Steps Performed by a Professional Fire Restoration Company While there are certain steps only a fire damage restoration service should perform, there are ways you can help throughout each phase of the process, too. Get advice and instructions from the company you hire to make sure you complete any tasks that will help make the fire cleanup run more smoothly, and avoid doing anything that will hinder progress. INSPECTION
- One of the first steps in the fire mitigation process is determining the cause of the fire, as well as the extent of the smoke damage, and then documenting it through photos to provide to the homeowner’s insurance company.
- All rooms are tested for soot or smoke damage. Test cleanings (which utilize a special dry cleaning chemical sponge) will determine what surfaces are affected and the degree of damage.
- The fire restoration company should then explain the cleaning process to the homeowners, as well as what the demo/rebuild phase may consist of (if applicable) and begin to decide what items are salvageable after a thorough inventory has been completed.
PREVENTION OF FURTHER DAMAGE
- A fire cleanup vendor will remove any contents from the home as quickly as possible to avoid further damage because the longer they are in the affected area, the more difficult they’ll be to clean.
- Before fire damage restoration services arrive, homeowners can set coffee grounds out throughout the house to help with minimizing the smell, as they absorb odors.
- Turn off HVAC systems until the home is inspected by a professional to avoid additional contamination to unaffected areas. Some fire cleanup companies may recommend having vents, ducts and furnaces cleaned/serviced to prevent soot from circulating throughout the home.
REMOVAL OF ITEMS DAMAGED BY FIRE/SMOKE
- Homeowners should be actively involved during the inventory process and notify the fire restoration company of important/sentimental items, or items they may need returned to them quickly if they are in temporary housing.
- Contents are photographed, inventoried and packaged, and then taken offsite to the fire restoration company’s cleaning facility where they’re stored during the repairs.
- Since the fire cleanup process can vary depending on the company and the individual homeowner’s situation, it’s common for fire- or smoke-damaged items to be inventoried and later determined as salvageable or non-salvageable.
CONTAINMENT, REPAIRS AND COMPLETION
- Containment – This step is recommended to help restrict odors from contaminating the air throughout the house and keep the damage contained at the source of the fire and affected areas of the home.
- Repairs – If the fire restoration company isn’t able to complete some of the necessary construction, the homeowner should find a general contractor to do the work once the fire damage restoration service has completed their part of the repairs. Once pricing, scheduling and other specifics of the rebuild have been agreed on, then the contractor can start rebuilding and get the homeowners back into their home as quickly as possible.
- Completion – The homeowner and fire restoration company should be in agreement that the home is clean and the smell of smoke is no longer present. If there’s a discrepancy, both parties may order an air sample test after the fire cleanup is completed and prior to beginning any construction.