Storm and flood debris should be sorted and photographed before anything is hauled away, so the insurer, the crew and the hauler work from the same record. Sort by material and condition, keep a count, separate hazardous items, and note where each pile came from. Ankeny Water Damage Restoration records debris on every call in Ankeny and the metro.
Key takeaways
- Debris is photographed and counted before it is moved, because the insurer and the hauler will otherwise see different things.
- Sort by material and by condition: keep, clean, remove and hazardous are the four useful piles.
- Items that were in flood or sewage water are handled as contaminated and are not sorted by hand without protection.
- Each pile is labelled with the room or area it came from, so the record matches the place the damage was found.
- Do not haul away anything an insurer may need to see until the photographs and the list are complete.
Why does debris need to be sorted before removal?
Sorting turns a heap of damaged material into a record that can be checked. Each item is counted, described and photographed, and the insurer can match the list to the photographs and the site. Without that step, the hauler may remove items that an adjuster needed to see, and the claim becomes harder to support.
Storm and flood debris often arrives mixed: wet drywall, insulation, carpet, furniture, appliances, branches, shingles and household items all in one pile. A crew or a homeowner who clears it quickly loses the detail that shows what was in the house and how it was damaged.
Sorting also protects the homeowner. A list made before removal shows what was kept, what was cleaned and what was removed, and it gives a basis for any question about the value or condition of an item later on.
What are the sorting piles?
Four piles work well for most homes: keep, clean, remove and hazardous. Keep holds items that are undamaged and dry. Clean holds items that can be washed or dried. Remove holds items that cannot be saved. Hazardous holds sharp, contaminated, chemical or electrical items that need special handling.
The keep pile is the easiest to decide, and it is also the one that gets overlooked most easily, because a damp item can look fine at a glance. A moisture check or a dry-out period may move an item from keep to clean or remove.
The clean pile holds items that can be washed or dried, such as hard furniture, certain clothing and some electronics once they are confirmed safe. The remove pile holds items that cannot be saved, such as soaked upholstery, particleboard and mattresses. The hazardous pile holds sharp, chemical or electrical items that need care.
| Pile | What goes in it | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | Items that are undamaged and dry, with no water mark | Photograph and list; return to use after drying the room |
| Clean | Hard surfaces, some clothing and items that can be washed or dried | Clean, dry and photograph the result before moving it |
| Remove | Soaked upholstery, particleboard, mattresses and saturated porous items | Photograph and list before hauling, after the insurer has had a chance to see them |
| Hazardous | Sharp, chemical, electrical or sewage-contaminated items | Handle with protection, label and follow the crew's direction for disposal |
What should be photographed before anything is moved?
Photograph each pile in place, each item in the pile and the room or area it came from. Take a wide shot of the area, a close shot of each item and a note of the time. A photograph of the water line or the damage beside the item shows its condition in context.
Start with the wide shots. Photograph the room from the same corner before anything is moved, and then photograph each pile as it sits. A photograph of the pile with the room behind it shows where it came from, which is the detail an adjuster asks for first.
Then photograph each item. Include a label or a note in the frame where possible, showing the room and the item number. Keep the original files. Do not crop or edit them, because a complete image is more useful than a cleaned one.
- Wide photographs of each room before anything is moved
- Each pile photographed in place, with the room behind it
- Each item photographed with a label showing its number and room
- Water lines and damage photographed beside the item where it applies
- Original files kept with date information, unedited
How do I make the list?
The list gives each item a number, its room, its material, its condition and its pile. Write the list as the items are sorted, not from memory later. A simple table or spreadsheet is enough, as long as each row matches a photograph.
Describe each item in plain words: the material, the size, the make if known, the age if known and the condition. A list that says oak dresser, about sixty inches, water mark on the lower drawers is more useful than a list that says furniture.
Keep the list with the photographs and give a copy to the insurer, the crew and the hauler. When the three sets match, there is no question about what was removed, and when they differ, the difference can be explained before the claim is decided.
Date each list and each set of photographs, and keep a version from each visit, so the record shows how the list grew as more items were sorted. An earlier version is still evidence of what was seen at the time.
What about hazardous debris and contaminated items?
Items that were in sewage water, that have chemicals on them, or that are sharp or electrical need protection and special handling. Do not sort them by hand without gloves and boots, and do not burn or bury them. Label each hazardous item, keep it apart from the other piles and follow the crew's direction for disposal.
Sewage and some flood water carry contamination that can stay on items. Porous items that were in contaminated water are often removed rather than cleaned. The decision is recorded and the item is photographed before it is removed.
Electrical items that were in water should not be used or plugged in. Chemicals, paints and fuels found in the debris should be kept apart and labelled. Ask the crew or the local waste service how to dispose of them, because the rules depend on the material.
Keep a record of who handled each hazardous item and when, because that record can matter for the disposal paperwork and for the insurer.
How do I coordinate the insurer, the crew and the hauler?
Tell the insurer what is going to be removed and when, and agree the removal date in writing if the insurer wants to inspect first. Give the crew the list and the photographs, and give the hauler the pile it is to take. Keep one copy of each document for your own file.
A hauler that arrives before the insurer has seen the debris may take items the claim needs to show. Ask the insurer whether it will inspect before removal, and set a time for the inspection if it will. The crew can hold the pile until the inspection is done.
Keep every email and every letter about the removal. A short note that records the date, the items removed and who was present is a useful part of the file.
What should I do with the debris after the list is complete?
Once the photographs and list are complete and any inspection has been done, the remove pile can be taken away. Keep a record of the disposal, including the hauler's receipt, and keep the keep and clean piles separate until they are returned to use.
The disposal record matters because it shows what was removed, when and by whom. Keep the receipt with the list and the photographs, and note any item that was taken away at the owner's request rather than as part of the claim.
Clean and dry the keep pile before it goes back into use. Check it for odor and moisture before placing it in a room that is closed up, because a damp item can hold moisture into a space that has just been dried.
Keep a list of the items that were kept and returned to use, with a photograph of each after cleaning. That second set of photographs shows the condition at the end of the job and closes the loop on the record.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sort the debris myself?
You can, with protection, or the crew can sort it with you. Sorting is easier with a second person to call out each item. The crew can take the lead on the hazardous items and any material that was in contaminated water.
Can the hauler take everything in one trip?
Only after the list and the photographs are complete and any insurer inspection is done. Separate the piles, and tell the hauler which pile is being taken. Keep receipts for the trip.
What if an item is too heavy or too wet to move safely?
Leave it where it is, photograph it in place and note its location on the list. The crew can plan a safe way to move it, and a heavy item should not be moved alone.
Should I keep the branches and tree debris?
Tree debris from a storm is usually removed, but photograph the tree and any branches that hit the house first. Those photographs show the force of the storm on the structure and help the insurer see the damage.
Who decides what goes in the remove pile?
You decide with the crew, the insurer and any contractor who will rebuild. The crew explains what cannot be saved and why. The insurer decides what the policy covers, based on the list and the photographs.
Does the debris sorting cost extra?
The scope should say how the sorting is handled and what it covers. Ask the crew to put the sorting and the photographs into the written scope before the work starts, so the cost of each step is clear.
Should I keep a sample of damaged items?
Keep any item the insurer has not yet inspected, and photograph it in place rather than carrying it around. Once the insurer has seen the item and its photographs, the decision on disposal can be made. Ask the insurer whether it wants to keep any particular item.
This guide is general information for Polk County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.