Water and fire damage questions

Fixr lists water damage restoration at $1,200 to $5,000, with a $3,000 national average. Bob Vila gives $1,305 to $5,707. Clean water from a supply line costs less to extract per square foot ($3.75 to $4.25) than sewage ($7 to $7.50). A finished basement can run far higher: Fixr puts basement water damage at $2,000 to $85,000. Rebuilding is extra.

Fixr puts most fire damage restoration jobs at $3,000 to $40,000, with an $11,900 average for a multi-room job, or $4 to $6.50 per square foot. Smoke cleanup alone runs $200 to $1,200 and soot cleanup $400 to $1,700. Rebuilding burned rooms is extra, about $50 per square foot by Fixr's figure.

Fixr lists smoke damage cleanup at $200 to $1,200 and soot cleanup at $400 to $1,700. Thermal fogging to treat odor runs $200 to $550 per floor and ozone treatment $300 to $600 per floor. Smoke travels through ducts, so ask whether the HVAC system is part of the scope.

Fixr says extraction and drying take at least three days, and restoration can take several more weeks to months depending on how much was removed. Waiting on an insurance adjuster or on materials adds time.

The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold growth. That is where the 48 hour rule comes from. Salt Lake's dry air helps, but water trapped under flooring, inside a wall or in a basement slab doesn't dry on its own in that window.

Often, if the damage is limited to a room or a basement and the power is safe. You may want to leave during demolition of moldy or sewage-soaked material, or if drying equipment runs in bedrooms. After a fire, don't go back in until the fire department says it is safe.

Field tests by the University of Illinois Building Research Council found that uninsulated pipes in an unheated space began to freeze when the outside temperature fell to 20°F or below. Pipes can freeze above that in wind, or where insulation has gaps. In Salt Lake City, that usually means pipes in exterior walls and garages, or in a crawl space or unheated basement.

Stop the water, then get it out and dry the structure fast. Wet carpet pad and drywall that stayed wet usually have to be cut out; framing and subfloors can often be dried in place with fans and dehumidifiers. Moisture readings should show the materials are dry before anything is closed up. Then the rebuild.

A restoration company stops the damage: it dries the house out and cleans smoke and soot. It also removes wet or burned material. Some also rebuild; others hand that off to a general contractor. Ask which they do before you sign, so the job doesn't stall halfway.

For a small area, yes. The EPA says that if the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet, roughly a 3 foot by 3 foot patch, you can usually handle it yourself. Larger areas, mold in the HVAC system, or mold after sewage or flood water are jobs for a professional.

Usually when the water is sudden and accidental, like a burst pipe or a failed water heater, and usually not when it comes in from outside as a flood. The Utah Insurance Department says standard homeowners and renters policies do not cover flood, and that internal water such as a burst pipe may be covered by a standard home policy instead. Sewer backup is often an add-on. Read your policy and ask your agent.

Often not, unless you added it. Sewer and drain backup is usually sold as an optional endorsement: one Utah homeowners insurer lists it as an add-on with limits up to $50,000 and a $1,000 minimum deductible. Flood insurance covers a backup only if an active surface flood caused it, according to the Utah Insurance Department.

Utah's Fit Premises Act requires landlords to keep a rental safe and sanitary, fit to live in, and to maintain its plumbing and heating, plus hot and cold water (Utah Code 57-22-4). A renter can give written notice of a problem; for a habitability problem the landlord then has three calendar days to start fixing it (57-22-6). For a dangerous condition, the landlord must start fixing it within 24 hours after notice. This is general information, not legal advice.

Utah licenses construction trades through the Division of Professional Licensing. Repair work on a building with a contracted value of $7,000 or more needs a licensed contractor. Plumbing or electrical work needs a licensed plumber or electrician at any size (Utah Code 58-55-305). Below $7,000, an unlicensed person must file an insurance affirmation once a job passes $3,000. Look up any license at the DOPL lookup.

Not necessarily. A national franchise is a locally owned business using a shared brand, and quality varies by owner. A local independent company can be just as equipped. What matters more is a written scope, moisture readings you can see, and a contractor license for any rebuild work.