Fact: According to the National Fire Association, there are over 358,000 house fires annually.
A fire at your home or place of business can have a devastating effect. Not only is the event itself painful and disruptive, but the process of cleaning up and getting back to normal can seem overwhelming. Having a professional partner familiar with the complexities of fire restoration can help you to get back to normal as quickly as is practicable.
Although every fire restoration has its own unique challenges, there are some common factors in all of them.
What You Can Expect – Fire Restoration
The first people on scene at a fire are the fire department and emergency services. Their goal is first to ensure that everything is done to protect human life; and then to put out the fire as quickly as possible. To this end, there may be a lot of water, foam and ash which adds to the fire damage.
Calling in a fire restoration company immediately is critical to salvaging as much of your property as possible. Once on site, a fire restoration professional will assess the extent of the property damage, including fire, smoke and soot damage. Knowing the extent of the damage quickly allows the team to strategize a plan of action. The main priority is to mitigate the damage to ensure that the damage doesn’t get worse. Items not damaged in the fire may be waterlogged, for instance, and require prompt attention in order to save them. If the fire caused holes in the roof or structure, subsequent weather can cause additional damage if the holes are not covered or sealed off.
As you may have noticed, fire damage restoration is also conducted in conjunction with water damage restoration.
The Clean Up
The clean-up portion of the restoration process removes smoke, dust, and soot from your surfaces, which can look charred and stained. Standing pools of water will be cleaned up, dried and sanitized – as water contamination can cause health issues in people.
Removing smoke odors may include carpet and drapery cleaning, even if these items were not affected by the fire. In fact, even with a localized fire, most adjacent rooms will need to be eradicated of the lingering odors from the smoke. Drapes, carpets of furniture that has been too burned or contaminated with water of smoke will typically be removed and disposed of.
After the initial emergency actions, it is time to start repairing any other aspect of the home which was damaged. It is in this step that hiring a restoration company which is also a home renovation expert can make all the difference. Contractors can not only restore the carpets and furniture during the restoration phase, but rebuild cabinets, stair railings, walls and baseboards as well – bringing your home back to its original state, or better!
Fire Restoration Insurance
Typical homeowner’s insurance will cover fire damage, but the policy terms may be robust enough to handle all the costs. It is important that every homeowner check with their insurance provider to understand their level of coverage, and if they need to purchase an additional policy.
Fire insurance policies will reimburse homeowners for the loss of property, and for expenses due to alternate living situations if necessary. A fire insurance policy may also include additional coverage against smoke or water damage.
If you are looking for a fire restoration or renovation specialist in the Venice area, look no further than Kingdom Restoration. Our team can remediate the fire, smoke, and water damage; and then move seamlessly into repairing your home with professionalism and quality. Call us today to learn more.
