What to Do if Your Home Suffers From Fire Damage

1/17/2024 (Permalink)

Experiencing fire damage in your home can be a distressing and overwhelming situation. Knowing what steps to take in the aftermath is crucial to ensure both safety and effective recovery. From assessing the extent of the damage to contacting professionals for restoration, navigating the aftermath of a fire requires a systematic approach.

Let's explore the essential actions to take if your home suffers from fire damage, immediate steps to take, safety precautions, and critical measures to begin the restoration process and reclaim a sense of normalcy for you and your family.

About Fire Damage Restoration

The aftermath of a fire wreaks havoc on your home or business, leaving behind a distressing and disorienting situation. During this trying time, finding compassionate expertise is crucial. When facing the aftermath of a fire, reach out to SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel, the trusted leaders in fire restoration. Our team prioritizes your well-being, treating you with utmost care and understanding while ensuring the same meticulous attention of your home and belongings.

Addressing the pervasive damage caused by soot and smoke requires immediate action, and our professionals are primed to initiate the cleanup and restoration quickly. With specialized training, dedicated personnel, and advanced equipment, we're committed to quickly and efficiently restoring your home to its preloss condition, providing you with peace of mind amidst the chaos.

Stay Out of the House

After a fire, returning to your home without professional clearance can be extremely hazardous. The structural integrity of the building may have been compromised by the fire's heat, weakening floors, walls, and the roof, posing a significant risk of collapse.

Also, there could be hidden dangers such as smoldering embers, unstable debris, and toxic fumes from burned materials, which can cause severe health issues if inhaled. Ash residue might contain harmful chemicals and carcinogens, making the air unsafe to breathe without proper protective gear. For these reasons, it's crucial to wait for the all-clear from fire authorities or restoration professionals before reentering a fire-damaged property to ensure your safety and well-being.

Don't Wash Anything

After fire damage, it might seem logical to immediately clean floors, carpets, or upholstery; however, doing so can exacerbate the damage. Smoke residues can contain acidic elements that, when exposed to water or cleaning agents, may set the stains deeper into surfaces, making them more challenging to remove.

Also, improper cleaning methods can spread soot particles further, potentially causing more extensive and irreversible damage to these surfaces. Waiting for professional assessment and guidance ensures the application of appropriate cleaning techniques and products designed to effectively remove smoke residue without causing additional harm.

Protect Chrome with Petroleum Jelly or Oil

Cleaning and protecting chrome with a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil after fire damage is crucial to prevent further corrosion and damage. Fire can leave acidic residues and soot particles that, if left untreated, can quickly degrade the surface of chrome, leading to tarnishing and pitting. Applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly or oil acts as a protective barrier, creating a shield against moisture and contaminants that might accelerate corrosion. This preventive measure helps preserve the integrity and shine of chrome surfaces, aiding in their restoration and minimizing the long-term effects of fire-related damage.

Change the HVAC Filter

Changing the HVAC filter after fire damage is essential to prevent the spread of soot, smoke particles, and contaminants throughout the ventilation system. The residue left by a fire can infiltrate the HVAC system, potentially compromising indoor air quality if not addressed promptly. A fresh filter helps to trap and prevent these harmful particles from circulating, ensuring that the air being circulated is cleaner and healthier. This simple step not only improves the indoor air quality but also minimizes the risk of recontaminating cleaned areas, supporting the overall restoration efforts post-fire damage.

Why SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel?

Why should you reach out to SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel if your home falls victim to fire damage? Here are some reasons:

• We're Faster to Any Size Disaster: When your Holmdel home or business experiences fire damage, you need professional help quickly. SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel is dedicated to responding right away, which helps to prevent further damage and to reduce the cost of restoration.
• We're Fire and Water Damage Specialists: As fire and water damage specialists, we have the training, experience, and specialized equipment necessary to restore your home or business. We are committed to providing superior service while restoring your property back to pre-fire condition.
• Our Restore vs. Replace Mentality: Besides the obvious advantage of lower costs, "restore first" mentality also gets you back into your home or business quicker and with less disruption to your life.

Our Fire Damage Restoration Process

Every fire damage event is a little different, and requires a unique solution, but the general process stays the same. The steps listed below illustrate our process for the 'typical' fire damage restoration.

• Emergency Contact - You call us.
• Inspection and Fire Damage Assessment: We'll carefully perform an inspection and test adjoining rooms of your property to determine the extent of fire and smoke damage.
• Immediate Board-Up and Roof-Tarp Service: Fire damage can compromise windows, walls, and roofs, so we can board it up to maintain security and secure against more damage.
• Water Removal and Drying: The water removal process begins almost right away and removes the majority of the water. We then use dehumidifiers and air movers to remove the remaining water and complete the drying process.
• Removal of Smoke and Soot from All Surfaces: We use specialized equipment and techniques to remove this from ceilings, walls, and other surfaces.
• Cleaning and Sanitizing: We clean, sanitize, and disinfect all the restorable items and structures that were damaged by the fire.
• Restoration: Restoration may involve minor repairs, such as replacing drywall, and installing new carpet; or it may entail major repairs such as the reconstruction of various areas or rooms in a home or business.

About SERVPRO Team Harvey

SERVPRO of Aberdeen/Holmdel is proudly owned by Lance and Jennifer Harvey - a husband and wife duo that owns three other SERVPRO locations, including SERVPRO of West Somerset County and SERVPRO of Hoboken/Union City.

We understand the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it “like it never even happened.”