What Should You Do If Your Home Is Damaged In A Fire

6/2/2017 (Permalink)

What Should You Do If Your Home Is Damaged In A Fire

It's important to take the right steps to repair fire damage and reduce the smoke smell in the building. Here are a few fire damage restoration tips:


1. Get In Touch With Your Insurance Company:



Most home insurance plans cover damage from a fire in home. Some insurance providers will even cover the cost of lodging during a period of time that a fire in home makes it impossible to remain in your current residence.

Your home insurance company will have to schedule an assessment of the fire damage. Before this assessment takes place, don't do any significant repairs. This could result in an unfairly low assessment of the fire damage.

2. Act Quickly To Repair Soot Damage:

Sometimes, smoke damage can be just as serious as the fire damage. Additional soot damage can occur after the fire has already been put out. This is because it takes time for the soot to become firmly attached to surfaces. In some cases, it could take weeks to remove all the soot if you don't act quickly. In addition, removing the soot can reduce the smoke smell in the building.

Removing The Soot:

If you'll be removing any soot yourself, it is essential to take some safety precautions. Always wear a respirator while you're removing the soot from your home. In addition, a box fan can reduce the concentration of soot in the environment. It may even help to reduce smoke damage.

If it's possible, wash soot covered surfaces surfaces with soap and water. This is a highly effective way of repairing soot damage. Using a high efficiency vacuum cleaner is an effective way of removing soot from carpets, floors, and other surfaces. Ideally, the vacuum cleaner should have a HEPA filter on it. If there was clothing, bedding, or other linens in the house at the time of the fire, this should also be thoroughly cleaned.

A dry cleaning sponge can be an effective way to remove soot from surfaces. Exterior soot damage can often be cleaned off using a hose.

Even if you choose to repair some soot damage yourself, it's important to always contact a fire damage restoration professional for soot removal. Improperly removing soot can result in further damage to the property.

4. Take Steps To Prevent Fire In Home From Recurring:

During the fire cleanup for either residential or commercial fire damage, you should take steps to prevent a fire in home or fire in business from occurring. Here are some important fire prevention tips to keep in mind during the fire cleanup:

Have Your Entire Home Inspected: A home inspector can pinpoint danger areas, such as faulty wiring. It's essential to immediately get them repaired.
Always keep your microwave, oven, and stove clean. Grease build up can lead to fires. This is also important for fire in business location(s).
Always unplug items that aren't in use.
Don't use plugs that have missing grounding prongs.
Always remove lint from the lint trap of your dryer.
Make sure that the dryer ducts remain clean.
Space heaters are a common cause of house fires. If you need to use them at all, it's essential that you do so cautiously.
Remove excessive clutter in the house. Not only can clutter make it more difficult to see potential triggers of a fire, but it could worsen a fire if one ever did occur.



4. Repair Any Structural Damage:

One of the most important parts of fire cleanup is the repair of structural damage. Unfortunately, this can be one of the most expensive parts of the process. This is particularly true of extensive commercial fire damage.

5. Additional Steps To Minimize The Smoke Smell:

Sometimes, there can be a residual smoke smell even after restoration is completed. This is a particularly serious concern if you suffer a fire in business location(s). Luckily, deodorizers can help to reduce this odor from fire in business locations(s) or your home.

What Should I Look For When Hiring A Fire Damage Restoration Expert?

It's important to hire a fire damage restoration expert that is experienced in the field. Ideally, they should have many years of experience in the industry. In addition, it's important to always make sure that they are certified by the IIRC. Also, read reviews of any company you consider that offers fire cleanup and smoke damage cleanup. In addition, make sure that they are experts on repairing smoke damage. For commercial fire damage, it is essential to hire a cleanup crew that specializes in commercial fire damage.
Visit http://www.SERVPROfallbrooksouthoceanside.com for more information on fire damage.