A fire on your property is always a traumatic event. It’s hard to forget even if no one was on the property at the time and the building took relatively little damage, and you can imagine that it only gets worse from there. Still, life goes on even after a fire, and certain things need to happen in a certain order after a fire. Here are a few of the more important questions that come after a home or business fire and their answers.
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Can I Inspect My Property After A Fire?
For both safety and legal reasons, the fire department and the fire restoration specialists that come after them are required to keep you and everyone off the premises until they decide for themselves that you can step onto the property. You will most likely have someone escort you around when they do let you in, although if the damage is minor and the cause is clear that might not be necessary. On the other hand, if the damage is severe it might not be safe for anyone to enter.
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Does This Fire Demand Specialty Cleaners?
Every fire is a little unique. Different materials burn at different rates, air ducts and doorways conduct smoke and heat to different areas, and residues can deposit differently based on the materials that burned and the materials that survived. For example:
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Fibrous materials like carpets, clothing, drapes, and bedcovers can absorb ash and smoke particles and retain them through several washes. This is why clothing and otherwise unharmed rooms can carry a smoky smell long after the fire goes out.
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Food, bathroom supplies, and other household items can contain fats and oils, and these oils both melt and splatter in high heat, creating grease stains and sticky residue that’s hard to remove with ordinary cleaning chemicals.
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Plastic, synthetic fibers, and similar products both melt and burn when exposed to high heat, and this creates another kind of sticky residue that also produces dangerous fumes. The residue can be even harder to remove than fat-based stains, and those dangerous fumes can linger in the air for days or weeks without a proper cleaning.
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What Can I Do About All The Water Damage?
Water damage is usually unavoidable since fire departments use a lot of high-pressure water to help control and put out home and building fires. That’s why fire restoration specialists also have to know how to handle water damage and flooding. Hiring a specialist like Tru Renu is always a good step, but you can also take some early steps (after you’re allowed on the property) by taking photos for insurance, pumping the water out, and applying a petroleum jelly or grease to metal objects that might rust.
Coming back from a fire is never easy, but with a good insurance policy and the right recovery specialist you can bounce back in no time at all. Tru Renu is one such specialist, and we help property owners clean up and repair after all kinds of fires, spills, floods, and other disasters. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.
