A fire can cause emotional distress and physical damage. It is mostly unpredictable, uncontrollable, and downright scary. Compared to a flood, you can’t salvage many things from a fire incident.
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On average, it takes around 90 seconds for a house to catch fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly 375,000 homes catch fire in the US with estimated property damage of around $25.5 billion each year.
The very nature of any disaster such as fire is uncertain. Understanding the recovery process is critical to saving most of your valuable property. Finding a restoration company is ideal, but read on to know how to clean up and recover through these fire damage restoration tips.
Let’s walk you through the facts and tips on fire damage restoration.
What is Fire Damage Restoration?
Fire Damage Restoration is the process of returning the fire and smoke-damaged property back to its original shape. The process can take weeks or months depending on the severity of the damage. The cost of fire damage restoration also depends on the severity of the problem.
Remember that fire and water damage often co-occur. When a property is caught by fire, the fire department extinguishes the blaze with water. Oftentimes, the pipes will be damaged by fire, creating leaks into the structure.
In the case above, both fire and water can make a structure unsalvageable. That is why the very first thing that your fire damage restoration company does is to remove the water to prevent more damage.
Fire Damage Restoration Process
Now, let’s take a closer look at the different steps involved in the fire restoration process. These are the steps most professionals do during a fire damage restoration service.
Step 1: Assessment of Damage
Once the property is confirmed to be safe to enter, the restoration professionals will look at the extent that fire, smoke, and soot has penetrated into the property. This also involves an assessment of the contents of the property to determine which one’s can be restored and which need to be discarded. After, your fire damage contractor will provide you with an estimate of how long the work will take and the required budget.
After knowing the possible cost of fire restoration, you can check with your insurance coverage if it can be all shouldered. It’s also best to call your insurance company about the process of claims and how much is covered by your policy.
Step 2: Containment of the Property
After the assessment is performed and you’ve agreed to the price, it is time to secure the property. This includes removing debris around the perimeter, installing a fence around the property, and sealing off parts of the roof to protect from unforeseen weather.
It is important that your restoration experts seal off or isolate areas that aren’t impacted by fire to minimize any cross-contamination. Also, by securing your place, you’re preventing any strangers from coming near your property. It’ll be unsafe for them, and for your loved ones to come near that debris. Whether you’re dealing with a residential or commercial restoration service, it’s important to contain the property.
Step 3: Clearance, Water Mitigation & Drying
This step is vital to avoid further damage caused by mold or corrosion by removing all the water and drying out the property. Damaged drywall and flooring will be extracted from the interior of the structure. Tarps will be placed on the roof to block water from coming into the property.
For that matter, we use powerful air movers, dehumidifiers, and wet vacuums. This equipment helps us remove all that water and moisture. Letting water stay longer than 24 hours on your belongings can further damage them, so we don’t want this to happen. Keep in mind that this problem cannot be solved by following simple house cleaning tips.
Step 4: Cleaning and smoke removal
This is the most rigorous part of all the procedures. This step entails a lot of laborious tasks to clean smoke and soot from the different surfaces. On average, this takes around 24 to 72 hours with the right number of people employed for the job.
In most cases, water damage restoration will also be performed. It is deemed necessary proper sanitation and cleanup should be done to fully remove any smoke odors. To stop any subsequent mold growth, antimicrobial chemicals shall be used.
The experts will use various techniques to clean any contents that can still be restored. Cleanup also involves cleaning ducts to remove soot, smoke, and unwanted elements that may have settled inducts. You may have to check out some residential or commercial cleaning prices and compare them in order to get the best one suitable for your needs.
Step 5: Construction and Restoration
This is the final step in the restoration of fire damage to its pre-loss condition. This involves removing all completely unsalvageable parts of the structure. Depending on your agreed contract, your restoration professionals may include: replacing electrical and flooring materials, replacing and painting drywall, rebuilding and replacing the roof, replacing fixtures, etc. to bring the property back to its original state.
Before deciding to salvage any material, we first assess its conditions, if they are still worthy for restoration. Otherwise, we’ll recommend that you replace them since it’ll be unsafe for everyone. If you think that a part of your home is heavily damaged, just like your kitchen, and the only way to go is to reconstruct, then, it’s time for you to look for the latest kitchen remodeling trends now.
When do I need help from a fire damage restoration company?
We understand that you might be tempted to save on the cost of hiring a professional, right? But that shouldn’t bother you since it’ll be your insurance company to cover all these expenses. Most importantly, the safety and efficiency of restoring all those fire damages are critical. It’ll require proper equipment and skills for that to be done quickly. You should also need to know if the company is offering disinfection service to make sure that your home items are clean after the restoration.
With that said, if you can save time and money while ensuring things are done professionally, that’s truly worthwhile, right? You can find many restoration specialists near you, and Royal Restoration is one of them. We can give you a free consultation about your concern, and from there, you can decide whether to move forward with us, or not.
How to find the right fire damage restoration service?
Your insurance company will surely recommend restoration companies but pick one that you feel comfortable working with. Here are some of the things you should look up before closing a contract with a restoration company:
- Check reviews of the company.
- See if the business has a certification from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration. This certification will secure you that the firm has insurance, provides strict training for its technician, and has a written policy about customer complaints.
- Read the contract properly. Understand the services covered by the insurance.
- Make sure the company is always on call.
Facing a fire damage problem is not the end of your happy moments. We can help you recover in the shortest possible time. You can give us a call to discover what we can do for you. Call now!
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