If you experience a fire in your home, you’re likely to feel shaken and scared. After dealing with any injuries or personal losses, your attention turns to your home. You want it cleaned up and repaired as soon as possible, so that you can put this tragedy behind you, but we urge you to exercise caution when taking action. After a fire has damaged your home, remember these dos and don’ts in order to avoid any missteps.
DO…
- Stay out of the home until the fire department or a restoration professional has declared it safe to enter.
- Document everything. Take notes or record conversations with professionals, hang onto critical documents or receipts, and take pictures of the home when it’s safe to walk through.
- Keep activity to a minimum. It might be safe to enter and retrieve possessions, but now is not the time to start any major projects.
- Call us right away for a professional assessment of the fire damage, smoke damage, and cleanup process.
DON’T…
- Start cleaning or repairing the home until your insurance adjuster has come to assess the damage.
- Use your furnishings or sleep in the home until smoke damage has been remedied. Microscopic particles are present which can do serious damage to your respiratory health.
- Turn on your utilities (water, electric, or gas) before a professional has deemed your home safe. Structures might have been damaged by the fire, and turning on utilities too early can result in another calamity.
Remember that after a fire, professional assistance is available to help guide you every step of the way. Give us a call to discuss smoke damage, cleaning your home, and restoring it to its former condition. We can help you understand the process and conduct necessary tasks safely and efficiently, so that you can get your home and life back to normal soon.
