Fire or heat absorption in the rooms of a house or office can significantly impact the life of the investments made within the structure. Adding to the threat is an often underestimated threat of smoke damage.
A fire in one room can damage belonging and surfaces throughout the entire property and cause odors that may last for years to come. Most of the times these fires can be detected on time thanks to the new fire alarm systems; however the smoke damage is evident and needs to be addressed as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
All of these need to be identified and addressed to stymie further damage and increase the life of furniture, fittings and finishing’s within your home or office. Disaster cleanup and disaster repair are our area of expertise.
Fires in homes and offices can be caused by a multitude of reasons and more often that have a very devastating effect. In either case, the extent or type of damage depends on the kind of fire. The extent of smoke damage also sometimes goes unnoticed.
Simple Fires: the burning of pure fuels, generally resulting the complete combustion of the same. Odors and smoke are the two most undesired effects.
Complex Fires: the more frequent of the two includes the burning of synthetic materials such as carpets, toys, wires, plastic furniture, etc. Soot and acid deposits are the most worrisome.
In any event the agenda is to restore life and lifestyle to normalcy in as little a time. Fire damage and smoke damage could be extensive and at times emergency restoration services are the call of the hour.
Depending on the degree of damage you could either address it yourself or please call us at the earliest to deal with the problem.
Listed below are a few steps and precautions you can take. Also you should call us to evaluate the damage in case you need to call your insurance company.
The Very first things to do:
1. Put your safety first: fire may cause damage to the structure, short circuits in the electrical system and carry chemical hazards.
2. Secure your property and personal belongings from further damage.
Your insurance adjuster needs to understand the extent of damage to property, belongings and the structure to effectively process your claim.
After taking steps to protect and secure your property and personal belongings, the next important step is damage assessment.
Understanding the extent of the damage caused to the structure and personal belongings will help your insurance adjuster to efficiently process the damage claim.
What Can you do next:
Brush-vacuum loose soot particles from upholstery, drapes, and carpets.
Cover carpeted traffic areas with towels or old linens to prevent additional soiling.
Discard open food packages. The food could be contaminated.
If electrical service is off, clean out your freezer and refrigerator. Leave the doors propped open or place charcoal in the unit.
Send clothing with heavy smoke damage to a qualified professional dry cleaner who specializes in smoke damage.
Wipe residue from porcelain bath fixtures to prevent etching.
If the outside temperature is above 60 degrees and there is no water damage, open windows to reduce smoke odor.
If you have water damage, is really important to start the drying process as soon as possible, so it doesn’t become a mold problem.
What not to do:
Do not attempt to wash any papered or flat painted walls without consulting your professional cleaner.
Do not attempt to clean carpets or upholstered furniture. Incorrect procedures could increase damage.
Do not use electrical appliances that have been close to fire or water before having them checked.
Do not use ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet. A short circuit could result.
Try not to touch upholstery, walls and woodwork. The grease in your hands could permeate the soot, causing further damage.
Do not eat food that has been exposed to fire or smoke.
Smoke and soot can travel and penetrate into other rooms affecting paint, carpet, upholstery, drapes, clothing and any other family belongings.
These are a few steps that one should take as soon as one can. We once again advise to use our services to help mitigate any long term damage to property and also quality of life.
Our Fire Damage Restoration services include but are not restricted to the following:
- Fire damage restoration
- Fire damage repair
- Fire damage insurance claims
- Emergency restoration service
- Fire damage cleanup
- Fire disaster clean up
