In Fall of 2017 and now again in the late summer and early fall of 2020 Napa County has been hit with fires that have ravaged many rural properties. Our staff at OPS have worked with many families to rebuild, renew, and restore what was lost. OPS has staff that have not only volunteered through local fire departments and experienced evacuations and losses, but are dedicated to serving our community and helping restore what was lost. In this article, we want to give some highlights to homeowners that are suffering from fire damage BEFORE they pull the trigger on rebuilding.

In the aftermath of a fire, one of the first items on the list is to restore water for cleanup and reconstruction efforts. Many customers call and ask our staff to simply restore their water system and get it up and going again like it was before. WAIT! STOP! We want to share a few pieces of information that can help you in this stressful time.

Did a house or dwelling Survive?

If you were fortunate to have your house and dwelling survive, we share your relief with you! A simple repair of any damage to your water system should get you up and going. Keep in mind that those repairs should be performed by a licensed contractor that is familiar with the Napa County building code requirements as these repairs should be done with a permit. OPS can help you restore water so you can return home ASAP! Our staff work with regulators and can often get permits in a streamlined fashion that minimizes any delay.

Was your house or dwelling destroyed or damaged?

Your simple home in the country that was supplied with water from a small well/submersible pump/pressure tank or a spring fed tank may have some new requirements if it was destroyed by fire. In addition to changes in types of building siding that meet code in fire prone areas there are many other code change requirements. For example: If you do not have a city fire hydrant nearby, rural homes now are required to have 2500 gallons of water dedicated to fighting fires and stored in an approved storage tank with an approved fire hydrant in an approved location. In addition, the rebuilt home will need to have a fire sprinkler system installed with a water supply capable of providing a significant amount of water to those sprinklers for 20 minutes (for the average size home). While some wells are capable of supplying the large quantities of water, many rural properties simply don’t have springs or wells capable of meeting this requirement. This frequently means another 1000 gallons of dedicated water supply in a storage tank and a large booster pump to meet the requirements!

While getting water for cleanup and temporary buildings is an important factor, it needs to be balanced with what the final water system and water requirements will be for the reconstruction project. Be prepared for a conversation with your architect, building contractor and water system contractor where you explain the future plans for the property so that they can design everything to meet your future plans and the new/updated/relevant building & fire codes in your area. Get the various contractors on the project in touch with each other so they can effectively coordinate. Really, these conversations early on, are going to save you time, money, and hassle in the long run!

Insurance only pays once

Being in a rush and having someone “fix” your water system quickly so that you can have some water coming out of a hose for cleanup and construction can come back to haunt you! The haunting happens when you find out that the house cannot pass final inspection without the proper water tanks, hydrants or pumps to meet updated code requirements. This is a huge blow to the budget and will require a second rework to your water system to bring it up to proper specifications. You hadn’t planned on these tanks and pumps in the original design, where will you put them? You hadn’t plan on this additional expense, where will the money come from? You’ll need to find some place in the garage, behind the house, next to the fence to put this equipment. At this stage most people have already settled the finances with their insurance company which means the additional costs will need to come out of your pocket.

It is time to become an expert on your fire insurance policy

It isn’t just rebuilding that you’ve got to deal with, you need to read the fine print on your insurance policy, get on the phone, take notes, and get things in writing. Insurance companies pay adjusters to minimize their payouts/liabilities so you will need to be your own advocate. Unlike car insurance, many fire insurance companies deal with/settle with/pay the homeowner and NOT the contractors. Insurance companies will try to make settlements without having any bids or quotes for the repairs necessary because their clients are happy to have a quick payout. The cost of a quick payout is that you may be settling for less than you need with your insurance company. Take a deep breath, take your time, and start!

As you work through this difficult time, know that we are on your team! Our staff have grown, lived, worked, and participated in the Napa Valley community for many years. Our team makes helping those recovering from fire damage our priority! From helping you with quotes, estimates, and time frame for water system repairs to supplying a temporary water supply trailer, we are here to help. If you have suffered the loss of your home/property to fire, please call us to discuss your situation.

If there are questions you’d like our blog to address, please contact us and we will try to address them for you in future blogs.