What steps should I take after a house fire?

10/22/2021 (Permalink)

Fire is not something that any family wants to deal with but it is helpful to know a little bit about the restoration process in case you ever do run into this type of issue. There are a few different steps that will facilitate the restoration process and each is critical to your family getting back up on their feet after a fire.

The first step is to talk to your insurance company. The vast majority of homeowner’s insurance companies have clauses that will help put you in contact with a restoration company and that will help you pay for the process. This will ensure that you can get the best company for the best price.

Secondly, a restoration company will first and foremost work to remove the water from the home. Leaving water in a home for a long period of time can end up in mold growing which can make the home even less livable. Removal of water can take a few hours to a few days depending on how much water was pumped into the home to stop the fire.

In cases where the home is a total loss, no steps will be taken and the insurance company will move to help have the home leveled. The second step is to clean up debris; cleaning debris allows the restoration company to get an even better look at what damage was done so that they can begin to assess an action plan to determine what can be saved and what must be trashed.

After debris is removed, restoration companies will use an ozone machine to remove the smoke smell and will start to clean the walls and floors to make sure the smoke smell is gone. The next step is construction; most restoration companies will work with the homeowner to create a reconstruction plan to get your home back on track.