Fire Damage Restoration

5/19/2017 (Permalink)

Fire Damage Restoration

When there has been fire damage in a home or in business, it is important to consider enlisting the services of a fire damage restoration contractor as quickly as possible. The process involved in getting rid of the soot damage, smoke damage, smoke smell and general fire cleanup, which is neither easy nor simple. This is even more challenging if commercial fire damage occurred.

Fast action is important for smoke damage, soot damage, or fire damage restoration to be effective even if the property owner is traumatized. Following a fire damage, smoke and soot settles on surfaces and creates additional damage to the contents' structures. So if restoration doesn't start from day one, the property is at a risk of greater damage.

Fire damage restoration timeline

The timeline of fire damage mitigation process will help to understand why time is essential in fire cleanup.

The first few minutes – immediate soot residue causes discoloration among appliances plastics and porous materials such as marble and alabaster.
The first few hours – the simple discoloration turns into deeper stains. The stains affect counter tops, appliance finishes, bathroom grouts, furniture finishes, and more.
The first few days – stains and discoloration on appliances, walls, etc. start to become permanent. The floor and furniture finishing becomes totally damaged and it has to be redone or replaced altogether.

It's now clear that one cannot afford to wait when a fire in the home or fire in the business has occurred. Restoration must begin the same day after the fire is put out.

Manual Restoration Process

In case one cannot reach out to the professionals immediately because of unavoidable circumstances, there following steps can be followed:

Protection – every person must the protected. This means wearing thick clothes and gloves, at a minimum. The oxygen tank should be used to avoid inhaling harmful chemicals, especially after commercial fire damage.

Ventilation – ventilate the property by opening doors and windows after commercial fire damage. Consider turning on some fans to accelerate the ventilation process.

Fire cleanup – everything, including ceilings windows, doors, fixtures, floors, walls, etc. needs to be cleaned to get rid of the soot damage and smoke damage. Below are some helpful tips:

High-efficiency vacuum cleaners must be used to remove soot damage on the carpeting and upholstery.
Dry clean fine clothes. The regular clothes can be cleaned using the washer but, a mild alkaline detergent must be employed.
Pressure wash/spray exterior paint, brick, wood, etc. beginning from top to bottom. Detergent must be utilized.

Odor removal – to get rid of the horrible smoke smell, one needs more than ventilation. Using disinfectant sprays, deodorizing sprays, aerosol sprays, etc. helps, but temporarily.

Professional Restoration Process

That initial guide was just a fire damage restoration start point. If a fire in the home or fire in the business occurs, one inevitably needs the services offered by a restoration company. Discussed below is a simple outline of the many things they do to restore properties after fire in a home or fire in a business, also referred to as commercial fire damage.

Inspection – specialists carefully inspect the entire property, pinpointing every trace of the fire damage. They then offer a quote and a timeline for the job.

Cleaning – once one has hired experts after a fire in the home or fire in the business, the professionals will use their advanced equipment for the fire cleanup process.

Treatment – experts also use the ozone technology to remove all the smoke smell presently.

Restoration – items that require more stringent method are packed and moved to a facility where they can be professionally deodorized and cleaned.

The restoration process is time-consuming and fairly complex. It can take several weeks for the property owner to complete the work by themselves. Remember the smoke damage and smoke smell worsens as the days go by. Property owners are highly advised to hire experts to get the restoration done efficiently and correctly. Visit http://www.SERVPROashevilleeast.com for more information on fire damage.