year. The fire extinguisher must pass the maintenance inspection. If it fails the annual inspection, it must be repaired or replaced before verification using an inspection tag from the inspection date.

Take advantage of the fire extinguisher inspection period to have all your fire-fighting equipment inspected and serviced. These should include fire sprinklers and the emergency fire sprinkler shut-off tool—the Shutgun. Always keep all your firefighting arsenal ready for an emergency.

Remember to keep a record of every inspection. Have a tag or a label on the cylinder indicating the month, year, and name of the technician or fire-fighting agency conducting the inspection.

Internal Maintenance Inspection and Hydrostatic Testing

Like the maintenance inspection, a certified technician or a fire protection company does hydrostatic testing and internal maintenance inspection.

It’s a detailed process involving discharging the fire extinguisher and examining the internal and external components before recharging it to ensure optimum performance. The process is conducted between one and six years, depending on the type of fire extinguisher.

For instance, a dry chemical fire extinguisher requires internal maintenance inspection every six years.

The hydrostatic testing follows the below process performed by a certified technician:

• Detach all the components down to just the shell and the hose.
• Fill the extinguisher with water at a specific pressure per the manual guidelines.
• Dry the extinguisher to remove any water before reassembling and charging.
• The cylinder is only certified to have passed the test if there are no distortions, leakages, or permanent movement of couplings. Otherwise, you must replace the extinguisher if it fails the test.

Hydrostatic testing frequency varies across different types of extinguishers. For instance, a dry chemical fire extinguisher requires hydrostatic testing every 12 years. Carbon dioxide, pressurized water, and wet chemical fire extinguishers are tested every five years.

Remember to keep a record of the inspection and hydrostatic testing for reference on the next procedure.

Note: Fire extinguisher hydrostatic testing is dangerous and can cause casualties when performed inappropriately. Ensure the technician is trained and certified and possesses the right tools for the job.

Conclusion

Proper inspection, testing, and maintenance of a fire extinguisher is a legal requirement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in the US. It ensures your business and employees are protected against potential fire hazards.

And it doesn’t even cost you much. All you need is to spare a few minutes monthly for the basic visual inspection and schedule the maintenance and internal inspections once every year or a few years as your fire extinguisher type dictates.

However, it’s noteworthy that fire extinguishers are only suitable for managing small fire breakouts. Otherwise, to mitigate property damage during massive fire breakouts, you will need the services of a fire prevention company.

Do not forget to keep other essential fire-fighting equipment like sprinklers and sprinkler shut-off tools at home or in your commercial building. Statistics show that a Shutgun, the leading sprinkler shut-off tool on the market today, can help you save thousands of dollars in water damage caused by flooding after a fire sprinkler head is activated accidentally.

Safe and proper disposal of an expired fire extinguisher is as crucial as keeping a well-maintained extinguisher and other fire-fighting equipment like a sprinkler system and Shutgun, the emergency fire sprinkler shut-off tool. These are essential fire-fighting tools every property owner should have in their arsenal.

Most fire extinguishers contain pressurized gas, which can be dangerous. Thus they must be removed from the premises once deemed unsafe for use. 

Unfortunately, many people acquire new extinguishers and leave the old ones hanging on their walls without thinking of the dangers they’re exposing themselves to. And since not all fire extinguishers are the same, maintenance and disposal procedures might vary.

Here, we discuss everything you need to know about expired fire extinguishers, including the lifespan of a fire extinguisher, how to tell if a fire extinguisher is expired, and how to dispose of a fire extinguisher after it’s expired.

How Long Does a Fire Extinguisher Last?

The average lifespan of a fire extinguisher is between 10 and 12 years. That applies to powder, water, or foam fire extinguishers that have been adequately maintained. 

After the 10-year mark, have the extinguisher hydrostatically tested more often to confirm the condition of the shell. If the cylinder still holds high pressures without noticeable leakages, you can recharge it and use it a little longer.   

Here are additional factors that determine the life expectancy of a fire extinguisher:

• Type of fire extinguisher
• Extent of maintenance
• Manufacture or build date
• Manufacturer’s recommendation
• Whether it’s disposable or rechargeable

A properly maintained fire extinguisher that’s free from corrosion and rust can serve you for up to 15 years or more. Some manufacturers indicate the expiry date on the canister. Check for the expiry date on the canister before disposal.

How Do You Tell if a Fire Extinguisher Has Expired?

Many manufacturers claim that a well-maintained fire extinguisher can last up to 20 years. However, it takes a proper understanding of things to look for before you decide to dispose of a fire extinguisher. Here are tell-tale signs of an expired extinguisher to look out for:

• A canister slowly loses pressure even without using it for an extended period.
• The fire extinguisher fails a hydrostatic test—it can’t withstand pressure above 500 psi.
• The extinguisher is older than the recommended lifespan of 10-12 years.
• A clogged or cracked nozzle makes the fire extinguisher a safety hazard and thus it should be disposed of.
• A damaged shell poses a safety hazard.
• The service period is due as per the manufacturer’s recommendation.
• The pressure gauge handle pointing at the white or red zone instead of the green area may mean it’s time to either recharge or dispose of the canister.
• A fire extinguisher with dents and bumps and a missing tamper seal.
• A missing head cap locking pin could cause accidental leakage, posing a danger of explosion. Consider disposing of it if you can’t replace it.
• A missing inspection tag may make it difficult to know the last inspection date of a fire extinguisher. This is, thus, a safety hazard and means it should be disposed of or at least reinspected.
• A wobbly or broken handle beyond repair may also require the disposal of a fire extinguisher. Contact a certified technician for further advice.

It’s also noteworthy that as technology advances, some of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regulations also change. Therefore, your fire extinguisher might not show any of the above signs yet still require disposal per NFPA requirements.

For instance, according to NFPA, the following fire extinguishers are considered obsolete and no longer fit for use. If you own any of the following, consider disposing of them.

• Solid charge type—Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) fire extinguisher
• Cartridge-operated water
• Fiberglass shell extinguisher with store pressure water (pre-1976)
• Pressurized water extinguisher (manufactured before 1971)
• Soda acid fire extinguisher
• Any fire extinguisher with the following fire ratings—4B, 6B, 8B, 12B, and 16B
• Any extinguisher that requires inversion to operate
• Stored-pressure dry chemical fire extinguisher (manufactured before October 1984)
• Carbon dioxide canisters with metal horns

Note: Do not hesitate to seek assistance from a certified technician to help you assess an expired fire extinguisher if you’re unsure of anything.

How to Dispose of an Expired Fire Extinguisher

An old fire extinguisher is deemed expired if it shows the signs listed above and after a thorough hydrostatic test by a certified technician or a fire protection company.

However, you can’t throw away or recycle an expired fire extinguisher like other household products due to its chemical components.

Here’s the correct and safe way to dispose of a fire extinguisher after it’s expired:

• Squeeze the handle to ensure there’s no pressure or chemical inside, and take the canister to the local recycling center for collection and proper disposal by fire protection authorities.
• If the canister isn’t empty, call the fire department to inquire about drop-off services for hazardous waste. Pressurized chemicals in a fire extinguisher require professional handling since they can be explosive if not disposed of well.
• Take the expired fire extinguisher to the nearest Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) dump site. Contact your council to inquire about the next collection date and location, as the services are never available all month round.

Note: Apart from the wet chemical fire extinguisher, most canisters, such as powder and CO2, are less dangerous and can be disposed of as any piece of steel by following safety instructions once they are empty. Otherwise, contact the fire safety authorities if unsure of anything.

Conclusion

A fire extinguisher is an essential safety tool everyone should have at home alongside other fire-fighting equipment like water sprinklers and a water sprinkler shut-off tool—the Shutgun, which can save you thousands of dollars in case of accidental sprinkler activation.

Unfortunately, a fire extinguisher can only work for so long. While a well-maintained fire extinguisher will help you manage home fires for no less than ten years, proper disposal when it expires is equally essential, since you don’t want it to be the source of another type of catastrophe or be able to extinguish a fire with it when you need to.

Pay attention to the expiry date indicated on the canister. Consider any damages such as a broken handle or seal, missing pin, or general wear that may render the extinguisher a health hazard and follow the proper fire extinguisher disposal procedure discussed herein.

It’s important to note that you can recycle some canisters after emptying the contents. However, that work should be left to fire protection professionals. You can always inquire about the terms and conditions of recycling an expired extinguisher, as you may get a discount on a new purchase.

The Collingwood Fire Department (CFD) hosted the Shutgun team, including one of Shutgun’s most successful distributors Guy Porat from DN Proper Real Estate in Israel. Porat visited Collingwood to see the Shutgun headquarters and to talk about the very bright future of Shutgun in Israel.

CFD Chief Dan Thurman and the rest of the crew led a tour of the facilities for Porat and Shutgun General Manager Alison Miller.

Miller says the tour was excellent. “The CFD has been a longtime supporter of the Shutgun Fire Sprinkler Shut-Off Device, and we couldn’t be more appreciative.”

Chief Thurman and the Shutgun team paused for a photo in front of a Collingwood Tower 1 fire truck. Alison says the highlight of this visit was possibly one of CFD’s newer firefighters, commonly referred to as a “probie,” modelling two Shutgun devices.

“Our favourite ‘probie’ was doing his best Arnold or Sylvester pose with a couple of Shutguns,” says Alison. We thought that was a lot of fun!”

The Shutgun team looks forward to continuing its long history with its partners in Israel and the CFD.

According to water damage statistics in the US, insurance claims for damages caused by water in homes average $11,098, costing up to $20 billion yearly in nationwide water damage costs in homes.

As a homeowner, such numbers should inspire you to ensure your home is well-insured against damages caused by water. But what type of water damage insurance coverage does your property need?

Type of Water Damage Insurance Required for Homes

You will require a homeowner’s insurance policy to cover your home against damages caused by water.

Homeowner’s insurance services are all over the place, so it’s not easy to know what type of water damage the policy will cover. The items covered vary from one insurance company to another.

What Type of Water Damage Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

The types of water damage a standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers depends on the company.

Generally, the standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers water damages only if they are internal, sudden, and accidental, such as water damage from sprinkler systems that have been activated accidentally.

Internal here means a factor inside the home caused the damage rather than outside. For example, damage caused by a broken appliance spilling water inside the house is covered, but the damage caused by a flood doesn’t apply.

The sudden part means that the water damage must have happened out of nowhere. Gradual water damage is not covered under a standard homeowner’s policy. The accidental part means that the damage must have been unexpected and unpredictable.

Water Damages Covered by Homeowners Insurance Coverage

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies cover various types of water damages, such as:

• Any damage from an internal, sudden, and accidental cause
• A burst pipe and frozen plumbing
• Interior roof leak caused by snow weight, fallen tree branches, or wind
• A broken or leaking appliance
• Accidental sprinkler head activations
• Vandalism
• Broken appliances like a washing machine or water heater
• Water damage caused when extinguishing a fire
• Ice dams
• Toilet overflows
• Rot, mold, or fungus if the cause is covered in the policy

Most homeowner’s insurance companies offer water damage coverage that will cover the repair costs that arise from such damages, provided they are covered in the policy.

External Causes of Water Damage That a Home Insurance Policy Covers

Depending on the insurance company, they may cover the following external (out of the home) cases of water damage:

• Snowstorms
• Rainstorms or heavy rainfall

Types of Water Damages Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance Policies

A standard homeowner’s insurance policy excludes water damages caused by negligence or a failure to maintain the source of the damage. For example, if you don’t repair a leaking pipe and it causes gradual damage to your property, the homeowner’s policy will not help you.

Homeowner’s insurance services also don’t cover water damages caused by intentional actions, such as an individual setting their own house on fire or deliberately opening the home’s water system to flood the building.

Homeowner’s insurance will not cover the following cases:

• Water damages from water pipe backups or sewer pipe backups. To have these covered, you’ll need additional coverage in the form of a sewer backup or water backup endorsement to the policy.
• Ground seepage from under the foundation or the yard.
• Mold, fungus, or material rot, unless the policy covers the cause.
• Flood damage. You’ll need to buy a flood insurance policy separately.
• Cost of repairing or replacing the source of the water damage. You will require a home warranty add-on to the homeowner’s insurance policy. For example, the insurance company won’t cover the cost of replacing or repairing damaged fire sprinkler heads.

Types of Coverage in a Homeowners Insurance Policy

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies usually have two types of coverage—dwelling coverage and personal property coverage. A third coverage is also possible—the loss of use coverage.

Dwelling Coverage

The dwelling coverage pays for damages sustained by the structure of your building or home if the cause is a risk covered in the policy.

For example, if you insure your home against water damage caused by accidental sprinkler head activations, your home insurance service provider will help pay for the damages caused if you file a water damage insurance claim.

Personal Property Coverage

Personal property coverage pays for damages sustained by your belongings if the cause is an insured risk. The payment may be subject to coverage limits and deductibles.

For example, insurance companies may help pay for damaged items like electronics, bookshelves, clothing, and furniture. Luxury goods like jewelry may also be covered with a water damage claim, but with a limit.

Loss of Use Coverage

Also called additional living expense coverage (ALE), this type helps you with costs like hotel accommodation, travel, and food if water damage caused by a covered risk displaces you temporarily.

For example, suppose your water heater causes water damage, and your home becomes uninhabitable. In that case, the coverage helps you pay for your and your pets’ costs during your brief time away.

Preventing Water Damage in the First Place the Shutgun Way

At Shutgun, our goal is to reduce water damage caused by accidental activations of fire sprinkler heads.

An activated head can pour as much water as 60 gallons per minute. This means that if the fire department takes 20 minutes to arrive and shut off your sprinklers, the sprinklers will already have released about 1,200 gallons per head, resulting in significant interior water damage.

The water damage caused by an activated head averages $2,000, which can multiply quickly if the building houses expensive equipment.

To prevent water damage from an activated sprinkler head, you can use a quick-stop fire sprinkler tool, the Shutgun. This simple tool stops water flow from the head without deactivating the entire fire sprinkler system.

Find out how we can help you prevent water damage from accidental sprinkler head activations.

References:

• Allstate: Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
• Usnews: What does homeowners insurance cover?
• Candsins: How to Get Insurance to Pay for Water Damage
• Valuepenguin: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?
• Thebalance: When You Can Claim for Water Damage Coverages on Home Insurance
• Insurancecentermo: Homeowners Insurance And Water Damage
• Bobvilla: Solved! Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?
• Travelers: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Burst Pipes?

According to an NFPA report on home structure fires, an estimated $7.3 billion is lost in direct property damage every year.

Most of these fires are a result of:

• Cooking and heating activities
• Smoking materials
• Electrical distribution and lighting equipment

And while fire prevention officers play a critical role in mitigating the effects of fire breakouts in buildings, they can only do so much in preventing excessive damage to your premises.

For instance, considering a single sprinkler releases up to 60 gallons of water per minute, you risk causing massive damage to your property due to excessive flooding if you have to wait for the fire department to manage an accidentally activated sprinkler.

Remember, sprinkler systems go off once the effects of fire are detected or the room reaches a predetermined temperature. In that case, a Shutgun can save you thousands of dollars and help you control flooding as you wait for a fire marshall to help you manage the situation.

Who Is a Fire Prevention Officer?

A fire prevention officer is a chief firefighter with a rank higher than a sub-officer in the fire department. He’s also the county fire chief, marshall, or sheriff that coordinates and enforces rules for junior firefighters in the frontline operational service. 

Typically, fire prevention officers fill an ongoing role working for the state of local governments. However, large-capacity organizations and businesses such as hospitals, hotels, and apartments may need to hire a fire prevention officer on a permanent or part-time basis.

Managing a fire breakout or implementing fire safety plans in large organizations can be demanding. Hiring a dedicated chief fire prevention officer is a good idea, instead of relying solely on a government fire prevention office and emergency services in the event of a fire.

What Are the Responsibilities of a Fire Prevention Officer?

The role of a fire prevention officer includes but is not limited to:

• Advising on fire- and fire code-related issues for building structures and maintenance
• Assessing and advising on fire safety requirements for new building structures
• Advising building occupants on daily activities related to fire issues
• Liaising with relevant authorities and organizations to educate building occupants on fire safety issues
• Liaising with relevant organizations for training staff on fire safety
• Collecting information on fire safety and preparing reports
• Ensuring proper maintenance of fire-fighting equipment and electrical systems installation and maintenance
• Monitoring emergency preparedness and fire precaution measures, including appropriate fire exit routes and doors
• Advising and guiding building occupants about compliance with fire safety regulations
• Inspecting buildings in case a fire occurs to determine the cause
• Offering fire safety education programs (holiday fire safety, fire safety tips, fire extinguisher training, fire prevention week, etc.) to the general public, schools, and community organizations
• Creating emergency response policies and procedures that guide fire department personnel

What Are the Qualifications of a Fire Prevention Officer?

Becoming a municipal fire prevention officer requires a combination of skills gained over years of working in the fire department and at least a high school diploma or GED.

The officer may also need training and certification in emergency response courses like emergency medical technician (EMT) or fire prevention.

Otherwise, an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science from an accredited college will give you an upper hand when applying for a fire prevention officer position.

Other key competencies for a fire prevention officer include:

• Ability to read and interpret building plans, including identifying inconsistencies and other fire safety risks relating to sprinkler systems and electrical safety standards
• Thorough knowledge of fire safety equipment and systems in a building
• Be a responsible person and collaborative team player with good oral and written communication skills
• Ability to identify and explain different storage properties, including identifying hazardous materials such as flammable and combustible liquids
• Ability to react promptly and calmly in tense situations
• Ability to deliver presentations to groups and community organizations on fire safety

A municipal fire prevention officer must also clearly understand the city, state, and federal fire safety and protection regulations.

What Is a Shutgun?

A Shutgun is a quick-stop fire sprinkler tool used to shut off fire sprinkler heads if they activate falsely. It’s an indispensable emergency tool firefighters and other maintenance personnel use to shut off activated fire sprinklers quickly, helping to prevent excessive flooding in a building. 

The Shutgun is a one-hand operation tool weighing about 10.3 oz (294 grams) and doesn’t require any specialized training to operate.

The Shutgun works with different types of sprinkler heads, including:

• pendant fire sprinkler
• upright fire sprinkler
• wall mount sprinkler
• semi-recessed fire sprinkler  

What Causes a Fire Sprinkler to Activate?

Fire sprinklers go off when heat levels exceed a specific threshold. Sprinklers have small frangible bulbs with some chemical fluid.

The liquid chemical heats up when the heat exceeds predetermined levels (73℃), causing the glass to pop off, activating the sprinkler, and causing water discharge at high pressure.

A fire sprinkler head may activate accidentally if a false fire is detected or when it is hit.

Do You Need a Shutgun and Fire Protection Officer Simultaneously?

Statistics show that most fire departments respond to a fire every 24 seconds.

Considering it takes an average of 9 minutes and 20 seconds for the fire response team to get to the site, having basic knowledge and equipment to mitigate the effects of a fire breakout is crucial for every building occupant.

However, it’s noteworthy that damages that occur due to fire breakages go beyond burns. Fire sprinklers dispatch water at high pressures, which may lead to even more severe damage than the fire would cause.

It’s even more painful if a falsely activated head causes such water damage.

Thus, a Shutgun is an essential tool in all key sectors prone to accidental fire sprinkler head activations. These include sectors such as:

• Hotel facilities
• Emergency centers like hospitals
• Construction sites and companies
• Large office buildings
• Residential buildings
• Warehouses
• Shopping centers

Tip: Always put a Shutgun fire sprinkler emergency shut-off device on standby alongside a fire extinguisher.

Managing property damages during a fire breakout starts with putting out the fire. You’ll need the services of a fire prevention officer to put out the fire before you proceed to damages caused by excessive water from the fire sprinkler. 

Bottom Line

Fire breakouts can cause fear and confusion. However, you can manage the situation by remaining calm and taking the necessary steps. Once you notice a fire break out in a building, activate the nearest fire alarm to alert the authorities and your building’s fire protection officer.

The fire protection officer will help evacuate the building. They also team up with other employees trained in fire safety to help with fire management as you wait for the fire department to arrive.

References:

• FMLink: Fire Prevention in Your Building: Facilities Managers Need to Know
• Designing Buildings: Fire Safety Officer
• AIE Fire Protection: Fire Safety Measures
• Government Jobs: Fire Prevention Officer

Having fire prevention and management equipment like fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, and Shutguns are ideal for building safety. Still, you’ve got to learn to use them when emergencies arise.

Learning how to use a fire extinguisher is easy, and your fire protection officer can help you teach your employees how to use one to put out a small fire without necessarily waiting for the fire department, which will take several minutes to arrive.

Let’s take a quick look at how you can properly use a portable fire extinguisher to contain a small fire.

Steps to Using a Fire Extinguisher Properly

Below are crucial steps in fire extinguisher use training.

1. Ensure the fire alarm is on and sounding. The smoke and fire alarms serve to notify other people in and around the building that a fire is ongoing and that they must evacuate immediately.

If possible and necessary, you should notify the fire department that your building is on fire.

2. Ensure you have a clear evacuation route before you get to the fire. Since fires can go from small to uncontrollable in a matter of seconds depending on the fuel and other enabling components, you’ll want to have a clear and safe escape route before approaching it.

The path you map should be clear of debris, smoke, fire, heat, slipperiness, and water.

You have to be able to use the path conveniently to escape if the fire grows and becomes impossible to handle with a simple fire extinguisher.

3. Choose the correct fire extinguisher type. While you may not immediately know the cause of the fire, it would be a great advantage to try to figure out what might have caused it.

Knowing the cause of the fire helps you choose the right type of extinguisher for the fire, since different types of extinguishers are ideal only for specific types or classes of fire.

For example, a water fire extinguisher is only ideal for putting out Class A fires, which stem from ordinary combustibles like soft furnishings and wood, whereas Class B fires involve flammable liquids, gasses, oils, solvents, or alcohols.

Spraying the water extinguisher at the fire soaks it and removes heat from the tri-element fire triangle of heat, fuel, and oxygen – the three requirements for a fire.

If you work in a kitchen where there is a risk of an oil or grease fire, you will need a wet chemical extinguisher or a water mist extinguisher to kill a Class K fire.

4. Discharge the fire extinguisher using the P.A.S.S technique. To start killing the fire, get within the recommended effective range for the extinguisher and discharge at the fire using the proven technique detailed below:

• Pull: Pull the fire extinguisher safety pin found at the top to break the tamper seal.
• Aim: Aim the fire extinguisher low with the nozzle, hose, or horn directed at the base of the fire rather than the bubbling flames. (Avoid touching the discharge horn if you use a CO2 extinguisher. You risk damaging your skin as the horn on carbon dioxide extinguishers becomes very cold with the flow of the trapped gas.)
• Squeeze: Squeeze the fire extinguisher handle at the top to release the enclosed extinguishing agent.
• Sweep: While aiming the nozzle at the base of the developing fire, use a sweeping motion, moving the extinguisher from side to side over the burning material until the fire dies out. Release the handle to stop discharging the agent.

5. If the fire goes out, back away to avoid injury if it reignites. If it reignites, repeat the P.A.S.S. steps.

6. If your extinguisher empties before the fire is out, evacuate immediately. Sometimes, you may have another readily available fire extinguisher you can use, but you should only employ it if you feel that discharging it will help kill the remaining fire.

7. Exit the building immediately if the fire grows beyond the emerging stage.

Sprinklers, Shut Off Tool, and Fire Extinguishers Combo

While portable fire extinguishers are necessities for a fire emergency, you could do much better if you had a functional fire sprinkler system, complete with fire sprinkler head shutoff tools.

When a fire starts, the fire sprinkler system activates, pouring water on the fire from above, below, or the sides, depending on where the fire suppression systems are and their direction of flow.

A working fire sprinkler system eliminates the need to use fire extinguishers in the first place, even when they are available, especially if it is a Class A fire and can be extinguished by water.

With fire sprinklers, you don’t have to struggle to put out the fire yourself and risk your life doing it. Anything could go wrong at any second when trying to put out a fire with an extinguisher, even when you know how to use one.

The one shortcoming of fire sprinkler systems is that the fire sprinkler heads can activate accidentally when something hits them or a false fire is detected, leading to expensive water damage in just a few minutes.

To help you avoid water damage from accidentally activated fire sprinkler heads, we created a handy manual tool called a Shutgun that shuts off the flow of water quickly and easily.

Ideally, every sprinkler head should have a Shutgun fire sprinkler shut-off tool nearby for when a false head activation occurs.

Alternatively, you can install the Shutgun permanently in the fire sprinkler heads to protect your building from both fire and accidental sprinkler head activation all the time.

If a fire occurs, the Shutgun activates when the temperature reaches 73°C (163°F) to release water on the fire.

If you have no sprinkler head shut-off tools in your building, we can help you save thousands with Shutgun when you place one with each fire extinguisher or install it directly on the sprinkler heads.

References:

• Safewise: Be Prepared: How to Properly Use a Fire Extinguisher
• Societyinsurance: HOW TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER: AN EASY 4-STEP PROCESS
• Osha: Fire Extinguisher Use
• Fire.nsw: SAFE OPERATING OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
• Travelers: How to Use a Fire Extinguisher
• Usfa: Choosing and Using Fire Extinguishers
• Fireprotectiononline: Do You Know How To Use A Fire Extinguisher Properly?

The cost of water damage restoration after a fire is put out using water can be high, but the cost depends on several factors.

Water damage can be caused by natural means, such as a flood or tropical storm, but it can also be the result of human intervention when a fire breaks out. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of water to put out a blaze, and that water can be almost as damaging as the fire itself.

This article focuses on restoring a property to its prior condition after water has been used to extinguish a fire.

What Does Water Damage Restoration Include?

Water damage restoration usually involves clean-up services to remove the water and remedy its effects. Depending on the water damage restoration service provider, the remedy may include repair services.

A water damage restoration service usually includes:

• Removal of surface or standing water from the affected area: $2 to $5 for every square foot of water removal
• Removal of items damaged by water, for example, drywall: $800 to $4,000
• Mold prevention care: $300-$500 (no mold formed at this stage)
• Intensive dehumidification (to assist with the structural drying process by removing excess moisture)
• Deodorization

Factors That Determine Cost of Water Damage Restoration

As mentioned, the cost of water cleanup and the restoration process after a fire varies. The factors responsible for cost variations may include:

• Geographical location of the property
• Type of water that caused the damage (clean water)
• Extent of water damage
• Materials affected (counts if the restoration includes repair or replacements)
• Size of the property/size of the affected area (damage class)
• Nature of the homeowner’s insurance policy for the property

How Much Will Water Damage Restoration Cost After a Fire?

You could pay between $1,000 and $5,000 for water damage restoration that includes cleanup services only. The average cost for water damage cleanup for an average-sized home is $3,000.

The HomeAdvisor places the national average water damage restoration cost at $3,292, with a typical range of $1,303 to $5,490 and a low-end to high-end range of $450 to $13,000.

However, these figures by the HomeAdvisor are for general water damages, such as those caused by natural causes, flood damage, burst pipes, and leaky plumbing, rather than damages caused by the water used to extinguish a fire.

Cost of Water Damage Restoration Based on Damage Category

Water damage categories are assigned based on the type of water that caused the damage. The three categories are:

• Category 1 (clean water)
• Category 2 (gray water)
• Category 3 (black water)

Since we are talking about water damage restoration after a fire, the idea here is that the damage will have been caused primarily by water used by the fire department to put out the fire. Or it could be from water from the property’s fire sprinkler system.

The water held in fire sprinkler systems is clean water, as is the water used by the fire department.

However, gray or black water damage may be a secondary outcome of the fire. For example, a fire may damage a dishwasher, causing health risks from contamination by dishwasher detergents.

A fire could also cause a sewer burst, which in turn causes sewage water to flood the property.

Clean water is the safest and cheapest to remove. The removal will cost you between $3 and $5 for every square foot of water extraction from the surface.

Gray water poses standard health risks to the restoration workers, making it necessary to charge $4 to $7 for each square foot.

The most expensive water to remove is black water, given that it poses more health dangers to the workers. You could be charged $7 to $8 for each square foot of water removal and cleaning services.

Cost of Water Damage Restoration Based on Damage Class

The water damage class is based on the size of the area affected by the water damage. The classes range from 1 to 4 with varying costs:

• Class 1: Damage sustained by only a part of the room: $150 to $500
• Class 2: Damage sustained by the whole room and the water floods to a height of 12″ inches: $500 to $1,000
• Class 3: Damage sustained by several rooms or a massive part of a single room, including critical areas like ceilings, insulation, walls, and flooring: $1,000 to $3,000
• Class 4: Damage sustained after prolonged exposure to water: $20,000  to $100,000

Cost of Water Damage Restoration Based on Type of Damage

Types of water damage and the attendant costs include:

• Cosmetic damage (minimal or superficial damage, may include upholstery cleaning and carpet cleaning): $100 to $1,000
• Electrical system damage: $1,500 to $3,000
• Mold remediation (where mold removal is necessary and measures are taken to prevent regrowth): $1,500 to $4,000
• Replacing personal items (depends on the value of items): $500 to $10,000 or more
• Structural damage remediation (depends on what is to be repaired and how much damage has been done): $1,500 to $100,000

Not all water restoration service companies will provide structural water damage repair and item replacement. You might have to find separate service providers for these restoration services.

Cost of Water Damage Restoration Based on Location of Damage

The cost of water restoration may differ based on the exact location of the sustained damage and whether the cleanup crew will repair it. You’ll have to find a separate contractor if the company doesn’t offer repair services.

Critical places usually damaged by water from fire extinguishing processes include:

• Bathroom: $3,000 on average to clean up
• Roofs: $1,000 on average countrywide. This can be as much as $10,000 if you factor in repair costs
• Basement damaged by clean water: $500 to $2,000, depending on the size and extent of the sustained damage
• Basement with black water involved: $2500 to $3,000
• Kitchen: $1,500 to $10,000, depending on the amount of damage caused by the water, its interference with items like cooking oils, and repairs for cabinetry

Cost of Water Damage Restoration Based on Property Location

The cost of water damage restoration services varies from location to location and from company to company. It may be challenging to know what companies charge in different states or cities upfront.

Preventing Water Damage Caused by Clean Water From Fire Sprinklers

While you may not prevent water damage caused by the fire department’s clean water when a fire occurs, you can always prevent water damage from clean water in fire sprinkler systems.

If you accidentally set off fire sprinkler heads, you can run up to $35,000 or more in just a few minutes before the fire department can shut down the water from the main supply.

In case of accidental sprinkler head activations, you can protect your building with Shutgun, a tool specially designed for stopping water flow from a single sprinkler head. Having this handy tool can save you thousands of dollars in water damage and the hassle of the repair process. Contact us today to find out how a Shutgun can protect your home and business!

References:

• Restorationmasterfinder: Fire Damage Restoration Costs
• Bobvilla: How Much Does Water Damage Restoration Cost?
• Waterdamageadvisor: Water Damage Restoration Costs
• Allcityadjusting: Fire Damage Restoration Average Cost