When you have a fire in your home the damage comes on many fronts. The fire itself, smoke, and water all have a hand in the havoc. Repairing fire damage takes work and knowing what the restoration process will entail can help you deal with the fallout, and help you get back on your feet more easily.
Step One of Repairing Fire Damage:
After the fire has been put out and it’s safe to return to the structure you’ll want a professional restoration service such as Branch Services to come in and assess the extent of the damage. As mentioned before, the damage comes from many causes, fire and smoke damage being the first things they look at. Making sure that the area is safe to enter is key to moving forward with the restoration. Depending on how much structural damage has taken place, the team you call may need to repair that first before any clean up can happen. If any areas are structurally unsafe, they may be blocked off from the rest of the home so that restoration can continue. Those areas that are blocked off will be tackled after the rest of the process is underway.
Water Damage Left from a Fire:
Water damage is another issue that is important to address. In a large fire, there is often water left behind after it’s been put out; a professional will have specialized equipment to remove the water and dry all affected areas.
If water damage is not handled properly you can end up with a mold problem, on top of the other issues you’re dealing with. Drying the water is not as simple as just opening a window, specialized equipment is necessary to get the job done correctly and keep mold from infesting the unaffected areas of the home.
Once the water is cleaned up the smoke and soot will need to be dealt with. Soot gets into every nook and cranny in your home after a house fire, so smoke damage restoration is an extensive process. The walls and ceilings need to be cleaned, soft items such as clothing and some toys will need to be removed from the home and professionally cleaned, as will furniture, rugs, and other items in the home.
Final Step of Repairing Fire Damage:
The final stage of repairing fire damage is post-soot removal sanitization and cleanup. This will include deciding what can and cannot be kept (certain items may be beyond saving, even if they were not in the area of the fire) and preparing the property for any necessary restoration work, such as replacing drywall, carpets, floorboards, and painting.
No one wants to experience a fire in their home, but with the help of an expert, the process can be a whole lot easier. So if you have had a fire be sure to call Branch Services to assess, clean, and repair your fire damage and get you back to where you want to be.