fire water damage

A fire at a residential or business property is one of the worst things imaginable for property owners, and it can happen in any number of ways. Fires can be completely uncontrolled forces, coming to a property as a result of a wildfire, or the fire can begin in the property itself, caused by anything from people falling asleep while smoking cigarettes to children playing with fire.

Once a fire has occurred, it may be possible to repair and restore a property, but this process involves multiple stages and different approaches to repair and restoration.

Damage Assessment

The first and most important step in repair and restoration is the damage assessment. A restoration team can’t do a complete and thorough job without an accurate idea of the nature of the damage, as well as the scope. There’s a big difference between a fire that breaks out in a bedroom with some upper floor burn and smoke damage versus a fire that was put out in the basement and had extensive damage from the fire itself but the water to put out the fire. Assessing the structural damage is also important since a fire affecting load-bearing beams or the foundation could seriously impact the safety and stability of the entire building.

Property Preparation

Once the full scale of the job is known, it’s time to make the site ready for work. One of the first things done for this is erecting safety barriers and barricades to keep the public protected and out of the way. Boards are usually also put up to help protect the building from further damage from the elements, such as over damaged windows to prevent rain from leaking. If parts of the property aren’t damaged, these are usually sealed or protected to avoid cross-contamination.

Damage Prevention

In many cases, damage to a property can continue even after the fire if the property is not properly attended to. The chief cause is water damage resulting from the firefighting efforts. Items like furniture and artwork on the premises may be structurally intact but wet due to firehoses doing their job. If left alone, the water can damage these items, incurring further restoration and repair costs, so finding them and preventing further damage is important.

Clean Up From a Fire

The most active phase of the repair and restoration process is the clean-up. It’s here that debris is removed. More importantly, however, this is also when judgment calls are made about those items that can’t be repaired or restored and must instead be removed. Drywall, for example, is usually extremely difficult to restore once damaged.

Repair & Restoration From a Fire

The final phase is repair, restoration, and, when necessary, replacement. Different methods will be used here depending on the times involved; as mentioned, drywall will likely be replaced. However, carpeting or furniture will receive different types of care, depending on whether the item was damaged by fire, smoke, or water damage. This largely depends on the item, nature of damage, extent, and materials involved.

If you’re recovering from a fire, we can help. Contact us 24/7 for a prompt, professional response.

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