It’s overwhelming to experience a raging fire in your home, and it’s very devastating. In a span of an hour or less, you see that the fire is burning everything, and your life is turned upside down.
After you’ve recovered from the shock, you need to act quickly, what you need is to know where to start and make sure that there are restoration efforts made to get your life back on track. This can mean that you need to locate a fire damage repair company that will help you sort through the things that can still be saved and ensure that mold and mildew will not find their place inside your home. The fire restoration experts will sort through the mess and clean your home to make it habitable once again.
What to Look for in a Fire Restoration Company
- Licenses and Certificates
- Safety and Health Cards
- Extensive training when it comes to Fire Damage Restoration
- Continuous training for restoration
- Insurance and Warranty
- References and an Official Website
- Excellent Reputation and Good Feedback
Inclusions and Basic Procedures
- Initial Meeting
- Inspection of the Home
- Setting up Tarps and Boarding up the Home
- Soot Clean-up
- Smoke and Odor Removal
- Restoration of Pipes and other Water Damaged Rooms
- Perform a Complete Restoration Procedure
When you find a company that meets these criteria, you know that you’re in safe hands. Most of the items could be restored in their pre-damaged conditions if the experts handled them early on. Most of the services are different depending on the fire damage and the home. However, here are the primary responsibilities that the companies usually undertake to prevent things from getting worse.
1. Initial Meeting
You need to find a local company that’s willing to do restoration in your home. Set up an initial meeting with at least three companies and determine their prices and services. Get quotes and save their contact information so you can call them when an emergency arises. The specialists are often available 24/7 since fires usually start in the most unexpected times, and they can catch many people unaware. With an initial meeting, you can determine which ones are easy to work with and which ones to avoid.
2. Inspection of the Home
When the firefighters have put out the fire, you need to call the repair service company to restore the home further. Once you’ve called them, they will send a technician to assess the damage. Tests and inspections are performed, and there will be a tailored and comprehensive plan that will counter the specific damage of the fire to your home.
3. Setting Tarps and Boarding Up the Home
The flames may lick at the doors, windows, roofs, and floors. Generally, there’s a gaping hole that can remain even if the fire has already been put out. Some of the holes can lead to the pests making a home inside your walls, and these can also invite thieves and wild animals if you don’t repair them in the soonest time possible.
The clean-up service will board the home and set up tarps to protect your property from the weather, pests, and burglars. Any new openings will be boarded up in the meantime to make sure that there will be no further ruin afterwards.
4. Clean-up of Soot
One of the more vital services that these companies offer is toot clean-up. The soot residue is dangerous to the family’s health if left alone. There’s acid residue and stains that are found in upholstery and furniture, appliances discoloration may become possible, and the walls may be filled with black soot. These will all appear within minutes in the area, and the experts are there to help you out.
Typically, they will remove the dirt, soot, and ashes and ensure no acidic leftovers. This will be harmful and can form several layers if not appropriately addressed. It’s going to be up to the restoration specialists to prevent that build-up and help you return to your home that’s free of any health risks. See more about the effects of house conflagrations on this page here.
5. Smoke and Odor Removal
The fire restoration specialists will dislodge the smoke from your furniture, beds, and carpets. They will do everything to clean the particles between the fibers so that the home will be fresh-smelling once again. The lingering odors of the smoke can also be removed with the help of technology. Some experts use hydroxyl machines for advanced fire restoration techniques.
These techniques include pinpointing the source of the odors and smokes to remove them. A fire-swept home should be adequately deodorized since discomfort and frustrations usually ensue with them. The unpleasant smell within the business or the residence also makes the occupants remember the tragic fire that consumed most of their belongings. The air will be fresher and cleaner with the experts, and there will be no remnants of odors.
6. Restoration of Water Damage
Another hazard that many homeowners should consider is water damage. Larger fires often cause leaks on the roofs or holes in water pipes. It’s common for the house to be engulfed in a pool of water, and this is where the experts can offer their clean-up services.
Reputable professionals will fix the burst pipes, plumbing, and roof leaks. They will also use dehumidifiers to prevent molds from growing. With the submersible pumps and other extraction technologies, the areas are dried and sanitized to avoid contamination. Molds, viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens are known to thrive in moisture, and this is why it’s essential to remove the contaminated water to prevent health risks.
7. Do Complete Restoration Services
The restoration that many companies offer may include major and minor repairs. This may include replacing an entire floor or drywall, repainting the house, and other minor aspects that will help you move forward. The significant repairs may also include a reconstruction of the portion of the home. The entire process will be tedious, but the house will go back into its original state before the conflagration.
Damages caused by Smoke, Soot, and Fire
A fire causes havoc within a home in just minutes because of corrosion and acidic soot. If you don’t address the situation correctly, other hosts of issues may arise in a single day, including some of the following:
- Yellow walls
- Rusting and corrosion of metal
- Wood furniture that requires refinishing
- Permanent upholstery that’s stained
The more you’re going to take action, the greater the likelihood that your belongings and your home will be returned to their pre-fire condition. Most of the experts recommend calling the company within the same day as the fire so the pros could work on your home as soon as it’s extinguished.