Fire damage does not only include visible flames that scorch everything they touch; smoke and ash from fires may release harmful chemicals that can be inhaled or swallowed as part of their aftermath.
Even after the fire has been put out, temporary housing will still be necessary as your home goes through inspection and remediation processes. Your insurance provider should offer additional living expenses (ALE).
Clean Up
Fire crews who come into your home to put out flames and extinguish smoke may leave behind quite a mess. Smoke is more than charred wood and ash–it contains chemicals which seep into porous materials such as drywall, carpeting and upholstery, leaving unpleasant odors behind that may also cause permanent damage to furniture, electronics or clothing. Furthermore, toxic fumes released into the air could pose health risks to any residents with respiratory conditions living within your household.
If you want to salvage some of your belongings, hiring professional fire restoration and smoke removal experts is imperative. Their trained experts use special cleaning products and techniques designed to save prized possessions while also repairing any smoke damage done such as eliminating etching from glass surfaces or preventing tarnishing on metals.
Whenever a fire or smoke incident strikes your home, your first priority should be calling your local restoration company for assistance. They’ll quickly assess the situation before sending in professionals to quickly clean up damage. Plus they offer free assessments so they know if they have all necessary tools and abilities needed.
Homeowners and business owners may decide to do some of the cleanup themselves, but it’s essential that they realize attempting DIY repairs could cause further damage. One obvious repercussion is missing out on getting professional service and assurance; additionally, DIY cleanup exposes them to hazardous chemicals which put family members and staff members at risk.
As soon as your property’s fire department extinguishes its flames, it is essential to hire a fire and smoke remediation company immediately. Their professionals will ensure all damage caused by fire or smoke is addressed swiftly to avoid permanent damage to valuables as well as safeguard family health. They can also handle all cleaning, restoration and odor removal needs for both homes and businesses alike.
Water Damage in Idaho
Fire damage to homes or commercial properties can be extremely distressful. To make sure all damage has been restored in an orderly fashion and return life back to normal as quickly as possible. Hiring professionals is the only sure way of making sure smoke, water, and structural damages have been repaired efficiently and completely.
Call in professional firefighters and restoration specialists as soon as the fire has been put out to assess the extent of fire and smoke damage on your property, in order to develop an appropriate restoration and cleanup plan. It’s also a good idea to document all damages for insurance purposes.
Soot and ash left unchecked can quickly cause irreparable damage, leaving surfaces stained by permanent etching and tarnishing that is irreversible. At Coastal DKI we are highly trained experts in soot removal that can restore items once thought to be beyond repair.
An integral component of fire damage restoration is water damage repair. After a fire, water can seep into walls and ceilings as well as soak into wood or plastic surfaces, causing serious damage. A professional water and fire restoration company will have all of the appropriate tools needed to remove excess water from all affected areas in order to avoid further damage as well as potential health concerns.
Hire a professional fire and water restoration company when disaster strikes your property, to handle all the necessary repairs needed to restore it back to pre-fire condition, including drywall repairs, repainting, and wood refinishing. Furthermore, their experts can address any electrical system problems caused by fire; and deal with dangerous toxins left by fire damage.
Structural Damage
Once a fire has been extinguished, much work remains to restore a home or business to its previous condition. Damage from the fire itself must be cleaned up as well as smoke residue, soot deposits, ash, and any water damage from firefighters’ hoses. Cleaning will require replacing damaged drywall and insulation materials with new ones; installing new carpeting; painting walls and ceilings; rewiring electrical systems as necessary and even major carpentry projects to replace burned or damaged parts of property.
Contents in a home must also be sorted and cleaned, which can be an exhausting and time-consuming task. Every item must be meticulously restored or destroyed as part of this restoration process; some items may even no longer be salvageable. A fire restoration team will create an inventory list of what can be saved vs what must be replaced, taking hours as they move room by room through each home to see which can be saved vs what must be replaced; any non-salvageable items will be destroyed.
Unattended smoke and soot residue can do more damage than you realize, penetrating surfaces and fabric fibers to cause lasting harm. Professional fire damage restoration technicians are equipped to identify areas where smoke and soot collect and offer solutions that can minimize its long-term consequences.
Once the structural and contents damage has been addressed, deodorization and decontamination must take place to return your property back to normal life as quickly as possible. Smoke and soot residue often leave behind musty odors that can be difficult to eradicate quickly; with the help of special ozone machines and cleaning solutions from Regency Disaster Response Team’s professionals can quickly neutralize these odors so you can resume normal activities swiftly.
Once the cleanup and repair processes have been completed, the property is ready for its occupants to return. If the fire was severe, boarding up windows and doors to protect from looters and vandals may be necessary; additionally if there was substantial roof damage that necessitated professional assessment before the return of its inhabitants.
- Stay safe. If the fire is still smoldering, do not enter the building. Wait for the fire department to extinguish the fire and declare the building safe to enter.
- Ventilate the area. Open all windows and doors to ventilate the area and remove smoke and soot. You may also want to use fans to help circulate the air.
- Remove contaminated items. Any items that have been exposed to smoke or fire should be removed from the building. This includes furniture, clothing, carpets, and anything else that could be contaminated.
- Clean surfaces. Wash all surfaces that have been exposed to smoke or fire with a mild soap and water solution. You may also want to use a deodorizer to help remove the smoke smell.
- HEPA vacuum. HEPA vacuums are designed to remove fine particles, such as smoke and soot. This is an important step in smoke and fire restoration, as these particles can be harmful to your health.
- Inspect for damage. Once the cleaning is complete, inspect the building for any damage that may have been caused by the fire. This includes structural damage, electrical damage, and water damage.
- Repair damage. Once the damage has been assessed, you will need to repair it. This may involve hiring a contractor to repair structural damage or an electrician to repair electrical damage.
- Replace damaged items. Any items that were damaged beyond repair will need to be replaced. This includes furniture, clothing, carpets, and anything else that was damaged.
Contents
Fires often lead to the destruction of household and commercial contents, leaving behind byproducts like soot and smoke residue that damage surfaces, discolor materials, etch or stain them and can even settle on surfaces and settle on materials in ways they would not normally. Professional contents restoration services offer services which restore these items back to their pre-fire state.
Adopting safe living habits is one of the best ways to prevent house fires in the first place. Avoid cooking during sleep hours and keep all flammable materials away from heaters or other heat sources; smoking should only ever take place outdoors and never in close proximity of any combustible material.
