Even those who have never faced fire damage to their residential houses or commercial buildings can easily imagine how terrifying such a situation can be if you are inside of it. But it is more than important to calm down and start the cleanup and restoration process what will help you to bring your life back to normal sooner.
Fire can become a cause of significant structural damages that is dangerous for human health and life. That is why it will be more than wise to not risk by yourself and let professionals with relevant knowledge, experience, and equipment do their job.
Below you will be able to find useful tips on what you can and cannot do in case you faced the cleanup and restoration process after the fire damage.
What You Can Do?
- Wait for a professional assessment of the level of danger before try to enter the building after the fire damage. Even in case, everything looks safe for you, do not risk your health and life. Buildings structures can be damaged by fire and became unstable, fires can start again, and it is only a couple of hazards, but there is a long list of them.
- Make enough photos and videos of the fire damage, they will be evidence for your insurance company.
- Contact the insurance agent to start the fire damage assessing process.
- Hire a reputable restoration company for the performance of cleanup and repair works.
- Limit movement inside the fire-damaged property to stop soot from spreading.
- Change filters in your furnace.
- Use sheets to cover upholstery and dry furnishings.
- Open doors and windows to get air flowing.
- Clean all of the clothing from the fire-damaged property by using a professional fire damage restoration cleaners.
- Throw away all drink and food from the fire-damaged property.
What You Cannot Do?
- Enter the property before the fire department or fire damage restoration specialist lets you know that it is completely safe.
- Start the cleanup process before the fire damage assessment is performed by your insurer.
- Use furnishing or carpets from the fire-damaged property before they get professional cleaning by a restoration company.
- Use drinks or food affected by fire and heat.
- Turn on the gas, electricity / electric equipment, or water before they are all checked by the specialist.
- Please remember about the dangers of residue left behind after the fire damage for human health. That is why they need to be handled thoroughly and safely what only professionals with relevant knowledge, experience, and equipment can do.
How to Avoid Fire Damage?
Since you know what you can and cannot do when facing fire damage, it will be useful to know how to prevent such a disaster as a residential house or commercial building fire damage.
Below you will be able to find a few simple, but major rules:
- Install and regularly check out your smoke detectors or alarm system. It will be more than wise to perform batteries test at least once per month and total system replacement at least once per ten years. In case you have more than only one story in your residential or business property, make sure that you have enough detectors on each of them.
- Make sure that you have enough fire extinguishers with the proper type that suits your needs. All of them need to be easily accessible and light enough for maneuver. All employees or family members need to be trained to use a fire extinguisher.
- Be aware in the kitchen during the cooking process. Most residential building fires are caused by left unattended cooking surfaces. So if you are a chef for this breakfast or dinner, make sure that you thinking about safety as much as about delicious meals.
As you probably already understand, the cleanup and restoration process of the fire-damaged residential or business property is more than challenging. That is why it is better to hire a professional team of technicians equipped with all necessary equipment, who passed relevant education and have successful experiences. Signature Water and Fire Restoration is a great example of such a company.
So if your residential house or commercial building faced fire damage, do not hesitate and call Signature Water and Fire Restoration to let our specialists help you with the cleaning, sanitizing, and restoring process. Here is our 24/7 phone number: 1-224-515-0100.