5 Tips for Safeguarding Important Documents from Water and Fire Damage

Keep Your Valuable Items Safe from Flooding, Fires, and More

Water and fire damage are potentially serious problems that can destroy your valuables if they aren’t protected. In New Orleans, high levels of humidity and severe flooding can cause extensive water damage to your vital documents. Fires can also pose a significant threat to paper items.

Whether you’re a home or business owner, you should take proactive steps to safeguard your important and potentially irreplaceable documents in order to prevent catastrophic losses in the event of flooding, a burst pipe, a kitchen fire, or other unforeseen disaster.

At ServiceMaster Elite Cleaning Services, we strive to empower our community in New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, and beyond. By following our five tips, you can help ensure that your important documents are safe from water or fire damage.

1. Keep Important Documents in a Waterproof and Fire-Resistant Safe

A secure place to store important documents in the event of unexpected disasters is a waterproof and fireproof safe. These safes can help ensure that your important assets - including legal deeds, bank statements and birth certificates - are protected from destruction should the unthinkable occur.

Waterproof and fireproof safes come in a range of sizes and prices to suit everyone's needs. It’s recommended that you keep your safe in the corner of two exterior walls on the first floor of your house – this part of your home will stay the coolest in the event of a fire. Additionally, always keep a copy of the safe’s combination and/or key in a secure location.

2. Make Digital Copies of Important Documents

The digital age has revolutionized the way we store and access information. Storing important documents digitally is one of the smartest things you can do in terms of protecting and maintaining their longevity. Digital copies stored in the cloud or on an external hard drive are far more organized and secure than physical paper copies.

Taking the time to make digital copies of important documents is worth it in the long run as they will remain safe and accessible, even in the event of a destructive flood or fire.

3. Store Paper Copies in Zip-Top Bags

One easy and budget-friendly way to protect paper copies of important documents from water damage is to store them in zip-top bags or envelopes. This will not provide the same level of protection as a waterproof safe or digital storage, but is a simple, inexpensive, and efficient way to provide basic protection for your paper documents.

The downside of storing documents in zip-top bags or envelopes is that it provides no protection against fires. If you have the means to invest in a higher-quality level of storage, it is highly recommended, but this method is useful for those with a lower budget or less time.

4. Take Steps to Protect Your Home or Business from Water and Fire Damage

Protecting your home or business from water or fire damage is an important precaution that should not be overlooked. Having proper safety measures in place can help reduce the chances of major catastrophes. Installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as having reliable fire extinguishers on hand, are important measures to have in place for any property.

To minimize the risk of water damaging your documents, having your plumbing systems regularly inspected and maintained can be helpful. Investing in specialized drain covers or sump pumps is also wise in the New Orleans area due to its heavy rainstorms and high humidity levels.

5. Have an Emergency Plan in Place for Disasters

Planning ahead is important in any emergency – water and fire damage is no exception. If your home or business does suffer from damage, it's important to have a plan of action in place to effectively manage the situation as quickly as possible. First and foremost, you should contact ServiceMaster Elite Cleaning Services so we can help you manage the situation and prevent further damage.

Secondly, make sure all your insurance information is on hand and ready for submission to your insurance company. It’s important to file your claim as soon as possible after a disaster. Our New Orleans team has experience dealing with insurance adjustors and can help you navigate the process if needed.

If disaster does strike and your important business or personal documents are damaged, don’t throw them out immediately. Our restoration technicians are trained to provide document recovery and restoration services and may be able to salvage your items. We have advanced tools and technology at our disposal, including vacuum freeze-drying, deodorizing, and sanitization capabilities.