Steps to Restore Fire Damaged Property

11/6/2020 (Permalink)

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Damage suffered due to fire is something no homeowner would want to experience. Nobody goes into ownership or start a business, assuming that they will have to rebuild after a fire. We take every precautionary measure to ensure that our property remains safe from fires and other disasters. However, many unexpected causes like a faulty appliance or damaged wiring lead to fires. In some cases, human error is also a leading cause. Whichever the reason, the fire caused needs immediate control, or else it does considerable damage to the property. The priority here is to clear the building of people and call in a fire emergency to control the spread.

Once the fire settles restoration emergency services start the challenging phase of property restoration to avoid further damage. Restoration service begins with the knowledge of the extent of damage, commencing renovations and securing undamaged items. Every company follows a standard procedure of fire damage restoration that you need to understand. Once you know the steps of the process, you prepare yourself for an incident in the future.

Steps of Fire Damage Restoration

Restoration emergency services follow a standard procedure to restore the property in its original state after fire and water (due to firefighters) damage:

• Assessment of the Situation

The first step of restoration services is to assess the property for the extent of the fire and smoke damage. The assessment helps to understand the deepness of fire penetration, the smoke level and if the walls show signs of damage. Experts conduct an evaluation before initiating the restoration process to record and document everything. Assessment is also necessary to show the extent of the damage for insurance purposes. Restoration emergency services immediately remove any untouched furniture after evaluation. Lingering smoke embeds itself in the fiber and surfaces, so the sooner the removal, the better.

• Isolation of Unsafe Areas

The second step of the restoration process is to isolate the areas that seem unsafe after extinguishing the fire. Restoration emergency services assess different areas of the building and determine the damage caused by fire and water doused for controlling. Experts isolate and block unsafe areas top to prevent potential injury or further damage.

• Water Removal

The next step is to dry the area and clear the water present inside. Firefighters use water to douse the fire that can cause severe damage if left unchecked. Stagnant water can cause damage to plumb lines, walls, wooden cabinets and in worst cases, the foundations. Humidity and moisture also give rise to mold and fungus to grow and expand, further damaging the property.  Restoration emergency services use specialized equipment to pump out all the water residue and humidity to prevent further damage to the property. 

• Smoke and Soot Removal

After the removal of water and drying the property, experts focus their attention on the reduction of soot and smoke. The smoke left after the fire is as much damaging as the fire itself. Most of the times, fire leaves a thin layer of soot on walls, ceilings and other surfaces that experts carefully remove using related equipment. They sometimes use a technique called air scrubbing to remove the soot and remove smoke odor.

• Sanitization and Cleanup

For the next step, restoration emergency services sanitize and clean the property. This is an essential step as the debris and smoke left behind by fire renders a place inhabitable. Cleaning the area and sanitization helps determine salvageable or discarded items. Experts start to work in possessions not affected by the fire and restore then to their original quality. Experts take sanitization and pre-cleaning seriously because of the corrosive effects of soot and smoke. Experts do a deep cleaning to reach every single area and neutralize odor caused by soot and smoke.

• Repairs and Renovations

After removal of smoke and initial cleanup, experts determine repairs and renovations needed on the property. Fire and water cause damage to plumb lines, wirings, furniture and other heirlooms that need repairs and renovations to restore. Restoration emergency services work on items left after discarding the possessions damaged beyond repair. Many fire damage companies offer renovation services in combinations with their restoration activities to make the place habitable again.

• Final Assessment and Cleanup

Restoration emergency services conduct a final assessment to identify any shortcoming and perform cleanup before finishing.

Final Word

Fire damage restoration is more than just a quick clean up and repairs of areas the fire has touched. Restoration emergency services have to take into account all the necessary steps to ensure they leave the place habitable again. They have to assess the property carefully and take the required measures accordingly. As a homeowner, do not try to make a decision by yourself and start the cleanup. Contact professional services with expertise and resources to restore the property to its original state and make it habitable again.