Fire Damage Do’s and Don’ts

It’s any property owner’s worst nightmare – seeing their home or business engulfed in flames. But whether the fire was a complete loss or just confined to a certain area, certain things that you do in the aftermath can either help or hinder the recovery process. We’ll take a closer look at some of the things you should definitely do and definitely not do following a fire.

Let’s kick things off with a major “do” – contact a professional restoration contractor to return the property to pre-loss condition. Here’s a look at some more do’s and don’ts.

The Do’s

Things you should do after your property suffers fire damage include:

• Shut off utilities: If you can safely do so, turn off the main gas, electric and water utilities coming into the home.
• Vacuum: Any fire damage restoration effort will include removing soot and ash from affected areas. That said, you can assist restoration contractors by busting out the vacuum and going over carpets and upholstery.
• Winterize: If the fire occurred during the winter and contractors aren’t able to restore heat to the home immediately, you should winterize your pipes and applicable appliances to avoid further damage.

The Don’ts

Things you should avoid following fire damage include:

• Cleaning walls/clothes: It might seem natural to clean walls and clothing, but if you do it incorrectly, it could cause lasting damage to both. Wait for the contractors to arrive to assess building materials and contents, such as clothing.
• Eating: Yes, you shouldn’t eat most food in the home during a fire, especially if it was sitting out of packaging and soot, ash and other contaminants may have compiled on it. Only eat food if it’s securely packaged and there was literally no risk of it being contaminated.
• Using electronics: It is possible for electronics to become damaged during a fire, which is why you should refrain from turning anything on in the immediate aftermath. Instead, wait until the professionals arrive on site and can assess the various contents that were affected.

For more information on what to do and not to do immediately following a fire, contact us today.