Q. Bathroom sink pipe sprung a major leak, 15 minutes worth of tap water soaked hardwood flooring, plaster walls and ceilings and ran into some duct work...also we are concerned about the electrical wiring behind ceiling and walls, what are some good characteristics to look for in hiring a contractor who specializes in this type of work? Also, is it typical for the homeowner's insurance to cover the plumbing work? So far, the adjuster says only work to repair damage is covered but not the plumbing that caused the problem...sound right?

A. Your adjuster is correct. Your insurance policy owes for access to get to the plumbing leak and to repair it but NOT for the part itself. Start by making sure your house is dried out properly by a certified water damage restoration company (i.e. ServiceMaster). They will find out where the water damage starts and ends, take moisture reading of your flooring and walls & may place fans/dehumidifiers to dry out your home. After the place is dried out, then address rebuild. If you need paint, drywall, flooring or baseboards...ask your adjuster if they have a "preferred" general contractor that is on the company's preferred program. Go with one of them if they do. Good luck.

Q. I'm calling in a company to have my carpets cleaned. One place I called said they use the dry cleaning method. ??? I'm not familiar with that. Has anybody used it? I worry that it's even safe because I have pets and a new baby! That (dry cleaning method) sounds like too many chemicals to me. Anybody know? We had an older dog that peed on the floor and got sick often so they really need to be cleaned good!

A. Steam cleaning is recommended by 99% of Carpet Mills Most steam cleaning professionals do not leave any residue in the carpet. (make sure they are using a fiber rinse to confirm they are residue free) Most dry cleaning methods do leave significant soap residues in the carpet causing rapid re-soiling. (none of the detergents, soaps & surfactants are rinsed and removed from the carpet when dry cleaning method is used.) Steam cleaning does not get the backing or padding wet. It also will not mold or mildew the carpet. (it takes at least 72 hours of wet for mold to even think about growing) Hint: Look for a steam cleaning company that dries in less than 8 hours and they will have very effective cleaning equipment. Truck-Mounted units always should be used. They are a ton more powerful than portable equipment and will remove more soil and dry faster. PET ODOR: Both dry and steam cleaning WILL NOT remove pet odor. Urine have salts that will not break down from water or carpet cleaning agents alone. A blacklight and an enzyme such as Urine Off should be used prior to cleaning. At least 3 days before. Read directions at: http://www.urineoff.com. ALWAYS USE AN IICRC CERTIFIED FIRM. SHAW, THE WORLD'S LARGEST FLOORING COMPANY, NOW REQUIRES THE USE OF AN IICRC CERTIFIED FIRM FOR WARRANTY CARPET CLEANING REQUIREMENTS! Bacteria: Steam cleaning does not release bacteria into the air. If bacteria is present, most truck-mounted units will kill any because most operated at well over 200 degrees. -MATT IICRC CERTIFIED IN CARPET CLEANING & WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION ONE MORE THING: It is very inexpensive to start a business doing the dry cleaning method. Usually less than $1000. To start a carpet cleaning business that uses the correct equipment it is $5,000 to $25,000 for the truck-mount. Another 5,000 or so for all of the cleaning accessories. And whatever it costs to buy a van. 2,000 to 35,000 What do you think cleans better? A $5,000 to $25,000 Machine or a $500-$1000 Machine???

Q. Just bought a house with an inground pool. It had been full and covered. And full of weeds/grass/frogs. 3 weeks before title transfer they drained it to 3ft of water and put a tarp covered wooden frame cover over it. 2 pool service companies said I have to replace the liner now. Can;t I just clean the liner (what is recommended for cleaning?) and refill?

A. Go for a third estimate ….just to get a confirmation. No one here could honestly tell you without looking at the liner. If the third assessment is for a new liner, then you need to ask why….. before choosing a company.

Q. Buying a house, and the home inspection has uncovered some potential issues. It's been a real pain in the butt to get someone to go out and review the inspector's findings. I have posted the report with pictures on profiles.yahoo.com/chuckynjwvu The projectis very time-sensetive. I need to know if I should even bother buying that house. Thanks

A. Try the link below and start calling numbers, someone will know someone that can help you. Good luck. At the very least, the problems involved should save you enough money to put towards resolving the issues. If you don't feel comfortable, move on. Buying a home is a 30 year investment, and the market value will increase, unless it BURNS to the ground. I tried to look at your pictures but the files won't open. You may need to retry, or e-mail them to me, I'll take a look and give you an opinion. Background: In and around construction my whole life, 3 years working for Connectiv, 2 years in school studying electrical construction, 15 years flooring, commercial and residential, 2 years as production manager for a mold remediation, fire and water damage restoration company, currently the division manager of a large flooring distributor / contractor. Electric, plumbing, framing, concrete, damage that can result from fire and water, and poor workmanship. I can't fix it for you. But I'll give you an honest professional evaluation.

Q. Had a house fire, hired a restoration company to clean and repair fire, smoke and water damage. Who is supposed to the the buliding permits?

A. The permits are the responsibility of the contractor. They have to be licensed to do the work and they are responsible for furnishing the details of the work as well as doing the work to code. Period

Q. I own a condo/town home. I noticed water was puddling in my kitchen from under the baseboard of the wall that adjoins my neighbor. I called a plumber out to be sure it wasn't an issue in my unit. Couldn't find anything here. Noticed that the next door neighbor's patio area had a lot of collected water and also mold on the exterior siding. Also noticed what looked like water coming down the window from inside. Rang the doorbell and knocked w/ no answer. Noticed her car parked out front ( she only has one). Got worried and called condo association but couldn't reach anyone since it's Saturday. Got really worried after extensive knocking on neighbor's door and no answer. Called cops. Cops come out and enter home ( back door was unlocked). Cops find home empty but are flabergasted at the state of affairs inside. The entire upstairs bathroom floor had collapsed into the kitchen area with water pouring down walls-- entire dining room/kitchen area flooded. Cops also mention extensive mold on walls and rats and roaches running around!! Garbarge everywhere inside. A complete nightmare. The cops said the place needs to be condemned. Finally talk to property management company who seems to think that it's okay to wait until Monday to do anything. We have our plumber turn off the water outside. A few hours later a water and fire damage restoration company shows up stating they received a call from the unit owner ( landlord). The guy says the tenant has 'been out of town' and is supposed to be meeting him there. We inform him of what is going on inside. Tenant shows up in a cab and promptly tells us that she was unaware of any problem and has been out of town since Wednesday. She also mentioned that the landlord was aware of the issue before the condo association called him?? How did he know if she didn't know?? It's obvious by the extensive damage inside that this has been an ongoing problem. Not only that but what explains the filth, garbage, and rats?! I need some good advice on what my next steps should be. We are going to file a complaint at city hall and I will be contacting the owner and demanding that he pay for a full inspection of my unit as well as any necessary repairs. I am worried about the health hazard and the potential damage to my structure! Should I seek legal help? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

A. Sounds like you have your bases covered already. Except you didn't mention contacting a lawyer. This is the exact reason I am opposed to condos, but i do hope things work out for you.

Q. The house that we rent out had a fire. I've already informed the insurance company, there's an adjuster coming out, and the tenants are staying somewhere else. If anyone else has been in this situation, I'm wondering if there's any helpful advice for us. Should we drive 10 hours to check things out? If so, when? How many repair/restoration estimates should I try to get aside from the one my insurance uses? I'd planned on doing other work to the home. Can I have a contractor do that work at the same time and split the billing appropriately, or will that screw up the insurance and tax stuff? Please provide any additional ideas. We've never had a big insurance claim and I don't want to overlook stuff. We had previously planned on having the tenants out by April, doing some renovations, and putting it up for sale. I don't know how much this will change things. One bedroom is destroyed and there's a lot of smoke damage throughout the upstairs.

A. When the work is completed make sure you have a mold inspector come out and do a test to clear the house before you sell it. The water damage following the fire can cause a liability for you and you want to make sure that the insurance company is covering it before they close your claim out. Also take lots of before and after photos for the prospective buyers. When you tell them about the previous fire damage it will make it easier to show them where the damage was and how it was fixed. Get LOTS of estimates. Each contractor will also help you think of issues you may not have considered. This is an ideal time to remodel - the insurance company will work with you. Just make sure this will not interfere with your rental loss benefit (if you have it).

Q. My neighbor upstairs had little fire. But his sprinkler caused some ceiling and carpet damage in my apartment. Now my apartment manager says that they will charge my insurance company for restoration of our unit.... Is that fair? Cause if they charge my insurance, I will have to pay my deductible part which is $500 and my premium will go up next year for no reason. Please help what should I do? :(

A. I am a commercial broker and specialize in multi-family properties. Your renters insurance in no way would cover this claim and the manager is ludicrous for thinking it would. As previously stated your renters insurance covers your personal belongings, not the structure or building. Also you are in no way liable for this so again it wouldn't be covered under the liability portion of your renters insurance. This scenario is exactly why the owner of the apartment building has insurance. If they refuse to fix the damages on their end you may be entitled to legally withhold your rent but check with a qualified attorney first. The owner has a duty to provide a livable apartment unit and water damage leads to mold. So if they refuse to fix it then move out as soon as possible. Sounds like this place might be trouble anyways.