Picking up the pieces after a fire is hardly easy. It’s a very difficult, devastating period and the recovery is not only hard, but also involves many stages. No matter how destructive, how painful a fire is, it’s not the only blow. Along comes soot, smoke, the possibility of water damage – once the firefighters get done with their work, the headache of the insurance, and the risk of dealing with mold. No wonder a fire damage restoration company will make your life a lot easier.
The fire is the first blow. It’s a blow to your stomach. It’s a punch to your life. It’s everyone’s worse nightmare. First you need the help of the fire department and while, they do what they have to do, you need to notify your insurance company and also, find a fire damage remediation company. In that order.
There’s an order at what fire damage restoration teams do too
Not all fires are exactly the same. Not all properties are the same either. You may need residential or commercial fire damage restoration. The fire might have destroyed part or the entire structure.
But in all cases, there’s a common denominator. The enemies are plenty – not just the fire. You need fire & smoke damage services. You need soot removal. The water left behind by the firefighters must be extracted too. And that’s not all. The water – the moisture that is left behind, may also create a new enemy: mold.
And there’s even more bad news. You see, the hazardous smell of smoke doesn’t go away that easily. Mold may appear some time later. Your concerns are not resolved easily.
The good news? Professional fire & smoke damage restoration companies know what’s involved in such situations. They know the risks, the imminent dangers, what must be done and when for effective results as soon as possible.
What’s (more or less) the fire damage remediation process?
• Disaster restoration companies inspect the property, having as their ultimate goal to evaluate the extend of damage and plan the remediation process. But they also have another goal. To remove flammables (if any left) in the property and thus, ensure the fire just put out won’t restart or spread.
• Part of the initial inspection and fire damage clean-up is to check (and ensure) the structure’s integrity, the stability. They also see if there are broken windows, if some drywall is about to collapse, if the ceilings are sound, if there are any fire hazards remaining in the property. Of course, if there are, they remove them.
• Based on their findings, the team makes a plan for the recovery. They see if there’s a need for partial or complete rebuild & repair services.
• Naturally, if basic structural elements – like walls, windows, floors, ceilings, are seriously damaged and not safe, they fix them first. If the roof is damaged, they may apply a tarp to protect the building from further damage due to the weather.
• It’s only after all the necessary structural repairs and wall strengthening are done that the real clean-up begins. At that stage, the team has one prime purpose: to extract the water.
Of course, all the above stages are done quickly. There’s no room for delays when it comes to fire damage services. But then again, not everything can be done right away. Some repairs may be more important to do than extract water to ensure the stability, the integrity of the structure and thus, avoid casualties. So, if water has caused damage in the meanwhile, they fix it.
• The possible water damage restoration process is followed by drying. This is a major phase of the recovery process. How well the area is dried determines whether or not, you will deal with mold. And so, they use special machinery to remove all water and also, dry well the entire structure, while removing anything & everything soaked or items that may increase the levels of moisture (pillows, upholstery, etc.)
• At the same time, they remove soot and smoke. This happens with equipment and also, by removing items affected by the fire and thus, smoke. In most cases, people have to remove carpets, throw away beds, replace many things that have deeply absorbed smoke.
It’s often necessary that the building is checked periodically the time followed the recovery period to ensure there’s no mold growth. The main repairs may be done but after the fire damage restoration and smoke removal, you may need to replace drywall or take better care of some structural damage. Many companies can undertake all such projects and completely rebuild your home or business. So, just ask.
