Key steps to take after house fire

12/21/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Western Lancaster County knows exactly what steps to follow after a fire. Reach out to us if you experience any fire damage.

One of the worst situations that any homeowner can experience is having a fire in their house. In the event that this awful occurrence happens to you, you need to know how to respond. This article examines some of the key actions you need to take after a fire in your home.

Stay Safe

The top priority after a fire is ensuring that you and your family remain safe. After a serious fire, you almost always will need to vacate your property, so contact friends or relatives to see if they can provide you with shelter temporarily. If you have no close relatives or friends to turn to, contact local organizations, such as the Red Cross, which can give you the help and shelter you need. 

Another crucial safety issue is making certain that it's safe to go back into your damaged house. Never go back into a house with fire damage unless the fire department says that it's safe. Also, check with the fire department to see if you can safely use your utilities.

Insurance

Naturally, one of the first things you want to do after a fire, once you and your family are safe, is to contact your insurance agent. You want to make a claim as soon as possible so that you can start to restore your home to its previous condition.

Inventory

Make a list of all of your property that was damaged in the fire. Your insurer will want to know exactly what was lost or damaged before they will compensate you. Record the value of the items that were damaged or destroyed, as well as a description of the property and the approximate date that you purchased it. 

Avoid throwing away any damaged items before listing them in your inventory. If you throw out an item first, you may forget to note it in your inventory later.

Undamaged Items

It's a good idea to separate property wasn’t damaged from property that was damaged. You may need to transport your undamaged furniture and other intact property to a local storage unit to prevent thieves or looters from entering your home and stealing it.

Restoration

After you have dealt with the most immediate issues, then you can start dealing with the damage to your home. The most effective way to contend with fire damage is to engage the services of trained professionals.

Once you have consulted with the restoration firm, they will inspect your home and tell you exactly what needs to be done. The firm will also make certain that your home is as secure as possible by boarding up damaged windows and putting a protective tarp on damaged sections of the roof. This will help you avoid further damage from rain or break-ins.

A critical step in getting your home ready for structural repairs is dealing with any water damage that resulted from the fire department extinguishing the flames. Another key step is removing any soot and smoke odors from the walls, floors, and ceilings of the house or from your belongings. 

Fire restorations firms are experts at both of these tasks, so you need not worry about these jobs being handled properly. The technicians have specialized equipment that resolves smoke odor and soot problems efficiently and without harming your belongings or causing any further damage to your house.

You need to take all the proper steps after a house fire to resolve the situation effectively. Of course, one of the most critical steps is enjoying the services of an experienced fire restoration firm, such as SERVPRO of Western Lancaster County. Contact us for more information about restoring your home to its original condition after a fire.