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Learn how to get the most out of Firebreak
Follow these guidelines to capture photos that help our AI provide the most accurate risk assessment:
Take photos during daylight hours (10am-3pm is ideal). Avoid backlighting and heavy shadows that obscure details. Good lighting is crucial for AI to accurately identify materials, vegetation, and hazards.
Capture wide shots showing the overall area, then take closer shots of specific features like vegetation, roofing, or deck materials. This provides context and detail for comprehensive AI analysis.
Include reference objects in photos to help AI judge distances and sizes (e.g., house siding, fence posts). This helps the AI understand defensible space zones and vegetation proximity.
Pay special attention to trees, shrubs, and ground cover near structures. Show proximity to buildings and material conditions. Vegetation management is one of the most critical fire risk factors.
Capture clear images of roofing, siding, decking, and fencing materials. These are critical for fire risk assessment. Get close enough to show material details and conditions.
Take high-resolution photos without concern for file size. The app automatically compresses images to 1200px width at 70% quality - perfect for AI analysis while reducing file size by 70-80%.
Full facade shot, roof and eaves detail, landscaping and ground cover within 30 feet, driveway access, any attached structures like porches or decks.
Attic access and condition, fireplace/chimney, interior building materials, windows and ventilation, any wood-burning appliances.
Deck materials and condition, railings, space below deck, vegetation proximity, combustible items stored on deck, connection to house.
Door condition, stored materials (especially flammables), ventilation, walls and ceiling materials, access to attic, distance from main structure.
Rear facade, vegetation management, fence materials, outbuildings, slope behind property, water sources, propane tanks or fuel storage.
FireBreak uses an advanced upload system designed for maximum reliability, especially on mobile networks:
Photos are automatically resized to 1200px width and compressed to 70% JPEG quality before upload. This reduces file size by 70-80% while maintaining quality for AI analysis.
Each photo uploads separately in its own queue item. If one photo fails, others continue uploading successfully. This provides better progress tracking and more reliable overall uploads.
Failed uploads automatically retry with increasing delays between attempts:
This prevents overwhelming servers and gives intermittent connections time to stabilize.
If a photo fails to upload, subsequent retries use progressively higher compression (reducing quality by 10% each attempt, down to 50%). This ensures delivery even on poor connections while maintaining usable image quality.
Each upload has a 30-second timeout. If an upload hangs or stalls, it's automatically cancelled and retried. This prevents stuck uploads from blocking the queue.
The app checks for failed uploads every 10 seconds and automatically retries them. You don't need to keep the app open - uploads continue in the background.
Maximum of 2 photos upload simultaneously. This prevents overwhelming your connection and actually improves overall upload speed by avoiding network congestion.
Make sure location services are enabled, you're outdoors with clear sky view, and within 100 meters of the property address. Wait 30-60 seconds for GPS to acquire a strong signal before starting session.
Check that you've granted camera permissions in your device settings (Settings > Privacy > Camera). Try closing and reopening the app. If using Safari on iOS, ensure you're on the latest version.
Verify internet connection. Photos will automatically upload when connection is restored. Check the Queue tab for status - the system retries every 10 seconds in the background.
After 5 automatic retry attempts, use the manual retry button in the Queue tab. If issue persists:
The offline-first design means you can capture photos anywhere:
This means the upload took longer than 30 seconds. Don't worry - the system automatically retries with higher compression. This is normal on very slow connections and usually succeeds on the next attempt.
If a photo repeatedly fails and you want to remove it:
Upload system is designed for efficiency:
The Queue tab provides real-time visibility into your upload status:
Photo is queued and waiting to upload. You'll see this when other photos are currently uploading (max 2 at once) or when offline.
Photo is actively being sent to the server. A progress bar shows completion percentage. This typically takes 2-10 seconds depending on your connection speed.
Photo successfully delivered and confirmed by server. You can delete this queue item to clean up the queue, or leave it for reference. The photo is now in the Gallery tab under "Uploaded Photos".
Upload encountered an error. Shows error message and retry count (e.g., "Retry attempt: 2/5"). The system automatically retries - no action needed unless it fails 5 times.
A complete guide to conducting your first wildfire risk assessment from start to finish.
Learn how to capture high-quality photos that help AI accurately assess your property.
Master the upload system, monitor progress, and troubleshoot failed uploads effectively.
How to read and interpret your AI-generated wildfire risk assessment report.
Using your assessment for insurance documentation and potential premium reductions.
How to use FireBreak in areas without internet connectivity and sync later.