WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO AFTER A HOUSE FIRE
WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER A FIRE
After a house fire it is critical that fire and smoke damage restoration begin as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your home and its contents. But remember, after a fire, extreme care should be taken as your home might have become a dangerous place to enter.
Fire and the water used to extinguish the fire, are certain to have caused structural damage to walls, ceilings, floors and the potential of electrical damage can cause a serious hazard. Your safety and the safety of others should be the first order of business.
As soon as possible after a fire, contact a professional fire and smoke damage restoration contractor. But in addition to this, here are some do’s and don’ts that you may find helpful:
Do's:
- Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible
- Contact a professional restoration company
- Turn off heating or air conditioning systems to prevent the further spreading of soot and odor
- Open doors and windows to provide as much ventilation as possible
Dont's:
- Do not enter your house without permission from the fire department
- Do not begin to clean up fire damage yourself. This includes wiping down walls, counter tops, vacuuming or shampooing carpets and cleaning electrical appliances. Leave all of this this to the professional to prevent further damage
- Do not sit on furniture that may have been exposed to smoke and soot
- Do not consume canned goods, packaged food or beverages that may have been exposed to heat, smoke or fire
- Do not take your clothing or other cloth items, such as drapery, to the dry cleaners as improper cleaning will further damage your belongings