After a fire, your home or business is 10 times more vulnerable.
You need to know just what to do to minimize fire damage and avoid making things worse. You might think that the worst is over once the fire has been put out but fixing the damage it caused can be a whole other ball game.
This is why it’s important to take precautionary measures to avoid causing more damage. To guide you through this difficult phase, we’re sharing a small list of steps that you can follow. Following the steps below will ensure that you’re able to minimize the damage to the building in the future. Professional restoration companies like Service Team of Professionals can help you at any point to help make the process safe.
- Switch off All of Your Utilities
Many times, fires at home or in an office can be caused by faulty wiring, a leak in the gas pipe or even by a water leak in the plumbing system. To avoid re-triggering a fire, you should turn off all the utilities. We suggest you switch off the electricity, the water supply, and the gas.
This step might seem a bit extreme but it is crucial to make sure the fire accident does not reoccur. You should keep them switched off until the fire department identifies the cause of the fire accident. This is one of the safest ways to avoid making things worse. It also makes it safer to assess the damage inside a building without putting yourself in harm’s way.
- Do Not Use Any Electrical Appliances
We suggest you not to use any electrical appliances in your home after a fire. Instead, you should examine them thoroughly after turning the electricity off. Try to identify which electrical appliances have gotten damaged directly from the fire. Look for residual damage from the fire like soot and smoke.
Until the fire department tells you it’s safe to use electronics, make sure they stay switched off. Once the clean-up process starts, you can easily sort out which ones have to be replaced and which ones simply need a good cleaning before they can be used again.
- Focus on Filing a Claim
When it comes to fire damage, your insurance plan will usually cover the costs of repairs and other damages. It’s a good idea to take pictures of the area that has been damaged. Do this before the repairs or clean-up process starts in the area.
This will allow you to create a more credible claim for the fire damage. Insurance companies are usually quite fussy about claims so having photos as evidence will help you solidify your claim. STOP Metrowest will help you document and photograph the damage in order to work with your insurance agent or insurance adjuster to support your claim. One of the earliest calls after the emergency is over should be to STOP.
- Do Not Spend Too Much Time Inside the Fire Damaged Area
After a fire, there are a lot of residual chemicals, soot and smoke in the air of a fire damaged area. The fire is usually hot enough to melt plastic, rubber, fabric and burn wood. The melting of such materials easily creates toxic fumes. This is why prolonged exposure to fire damaged areas is harmful for your lungs. STOP uses equipment to protect your property and the STOP team when working in a fire damaged area. Often times, a full impermeable Tyvek suit is worn. Eye and breathing protection are absolutely critical.
STOP Metrowest is an IICRC Certified Firm - safe, quality, and compassionate service is our priority! We provide 24/7 emergency fire board up and restoration of any water and fire damage related issues in Framingham MA or other Metrowest MA communities like Newton MA, Natick MA, and Westborough MA. Call STOP MetroWest 508-753-3780.
For more information on fire damage restoration, please visit our website.
