What Comes Next? Professional Fire Damage Cleanup Steps

No one ever expects to have a fire in your house. But actually, in your lifetime, your family has a one in four chance of having a home fire large enough to be reported to a fire department. Cleaning up after a fire is a much different process than a regular weekend ‘tidy up.’ You will need professional help. Here is a typical process:

Safety First, Then Assess

The absolute first step of a remediation professional is checking that the property is safe to enter. They will search for signs of structural damage and carefully inspect the property from the outside before opening the door.

Next, the fire damage restoration company will assess the extent of the damage by looking at how far the fire, the smoke, and the soot have traveled. In order to create a precise plan of action and an accurate quote, they will also document the damage to your walls, furniture, and possessions.

Focus On Soot And Debris

Before any water damage or fire damage restoration processes can begin, all debris and soot must be removed from the home. The soot can cause more damage the longer it remains on a surface; it is abrasive and caustic. Any debris will be in the way during the restoration process so they will cart it all out the door. Removing the soot and debris will also improve the air quality and reduces airborne odors.

Minimize Damage

As soon as the team can begin work, protecting your home will be the top priority.

• Soot can stain metals, plastics, grout, carpeting, textiles and wood when it adheres to surfaces.  
• Mold and mildew become problematic because of the fire extinguishing process. Although water may have put out the fire, it also provides opportunities for spores to flourish. Aggressive steps, taken now, can minimize future damage.
• Rust and corrosion is a risk whenever water touches metal. Components and conductors in electronics can corrode, and the risk of electrical shock is increased.
• Sometimes it is necessary to remove items that don’t appear to be damaged in order to prevent cross contamination. Often the professional can clean these items once the home is restored.

Now Deodorize And Clean

Professionals use specific cleaning products, equipment and techniques on the various materials in your home.  Carpets, curtains and other fragile fabrics need special attention, not all can be shampooed and washed with plain water.

During this fire damage restoration process, companies will also ensure to remove any odors that can linger after the smoke has been in the room. Commercial air scrubbers, ionizers and dehumidifiers might be used to control humidity and clean the air.

A necessary step in the clean-up process is the disposal of items that are too badly damaged to repair.  Fire damage restoration companies provide a professional assessment of each item before removing.

Restore If Necessary

The restoration stage is twofold: repairing furnishings and repairing the home.  To get your property looking as good as new (or better), the full service fire damage restoration companies might repair wooden cabinets, replace baseboards, and restore floors.

For Fire Damage Cleanup In Escondido

Hundreds of thousands of house fires and commercial building fires happen every year. A property fire is a devastating event that affects families and business owners all over southern California and causes minor and major damage to building structures and the contents inside. JNT Restoration is a certified and insured fire damage restoration company that can help restore homes and businesses to pre-loss condition after any type of fire has occurred.

JNT Restoration brings together the resources and the support you need; on-call emergency crews are fully certified in moisture removal and mold mitigation. Emergency response vehicles are equipped with dehumidification units, fans, extractors and equipment to keep your air quality healthy. They work directly with, and have excellent working relationships with, insurance carriers and adjusters. Visit Jntrestoration.com or call (760) 410-6400 to coordinate the emergency services from beginning to end.