Dealing with a house fire is a huge worry. Not only do you fear for lost and damaged property, but you also fear for those inside, hoping that they make it out unscathed. If a house fire happens, knowing how fire damage restoration works is helpful to have in your back pocket. Here is what every homeowner should know about fire damage restoration.
What is Fire Damage Restoration?
Fire damage restoration is the process of returning fire and smoke damage caused to a home to the condition it was in before the damage occurred. This process can include boarding up the home, demolition, and reconstruction, the removal of debris, soot, or odor, cleaning of contents, and hazard removal.
Steps to Restore Fire Damage
See what you can expect from our five-step process to restore fire damage:
Assessment of Damage
Your home must be safe to enter before a technician can start assessing damage. If you don’t know who to call, fire damage contractors at PureDry Restoration can assess the damage. Our crew determines how far the flames have affected the structure and what the cleanup will look like.
Another part of the assessment is looking over the contents of the home and determining if they can be restored or if they should be discarded. PureDry Restoration will then have a better scope of the work that needs to be done going forward.
Security of Property & Debris Removal
The next step in the fire damage restoration process is securing the property and the removal of debris. Fencing will be installed around the property and debris will be removed around the perimeter. This also includes setting up tarps and other materials to protect certain areas that weren’t impacted by the fire. Sealing off the property will also help prevent cross-contamination.
Demolition, Water Removal & Dry Out
This stage of the process focuses on removing any water and drying out the property to prevent damage from mold or corrosion. Personal property will be removed from inside the home and damaged drywall, flooring, and other materials will be stripped down to their studs if they need to be. Tarps used around the property will still be maintained to prevent any possibility of intruding water.
Clean Up & Smoke Removal
The clean-up step of the process requires the most labor and work. Every inch of the home that has been affected by the fire needs to be cleaned. Once the cleanup has been completed, deodorizing agents will be used to remove lingering odors from the smoke. Areas within the home such as air ducts need to be cleaned as well by removing soot, debris, and smoke that has settled.
Construction & Restoration
This step includes performing repairs and rebuilding areas that have been damaged by the fire. Construction and restoration usually involve:
- Rebuilding or replacing the roof
- Replacing electrical
- Replacing and painting drywall
- Replacing flooring materials
- Replacing interior counters and fixtures
- And more
Things to Know Before Remediation
Before fire remediation, here are some things you should know:
Try to Relax and Explore Your Feelings
Dealing with a house fire is an emotional experience. It’s normal for your mind to feel like it’s all over the place. Some of the best advice for this is to step back, try to relax, and understand that things eventually return to normal. Everything is going to be fine; it just takes time.
Understanding That Cleanup of Your Home or Business Following a Fire Will Take Time
The clean-up process of fire damage restoration is simply going to take time. It’s better to go into this process knowing that it’ll take some patience. Depending on the severity of the damage, this will also affect the time needed during clean-up. Going in knowing that will take time and that it’s a day-to-day process should mentally prepare you for the duration it’s going to take to properly clean up.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Once you have contacted the fire department, you need to contact your insurance company. The insurance agent will help you fast-track the restoration process. The faster you contact your insurance company, the sooner your home will see fire damage restoration services.
Find a Safe Place to Stay for At Least a Few Days
No matter if your property has dealt with a small or large fire, you’ll need to find a place to stay for a few days. Things such as water-damaged interiors, smoke damage, mold, flood damage, burned materials, soot, and ash can be health risks. Assessments need to be made before moving back into your home.
Secure Your Properties
One of the most important things you need to do post-fire is secure your property. Your insurance company will most likely not cover any damage sustained to the home after the fire, only damage resulting from the fire.
Educate Yourself on the Real Dangers of a Fire
Smoke, flames, and heat are the immediate dangers of a fire, but that’s not all. Smoke residue, soot, and left behind ash are also more dangers that stem from a fire. Consult with your fire damage contractor before reentering your home.
Learn About the Corrosive Nature of Smoke and Soot
Allowing soot and smoke to remain on certain items can lead to staining, discoloration, and etching. Because of the corrosive nature of smoke and soot, they can also damage various electronics.
Get Rid of Potentially Dangerous Items
It’s important to get rid of any potentially dangerous items that can expose you to toxins or soot that can make you sick. Get rid of these items:
- Non-perishable and perishable foods
- Burned clothing
- Cosmetic products
- Medicines
Handle Debris Carefully
Handle burned debris and ash with extreme caution. They can carry small amounts of cancer-causing carcinogens or chemicals. Ash also can trigger an asthma attack and irritate your lungs and skin.
Call the Right Restoration Company
Once you’re off the phone with your insurance provider, the next step is to call the right restoration company. For expert fire damage restoration services, get in contact with PureDry Restoration located in the Seattle area.
5 Essential Fire Damage Restoration Tips
1. Ventilate the Space
Open windows and doors, and use industrial fans to ventilate your home and move air around. Make sure the power cords are not plugged into your home’s outlets.
2. Cover Pieces of Furniture With Plastic
Cover pieces of furniture that were not affected by the fire with plastic to keep them from being damaged during the restoration process.
3. Do Not Try to Clean on Your Own
The many after-effects of a fire can be toxic and pose a health risk to those who try and clean up on their own. Leave it to PureDry Restoration, they have the protective equipment needed to handle these situations.
4. Don’t Plug in Electronics
Do not plug any electronics into your home’s outlets until an electrician has given you the go-ahead. The risk of another fire is much higher if you ignore this advice.
5. Throw out Contaminated Items
Any food products that could be contaminated should be thrown out. These food items include:
- Opened food containers and packages
- Fresh produce, fish, eggs, meat, or poultry
- Any food that is in foil, plastic, paper, cellophane, cardboard, or cloth
- Containers that have peel-offs, cork-lined, or waxed cardboard seals
- Seasonings, spices, sugars, extracts, flour, or anything else kept in a canister
- Even canned foods could be contaminated, proceed with caution and throw them away just in case
Dos and Don’ts for After the Fire
Do
- Limit traffic and movement inside the home to reduce the spread of soot
- Wash hands frequently and avoid touching home surfaces
- Change your home’s HVAC filter
- Rinse houseplants with water
- Apply coating or petroleum jelly to protect chrome surfaces
- Tape two layers of cheesecloth over your home’s air registers
- Put down floor runners or old linen to protect rugs, carpets, and other areas with increased foot traffic
Don’t
- Don’t turn on ceiling fixtures if wet
- Don’t consume food that was in the home during the fire
- Don’t attempt to wash walls, painted surfaces, or textiles, leave it to the restoration company
- Don’t clean electrical appliances that were close to or affected by the fire, these items need to be assessed first.
Why You Need Professional Fire Damage Restoration
Fire damage restoration is something that you should never do on your own. The professionals at PureDry have the skills, tools, equipment, and expertise to make sure that the process is done right and safely.
Your Fire Restoration Damage Experts in Seattle
Contact PureDry Restoration, the fire damage restoration experts in Seattle by calling (425) 600-6285 or visit our contact page before it is too late.