What to Do After a Fire
A fire is a terrible thing to happen to your home and it is something that you are never prepared enough for. Hopefully you have a plan to get out of your home in case of a fire, but do you have a plan for after the fire? You probably do not, and it is an important plan to have so that you know what you can do after the fire.
You will first want to contact your insurance provider to let them know about the fire. You will want to know what steps that they want you to take. They will probably want you to contact a fire restoration service to get an estimate of what it will cost to restore your home. One such company you can call is https://denverrestorationservices.com for a restoration estimate. They will help you to get the estimate that you need in a timely manner.
Listed below are some of the steps to take after the fire in your home. Most of these steps will be taken by the fire restoration service that you call, they will know what to do. You do not want to do the job on your own because of all the issues that you may run into.
- Call the Fire Restoration Service
You will want to call your insurance company and find out what steps you need to take after the fire is put out and everyone is safe. They will most likely have you call the fire restoration service and have you get an estimate of the cost to restore your home.
You will need to have a fire restoration service do the remediation because they know what hazards they may come across and know how to deal with those hazards. You cannot do this on your own because it just is not safe for you to do so.
- Structural Integrity of the Home
You will want to check for the structural integrity of your home because fire can damage the roof and floors of your home. It can destroy walls and supports in your home, as well. You will not want to go into your home after the fire, you will want a trained professional to do it for you.
A professional will know how to enter your home safely and check for the structural damage that will almost likely be there. It would not be safe for you to go into your home after a fire until the structural integrity of the home has been checked.
You will need to research to find someone that can do this work for you and see if they have some hints to help you find the right person. If you check this site, they can help you with some of that information. They will help to put you on the right track.
- Remove Soot, Water, and Debris
Once the fire has been put out, it will leave behind soot, water, and other debris that will need to be cleaned up. This needs to be done as soon as possible to make sure that the damage can be minimized. Leaving these contaminants in the home can lead to more damage and more odors that will be difficult to remove.
The water that was used to put out the fire will also cause more damage if it is left to sit. The quicker it is removed the better it will be for your home and its structure. There are special dehumidifiers and other equipment that can help to remove the water and dry your home out.
- Assess the Damage
Once the home is mostly cleaned up, you will be able to assess the damage of the home. You will work with the fire restoration team to determine what can be saved and what will need to be removed. You will determine the value of the items and see if there is any sentimental value to it. If it is not worth much, either monetarily or sentimentally, then it is probably best to remove it.
If you find items that have not been damaged, it is best to remove them from the home to make sure that they do not get damaged. It is easier to make sure that these items are cleaned and deodorized at a place off site, especially if they are smaller items.
- Deep Cleaning and Deodorizing
Once that you have salvaged everything that can be salvaged and removed the unsalvageable items, it is time to start the deep cleaning and deodorizing. The restoration service that you have hired have specialized cleaning supplies that they use to remove the soot and damage from your home. They will talk to you about anything that might need to be prioritized and work hard to make sure that they are taken care of properly.
The deep cleaning can remove soot and odors from just about everything that is left in your home. Curtains and other fabrics can be removed to be washed, and carpets can be cleaned. If the job is done correctly, and it should be if you hire a professional, you will never know that a fire has occurred.
- Rebuilding
Once that you have deep cleaned, it is time to start rebuilding your home. You will call in a contractor to do this part of the work. It depends on how much damage was done to determine how long the work to restore your home will take. A good contractor will be able to tell you how long it will take by looking at the home and the damage that has occurred.
You will want to find a reputable contractor to do the work because there are people that will take advantage of you and your situation. To help find a good contractor, you can do some research and read all the review about the companies. That way you will find the right one for the job.
Before too long, you will be back in your home and living the high life once again.
You will want to make sure that you choose a reputable fire restoration service to do the work. If you choose a company that is not reputable, you will end up with more trouble than you started out with.