There are few things more devastating than losing precious valuables and parts of your home in a fire. Unfortunately, this is a reality for around 346,000 people and their families every year in the United States. In order to determine if anything can be salvaged and make your home habitable once more, you’ll need to understand how to go ahead with fire damage clean up.
Fire Damage Clean Up: Who Should Do It?
Before you start digging through the rubble for anything that may have been spared from the wrath of the flames, take a step back. Consider if it makes more sense for you to perform the fire damage clean up or if you’re better off hiring a professional to get it done. Before any fire damage clean up can actually begin, an inspector will need to check out the site. You’ll need to wait for the inspector to tell you the area is safe for you to enter before getting started.
Once the inspector lets you know that the site is ok to revisit, take a look at it with an insurance agent. Take pictures so that they can tell you how much insurance will cover for damages so that you know how much you’ll need to cover yourself. Additionally, your insurance agent will let you know who to get in touch with to perform the fire damage clean up. Whether the damage was mild or extreme, it’s best to leave this job in the hands of an experienced professional.
4 Parts Of Fire Damage Clean Up
Even though a professional will most likely be taking care of cleaning up the fire damage inflicted upon your home, it’s still important to know what that process looks like so you can stay as involved as possible. The four parts of fire damage clean up are as follows:
1. Inspect And Assess
As discussed earlier, you’ll want to take the opportunity to look at the damage yourself so you can take pictures for insurance purposes. During this part of the process, do not move or touch anything. The site is dangerous enough as is, so you want to avoid getting yourself hurt while surveying the extent to which your home needs to be restored.
2. Throw Away What Can’t Be Salvaged
Before any actual cleaning can happen, you need to take a good look at what can and cannot be salvaged. Food, electrical equipment, medicine, as well as toiletries and cosmetics, should be thrown away as soon as possible. Even if none of these items are visibly burned, they are still unsafe to use after prolonged exposure to fire and smoke. Visibly burned clothes, furniture, and items like bedding and drapes should also be disposed of immediately. To determine what exactly can be salvaged, consult a professional for whether or not an item is worth saving.
3. Remove Smoke, Soot, And Other Debris
Once the area is cleared of anything you either could or couldn’t save, it’ll be time for the professionals to start the fire damage clean up. According to the American Red Cross, a mild soap or detergent solution should be applied to all surfaces caked in soot and other debris. The professional will be wearing rubber gloves and use wash with the solution in warm water before thoroughly drying the affected area.
4. Wash One Area At A Time
As the remnants of fire damage are cleaned from your home, one area of your home will be cleaned at a time. A professional will start with one small part of a room, such as a section of a wall, and continue from there. Breaking down the clean up process into smaller components will allow your home to be cleaned to the most thorough extent possible.
ASAP Restoration Offers Thorough Fire Damage Clean Up!
While you hopefully never find yourself in a situation where your home has sustained fire damage, you at least now know what fire damage clean up entails. Once the clean up is finished, you will be able to proceed with restoring your home. If you’re looking for the best service for cleaning and restoring your home after a fire, contact us today at ASAP Restoration!