A fire can be a horrific event for your property, whether you own a house or a commercial building. They can be caused by anything from an overloaded circuit to a cooking incident to holiday decorations. Even a small fire can lead to structural damage, ruined possessions, and soot covering surfaces throughout the building.
When a commercial building or house fire leaves you devastated because of the damage caused, you have to start thinking about restoring the property. What does that process look like?
The Fire Damage Restoration Process
Whether you try to repair the property damage yourself or turn to a professional fire restoration company, an effective plan for restoring your house or commercial asset involves the following steps.
Damage Assessment
An initial assessment to determine the extent of the damage is required to form a proper plan. When a fire occurs, the flames themselves are not the only thing that will harm the property. Soot and smoke damage could be present throughout the property, even in rooms that were not close to the fire itself. Whoever is conducting repairs must assess the various rooms to locate all of the affected areas.
Water Damage Restoration
In most cases, the fire would have been put out using water, either through a sprinkler system, fire hose, or another source of water. This will leave a certain amount of water damage in addition to the fire damage. Water removal will be a necessary step in the process to extract moisture and prevent further damage to your possessions and building materials. Fans, air movers, and dehumidifiers can help with this process.
Cleaning up the water damage is also important for stopping mold growth. Mold thrives in damp environments, and if your house or building was soaked when putting out the fire, there is a high potential for mold to grow in the aftermath. Extract as much water as possible and dry out the affected materials to prevent the spread of mold in the coming days.
Removing Irreparable Materials
Fire is a very powerful force, and part of fire damage cleanup will probably involve some demolition and throwing out ruined items. Building elements that are damaged beyond repair will have to be replaced to maintain structural integrity. Debris removal will be needed to clear out the fire-damaged areas to prepare for restoration. Any damage sustained by personal items could ruin them completely, forcing you to discard them.
Smoke Damage and Soot Removal
As mentioned before, smoke and soot could affect many areas in your property that weren’t directly hit by the fire. Removing these contaminants will require the use of cleaning agents like a bleach solution and vigorous scrubbing of the affected surfaces. This will also help remove the smoke odor that is left behind by the fire. You can expect more damage to affect your property if you do not remove soot and smoke damage quickly.
Sanitation
Making sure that the property is safe for people to be in is a top priority for any property owner. For a fire-damaged property, sanitizing the affected surfaces can remove dangerous contaminants and neutralize odors that would make it very unpleasant to be indoors.
Repairs
Now that further water damage has been prevented and removing smoke damage and soot has been completed, it is time to start the repair process. The structural elements of your home or commercial property are vital to the safety of everyone inside, so making repairs to these building materials is critical. If they are too damaged or are compromised in any way, they may need replacing. Some homeowners or commercial property owners may take this opportunity to execute new renovation plans since substantial construction work will already be needed.
Hiring a Fire Damage Restoration Company
In most cases, a fire will leave you with too much damage to handle on your own. When this kind of tragedy happens to your property, it would be wise to hire a Portland fire damage repair service to handle the restoration for multiple reasons.
Specialized Equipment
Whether you are dealing with water damage from sprinklers, smoke damage to personal property, a need for soot removal, or irreparable building materials, restoration professionals have the kind of equipment needed to do an effective job. Fire damage is devastating for a building, so you should count on those with the highest quality technology to restore your property to optimum condition.
A Fast and Complete Response
When you need fire damage repair services to save your property, it is crucial that you act quickly. These restoration companies can typically respond to your request immediately and create an action plan to save your home or commercial asset. They will conduct a thorough inspection first, making sure that they know the extent of the damage, and then work quickly to repair the damage.
Communication with Insurance Companies
Insurance can sometimes be a hassle, particularly when you need to file a claim for fire damage costs. Fire restoration professionals will communicate directly with your insurance company to handle billing and keep track of the progress. This will put one less thing on your shoulders after a devastating incident that is already affecting your emotions.
Experience and Knowledge
Perhaps the greatest asset that a fire damage restoration service brings to the table is the experience of its team. After all, you wouldn’t want a rookie handling a massive repair project in your home. The best way to take care of severe fire damage is to let the people who know all about it take on the work.
Contact Fire Damage Restoration Services ASAP
When a fire destroys parts of your home or business, you need to respond quickly to have a chance at preserving the property or at least reducing the cost of the damage. Whether you need restoration for building materials, upholstered furniture, personal items, or other parts of the property, the right service can get the job done.
