Fire Restoration Help and Tips for Damage Repair

When fire damage occurs, property owners are usually caught off guard by the challenges that arise while ensuring the future safety and restoration of their property.  Fires are not only deadly, they can also create devastating property loss.  Home and business owners must familiarize themselves with as much information as possible before a catastrophic fire occurs.  This will create an opportunity for property owners to recover from a fire sooner rather than later. The interactive guide below shows fire damage tips as well and FEMA has fire restoration tips after a fire has occurred.

Quickly assessing the damage caused by fire is a property owner’s number one priority.  Many items within a home or business may be overlooked when determining the full scope of the damage.  The following items should be carefully inspected or evaluated by a fire damage service provider before integrating them back into a restored home or business:

• Food
• Dishes/Utensils
• Clothing
• Furniture
• Upholstery
• Carpeting

Food, dishes, and eating utensils are some of the most commonly overlooked items when assessing damage.  Eating contaminated food or eating off of contaminated dishware or utensils can cause severe illness.  These items must be properly inspected by a fire restoration specialist.  If the items are not able to be restored, they must be disposed of properly.

While flames can cause the most visible damage to a property during a fire, smoke and soot are silent and sometimes invisible hazards that could cost lives.  Smoke inhalation is the leading cause of death amongst victims of a fire.  Smoke damage must never be overlooked when evaluating the damage caused by fire.

Unlike certain types of smoke, soot is a very visible threat.  Soot is a coating of fine, black dust created when wood, coal, or oil-based substances are burned.  These carbon particles are disbursed into the air and settle anywhere.  If inhaled, soot can caused severe lung deficiencies or even death.  If soot contaminates items in the home or office, a fire restoration service provider must assess the damage to see if restoration is possible.

When fire damage occurs, the last thing on a property owner’s mind is water damage.  Another detail that is typically overlooked during a potentially deadly blaze is the inherent water damage when fire officials attempt to extinguish the fire.

Water is used to put out fires large and small.  After the blaze has been contained, the affected areas must be completely dried to avoid further damage and loss.  Water damage service providers use industrial dehumidifiers and air movers to dry saturated carpets, padding, furniture, and other items.

It is important to dry the affected area as efficiently as possible as mold colonies can begin to grow just 48 hours after water damage has occurred.  The combination of fire, water, and mold damage to a property could result in a complete loss if not handled properly by a mold remediation service provider.

By finding the answers to questions about fire damage before disaster strikes, homeowners can accelerate the restoration process.