Summer fades fast, ushering in cold air and hidden risks like frozen pipes or snow-damming on your roof. Winter brings more water damage claims than any other season, but by acting now, you can prepare accordingly and set yourself up for success. Routine maintenance-checking your HVAC, roofs, and chimneys- helps prevent costly repairs, and keeps you in your home. The critical maintenance you need: HVAC HVAC is a critical system for your home, and it’s important to maintain it regularly, even without the threat of water loss. By keeping your HVAC system in good working order, you prolong the lifetime of your equipment and protect your home from potential water intrusion at the same time. Swap out your dirty air filters to boost airflow, and to prevent mold from trapped moisture. Make sure your condensate drains are clear to avoid leaks. Vacuum your vents to reduce dust and schedule a professional inspection once a year before the winter freeze, to catch any issues before it becomes a problem. These basic steps can keep your HVAC running smoothly and prevent water or mold damage. Contact your local HVAC professional for expert assessments. Make sure you're covered! Roofs are the next point of focus. Your roof is your home’s first defense against the elements, and it’s critical that it be maintained correctly to prevent professional repairs. Do not attempt to get on to your own roof; it’s better to leave any hazardous tasks to trained professionals. Make sure any roof inspector is checking for loose or damaged shingles, and that the flashing is intact. In colder months, a phenomenon known as ice-damming can occur, where meltwater refreezes on the roof, causing pools of water to form and slowly seep into the roof. Water damage on the roof can cause water and mold damage throughout the entire house, especially if the water travels down through the insulation of the walls. Roof-related water damage often migrates to other rooms in the house, multiplying the cost of repairs. Let's keep it clean. Finally, make sure to inspect your chimney, if your home has one. Look out for cracks or damaged caps, and call a professional chimney sweep to remove flammable creosote. Creosote is a remarkably hazardous chemical that accumulates in chimneys, and is extremely flammable, so regular cleaning is vital. Check the flashing where the chimney meets the roof to stop water intrusion from the outside. Check the flue for proper ventilation to avoid moisture buildup. These steps can prevent a house fire or water damage and keep your home cozy and safe. Maintain today to avoid repair tomorrow. Proactive maintenance now is the best way to prevent a costly repair this winter. Schedule professional inspections where they are needed to protect your home. Remember that maintenance is always cheaper than repair. If you’re in need of a restoration professional, give Faulkner Restoration a call today at 317-782-9999.

What is ITEL and Why It Matters Imagine your home’s roof is damaged in a storm, or a burst pipe ruins your living room carpet. You want your home fixed quickly, with materials that look just like the originals, and at a fair price. That’s where ITEL comes in. ITEL Laboratories, Inc. is a trusted company that specializes in helping homeowners like you by identifying the exact materials needed to repair your home—whether it’s roofing, siding, or flooring—and ensuring the costs are fair and accurate. As an independent testing lab, ITEL works like a neutral expert, analyzing damaged materials without bias to find perfect matches and provide local pricing that reflects what’s available in your area. They’re not tied to any specific insurance company or contractor, which means their focus is on getting your home back to normal with honesty and precision. At Faulkner Restoration, we use ITEL’s services to make sure your repairs blend seamlessly with your home’s existing look while keeping the process straightforward and stress-free. Why We Use ITEL At Faulkner Restoration, our goal is to restore your home efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of quality and fairness. ITEL aligns perfectly with this mission. As an independent third-party lab, ITEL provides unbiased analysis, ensuring that the materials we use for repairs match the original in both quality and appearance. Their services are trusted by major insurance carriers, contractors, and restoration professionals across the U.S., thanks to their industry-leading database and rapid turnaround times. ITEL’s ability to integrate with platforms like Verisk and CoreLogic, combined with their mobile app, ITEL NOW, allows us to access real-time pricing and matching data, reducing delays and ensuring accuracy. Additionally, ITEL’s adherence to industry standards, such as those set by the IICRC for restoration practices, gives us confidence that our work meets professional benchmarks, providing peace of mind for both us and our clients. How ITEL Benefits Homeowners ITEL’s services directly benefit homeowners by simplifying the restoration process and ensuring fairness: Getting Material Matches Whether it’s matching a discontinued roofing shingle or finding a like-kind-and-quality flooring replacement, ITEL’s extensive database ensures your home’s repairs blend seamlessly with existing materials. This is critical in states with matching laws, where insurance companies must ensure repairs match the original appearance. ITEL’s reports specify the manufacturer, product name, and closest available match, preventing unnecessary full replacements and preserving your home’s aesthetic. Ensuring Fair Pricing ITEL’s localized pricing ensures you’re not overpaying or undercompensated for repairs. By providing accurate, data-driven replacement costs, ITEL helps insurance adjusters create fair estimates, giving you a realistic budget to select new materials. This transparency reduces disputes and speeds up the claims process, so you can return to normalcy faster. How ITEL’s Technology Works ITEL’s process is a blend of advanced technology, expert analysis, and a robust database, designed to make material matching and pricing as precise as possible. Here’s how it works: Taking Samples The process begins with collecting a sample of the damaged material—be it a piece of carpet, a roofing shingle, or a siding panel. For quick results, contractors or adjusters can use the ITEL NOW mobile app to submit photos and details, receiving results in as little as 30 minutes. For more complex cases, physical samples are sent to ITEL’s Jacksonville, Florida laboratory using pre-addressed UPS shipping labels. ITEL provides clear guidelines on preferred sample sizes to ensure accurate analysis. Performing Analysis Once received, ITEL’s team of expert analysts uses a combination of scientific testing and proprietary technology to evaluate the sample. This involves physical and chemical analysis, comparing the sample’s specifications—such as material type, dimensions, color, and texture—against ITEL’s comprehensive database of current and discontinued products. For roofing, they assess granule configuration, sealant, and warranty details; for flooring, they analyze construction and style. If an exact match isn’t available, ITEL identifies the closest commercially available alternative, often consulting manufacturers for precision. Price Matching Details ITEL’s pricing solutions provide localized, up-to-date costs for replacement materials, accounting for regional variations across more than 800 U.S. regions. For example, their Asphalt Shingle Pricing (ASP) solution delivers instant pricing when integrated with estimating platforms, while their flooring pricing solution compares thousands of products to determine a fair replacement value. ITEL updates pricing data at the zip code level during major weather events to reflect supply and demand changes, ensuring accuracy. Their guaranteed fulfillment program even allows them to source and deliver materials at the quoted price within three days if needed. Conclusion At Faulkner Restoration, we’re committed to making property restoration as stress-free as possible, and ITEL is a key partner in that mission. By providing precise material matching, localized pricing, and rapid results, ITEL helps us deliver high-quality repairs that meet both your expectations and industry standards like those set by the IICRC. Whether you’re dealing with water-damaged floors or storm-torn siding, Faulkner’s use of ITEL’s technology ensures your home is restored accurately, fairly, and efficiently. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you recover from property damage with confidence.

Flooring is the most-affected material in a water intrusion event. Water will always flow from the highest position to the lowest, and that means that often, it ends up on your floors. Depending on the type of flooring you have, your floors will respond differently. Let’s look at some of the most common types of flooring and explore how they are affected by a water intrusion event.