Smoke and water damage from a garage fire forced Nancy Krause to move out of her townhome for almost five months. She is older and has dealt with health issues. She didn’t know how to begin making her home and life whole again until Clean Response stepped in.
“When you’re in that situation with things burning up, you’re in shock and it takes a long time to think of the whole immense situation,” she says. “To have people who keep you informed and take you by the hand and say it will be ok, Clean Response saved me.”
The property manager referred us to the scene. We set up our equipment to dry and preserve structural elements as well as Nancy’s personal property. But more than our quick response, Nancy remembers how our crew treated her during that terrible week and the months following the fire.
Her townhome, located in a fourplex, required a complete restoration due to water and smoke damage. Plus, firefighters had to open ceilings and walls to make sure the fire hadn’t spread to other parts of the building. Our crew walked Nancy through the process of communicating with her homeowners association insurance and also personal property insurance adjusters — providing photos of damage for claims and estimates for restoration. We also kept her informed on the budget and included her in construction decisions.
“When it was time to get lighting or choose paint colors, they let me pick what I liked,” she said. “They got used to me stopping by and they were always so nice. They would ask if I liked what they were doing.”
Nancy’s personal possessions that could be saved were also treated with care. We sent her clothes to be dry cleaned and preserved wood furnishings through careful cleaning. If items couldn’t be saved, such as smoke-infused kitchenware or water-damaged appliances, we let her know and also provided proof for insurance.
“Ron Bauer and the whole crew treated me like I was their mom or grandma, like they would want things done for their own family. They even brought me flowers when I moved back in.”
After settling into her restored home, Nancy admits that it’s taken some adjustment to overcome the experience of a house fire, but having a home that feels right has helped immensely. “I see some of myself in it because they gave me choices, and they made me feel like it’s my home again.”
Wishing to personally thank each of the wonderful people who worked on her house and with her personal belongings, Nancy says, “They were very professional but, more than that, they were empathetic and genuine. My neighbors also have mentioned that the crew was approachable when they had concerns, and they appreciated what a great job they did.”
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