What You Can Expect From A Fire Damage Restoration Company
By: 911 Water Damage Experts
If your home caught fire and you’re in the fire damage restoration stage, chances are you want to know details about how the fire damage restoration process is supposed to go, you know, so you’re informed and prepared on how it’s all supposed to go down.
Below we highlight what you can expect from a fire damage restoration company so at the very least you’re not getting ripped off and that you chose the right fire damage restoration company to manage your home.
Let’s get right into it!
What To Do After A Fire?
One of the worst experiences that a human can go through is watching their home burn down.
The trauma is overwhelming and some may find it difficult to act quickly. This indecisiveness allows the fire to spread and burn more of the house; causing more damage, which makes everything more expensive to restore.
Other issues like smoke hazards and mould growth, just to name a few, are also other side-effects to fire damage that are harmful to your health.
This is why you need to contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
Make sure to report the fire to them and see which steps you should take next. And while you make an inventory of all things damaged, a company can help you manage this further.
Once the insurance company inspects the home for fire damage they will make a thorough investigation. You will want them to do a thorough assessment of the property so they can help you claim for fire damage. Some of the areas that need to be expected should be the following:
-The roof is the first one that should be inspected. There have been some roofs that have undergone extensive damage. They could start developing mould too.
-Check the siding and stucco too because the heat from the fire can cause the siding to melt and the stucco to crack.
-Check the shape of your windows as well. They can get discoloured or warped due to the heat.
-Take a look at the heating and plumbing in the home too. Check your pipes, ducts, and connectors for any damage.
-Finally the interior walls. Check the framing and look for mould and if you need to remove wallboards.
Professional Removal Services
Think about what a fire damage restoration company specializes in and see how they can help you in your case. They can help you recover from any fire damage. If you are interested in knowing what they offer as services, then take a look at the following:
-A fire damage restoration company can help you secure the home. They will board up the house and place tarps on the roof immediately after the fire to prevent any damage from the weather.
-A fire damage restoration company will take a look at the condition of the home and assess the damage. They will inspect all rooms and check for any damage done by fire, smoke, water, and soot.
-A fire damage restoration company can remove the water used to put out the fire and dry your home. If you want to prevent any mould from forming in the home then this is the best course of action you can take. A fire damage restoration company use expert equipment and large dehumidifiers and giant fans.
-A fire damage restoration company will be able to remove the smoke and the soot as well, freeing you from smoke damage health hazards.
-Finally, a fire damage restoration company will be able to restore your home. They are licensed and can make small repairs and install carpets. They may even rebuild rooms in some cases.
Tips If You’re Looking For A Fire Damage Restoration Company Near You…
Once you start looking into fire restoration companies, you’ll want to go with the one that you feel most comfortable with.
Check for credentials and specialties before signing a contract with them. Here are a few green flags that you should be looking out for:
-Make sure to take a look at their reviews. Take a look at them online and check if any friends or relatives know about their services and their work.
-Check if they are certified for cleaning inspection and restoration. If the firm has insurance then this would be an excellent approach for you to take. Also, they need to have proper education and training for all of their technicians.
-Take a look at their contract and read it carefully.
-Make sure to understand which of their services are covered by insurance. Once you sign the contract you will be responsible for paying your part of it. This means you will take care of all the parts which are not covered by the insurance.
-You need to make sure that the restoration company can start as soon as possible. Make them place tarps and cover the openings.
Cleanup Process After Fire Damage
Even if the fire has been put out very fast there could be a lot of damage done afterward.
It is more than likely that the affected rooms will need to be cleaned. This means that you will need to clean the ceilings, floors, furniture, walls, and other personal items. This is what you can do to start cleaning up after fire damage.
-First you need to remove the suit. Soot is an oily substance that can easily stain all items. This means that it can land on any carpeting curtains and furniture. The professionals will take care of it and remove it using a heavy-duty vacuum. You need to be careful if you want to remove it yourself. Make sure not to use the brush attachment from your vacuum because you might rub the soot into the furniture.
-Have an awesome treatment for orders. Remember that all textile products should be deodorized in the room. The restoration service will make sure to use an ozone generator that can produce an oxidizing agent to remove the odour. They may even place a tent while this is ongoing. Make sure to refrain from cleaning any fabric or clothing before they have been deodorized. This is how the older will sit into the fabric.
-There is even such a thing called thermal fogging for odours. Remember that some of the structural elements of the home can also soak up the smoke during a fire. The heat expands the pores of the wallboard and fills them up with smoke. Once the house cools down the smoke is trapped in the walls. Restoration companies can use something called thermal fogging so they can open the pores of the wall again. This is how they can neutralize the odours. In this case, all you need to remember is that if the smoke odour gets into the insulation of the attic you cannot remove it. In this case, you will need to remove and replace the insulation.
Think About What You Can Do
Talk to your professional fire damage restoration company and ask them which tools they will need to clean up the property in the correct way. They might need several tools to do this. If you want to help them in the process you can do the following:
-Leave all the items which are covered in soot for them to clean.
-Use dehumidifiers to dry everything wet as soon as possible. Please leave any other items in the sun outside to dry.
-Keep all the windows and doors of your home open.
-If possible turn on the HVAC system. This is how you will help move the air around. You will need to change the filter on your HVAC system every day until the soot is no longer visible.
-Cover all the clean items with plastic so you can prevent them from getting dirty.
What Are Some Tips To Prevent Fire
If you want to make sure that you have done everything to support your home and prevent a fire from happening here is what you can do:
-Overlook the stove while you are cooking in the kitchen.
-Keep any grill away from the deck of your house.
-Replace any old cords.
-When you use space heaters make sure to use them with caution. Keep any items away from them and make sure to turn them off when you leave the room.
-Keep lighters and matches away from children.
-Don’t leave a burning candle unattended.
-Clean the wood stove pipes and chimneys annually.
-Before you go to sleep or leave the home make sure that the fireplace is completely put out.
If you have any questions about our article “What You Can Expect From A Fire Damage Restoration Company” or need a fire damage restoration company, feel free to call us at 1-833-WE-DRY-IT or chat with us in near real-time on our Facebook fan page.
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