5 Important Factors For Restoring A Property After A Fire
Whether it’s a residence or a business site, a fire can be one of the most devastating things that can happen to a property. Unlike flooding, where the only concern is water damage to property and items within, fires are a critical combination of burn, smoke, and structural damage.
This is why it’s important to consider these five factors when repairing and restoring property due to a fire…
Environmental Safety
In the aftermath of a fire, property owners and other residents/employees should not enter the site. Depending on the items in a property, dangerous residual chemicals may be left after the fire, the footing is unstable due to all the damage, and structural weaknesses may put people at risk.
Wait for clearance from the authorities before moving in to assess the damage personally. The fire department or some other organization should declare the area safe first.
Insurance Notification
A home or business fire is exactly the kind of event that insurance was created for, so it’s critical to notify your insurer of what has happened. It’s important to do this as quickly as possible and, more importantly, before any work has been done. Don’t go in and attempt DIY repairs yourself, and don’t bring in professionals to start work until your insurance company has been informed of what happened.
Document The Damage
The reason it’s important not to begin work immediately if you want your insurance coverage payout is that the insurers themselves must know the extent of the damage to determine the payout. An important part of this process is looking at the damage, a process you can speed up if you take it upon yourself to shoot videos and photos of the site. This is the same as taking pictures and videos of car damage at the scene of an accident. It’s easier for insurance companies to get a clear idea of the situation if you can capture recent imagery of the incident.
Residual Hazards Like Smoke Residue
As you enter the property, it is important to remember that even if the authorities have said the property is safe to enter, that doesn’t mean it is completely safe. Potential hazards are everywhere, from getting cut or scratched by shrapnel to feeling sick from inhaling or touching chemicals.
Remember that various materials have just burned, and the smoky reside of that chemical reaction has settled down around the property. Some acids and other chemicals may have spilled out and spread through certain areas.
Professional Assessment
Unless you are a structural engineer, you are not advised to undertake repairs of a property yourself. Fires can destroy or weaken important structural components of a building, such as the foundation or certain load-bearing posts or beams.
You should always seek help from a professional fire repair and restoration team experienced in fire damage. They will have the tools and knowledge to assess the damage accurately, tell you what items in a building can be saved, recovered, or repaired, and what parts are beyond recovery and require replacement or rebuilding. This is a highly specialized task that only experienced teams can do quickly, accurately, and efficiently.