Experiencing a house fire, no matter how big and serious can be quite a harrowing experience. Depending on the damage to your home, it can also be quite an expensive and long process to get your home back into a habitable condition.
That is why it is important to start as soon as possible and to do it right. Fire and water damage remediation experts at KIC Restoration share some of the most important insight into the matter.
Don’t Do Anything Until Authorized:
If there was a serious fire, you probably had to call the emergency services. A fire brigade probably had to intervene and put out the fire, causing quite a bit of damage in the process.
Once the fire has been put out and everything has settled, you can start clearing everything away. But, make sure that you have the permission and assurances from the fire department that everything really is over and that it is actually safe to go back into the house.
Even when the fire is put out, there are some potential dangers lurking in a fire-damaged house. Things like structural damage and hidden cinder can be a potential problem, but probably the most important thing you need to worry about is smoke damage and inhaling smoke and soot.
Consult a Fire Remediation Company:
If the damage to your home is greater than you can handle, and it requires some structural work, chances are that you will need to call in a fire remediation company.
These companies are experts in dealing with fire damage and will be able to help you much more effectively than you would be able to yourself.
For one, they have all the necessary equipment and skills to do works safely and quickly, both of which is important when you are rebuilding or remediating your home. What’s more, they will also have all the necessary permits to do this type of works.
Document Everything:
In order to be able to claim insurance money, you will need to prove what was damaged in the fire. That’s why it is important to document everything either by taking pictures or getting written documents.
When an insurance agent arrives, it helps to have comprehensive documentation of what was lost in the fire. If you are unsatisfied with the estimate given to you by your insurance agent, you can potentially dispute that claim and get an adjuster to help you get a better deal.
What You Can Do on Your Own:
Even though the majority of works should be left to fire damage remediation professionals, there still are a few smaller things you can do to help. For a start, you should make sure that all of your windows and doors are open in order to get as much smoke and soot as possible.
You might also want to turn on the AC to clean up the smoke out of the air. Check your air filter when you are done to see just how much soot and smoke you were breathing in.
Cleaning Up After the Fire:
Finally, when the remediation is gone, you can start cleaning up the whole place. Charred walls will likely be replaced, so you don’t have to worry about that, but all of your furniture is still probably good to keep, and so are your floors and ceilings.
You will need to clean everything thoroughly because the smell of smoke would linger on. You might want to use a basic (alkaline) soap which will counteract the acidic residue of the fire and smoke.
Make sure to clean inside and outside of all of your cabinets, closets and other furniture. All of your bedding, upholstered furniture should also be cleaned, preferably with an alkaline cleaner, for the same reason.
Recovering your home from a fire can take a long time and cost a lot, but it is necessary and you will be happy once it is done.
Read Also:
