Exclusive: ‘Renovation 911’ Sisters Reveal the One Simple Safeguard Homeowners Should Put in Place Today

Every year, roughly one in 10 homes is devastated by fire, flooding, or other natural disasters. And a new HGTV show reveals how to repair the damage, for a house that’s even better than before. 

On “Renovation 911,” emergency restoration contractors (and sisters) Lindsey Uselding and Kirsten Meehan help families in the Minneapolis, MN, area navigate the logistics of cleanup, home insurance claims, and renovation, so clients can get a fresh start. 

Curious to learn more about their backgrounds and what homeowners can do to protect their properties, we had a chat with the sisters about their craziest days on the job, plus their best advice to keep our homes and possessions safe in today’s disaster-prone world.

How did you come to specialize in emergency restoration?

Kirsten Meehan: This is kind of in our blood. This is the only type of work we know how to do. Our company was founded in 1977, and it’s been a restoration contracting company since then. Lindsey and I bought out our dad’s portion five years ago, so we’ve been putting houses back together after disasters since the company was founded.

Lindsey Uselding: We’ve been going to job sites with our dad since as early as we can remember. There’d be Saturdays where he’d be like, “We’re stopping at a job, girls,” and we’re like, “OK!”

When a client calls you in the wake of a fire, flood, or other calamity, what’s the first thing you do?

Uselding: I take the initial call. These homeowners are in distress. They don’t know what to do, and we really try to calm them down, talk through next steps, and try to get their property or home into a stable condition.

What would you say is the craziest distress call you’ve ever received?

Meehan: We had a customer who had a fire on Christmas Eve. They put their ashes in a bag outside their door [and] thought it was out. It lit up the back of their house. The firefighters came, they put it out. However, they didn’t know it got to the insulation in the attic, which was just brewing and [smoldering], so it started again.

Uselding: [They] had to call 911 again!

Meehan: The firefighters came out again and, unfortunately, it was a much bigger disaster that second time it lit. So, yeah, we’ve seen it all.

What’s one safeguard that homeowners often forget to have that they should put in place immediately after moving in?

Uselding: Have a family emergency plan. Because if your family has an emergency plan, it’s second nature. You’ll just execute it. If you don’t have it, then you don’t know what to do.

What’s your advice for dealing with insurance companies?

Uselding: Meet regularly with your insurance agent or broker. Annually is best to make sure they know you, they know your family, they know the ins and outs of your lifestyle, because that can really determine the coverages.

Some clients make upgrades while restoration work is being done. What are the most common design changes you’re seeing homeowners do?

Meehan: Most common upgrades are in flooring or kitchens: If you had laminate countertops, most people are going back with quartz. Or, if you always wanted that hardwood floor but you just hadn’t done it, people are putting them in.

What preventative measures can homeowners take to avoid some of these disasters?

Meehan: Fire-rated doors are always an excellent idea. They’re typically required by code between a garage and a living space if your home is newer. We recommend lint traps to keep lint from going down your drain and clogging drains, or hair snakes. Keep those drains clear.

Have either of you ever needed emergency restoration of your own home?

Uselding: Actually, the last episode of the series, I become the client. We had a major tornado warning in our area in a severe storm that had some pretty significant damage on my house, so our family actually executed our emergency plan. We’re all safe, but our house definitely had a lot of damage.

If you were to experience a house fire and you could only save three items from your home, what would they be?

Meehan: Well, my kids and dogs go without saying, right? Then probably my wedding album and spare clothes.

Uselding: My first one is my kids, husband, and dog. We each have a safe, so like all of our really important documents are in our safe. My jewelry is in my safe.

While no one wants disaster to hit their home, what words of comfort or hope can you offer if it does? 

Meehan: I think it’s really important we have this series to show people that even though it starts out as the very worst day of their lives when your home is destroyed, when we move our families back into their new homes, it’s a home they can’t believe they even own. It’s totally transformed, and those bad memories from that disaster are gone. It’s pretty rewarding, and I think people will see that and feel, “We’ll get through this even if it happens to us.”

“Renovation 911” airs Tuesday nights on HGTV and streams on Discovery+.

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