Intro:
Throughout the ownership of any building, whether it’s residential or commercial, the worst scenario any owner has running through their mind is a fire. Fires cause billions of dollars in damage every year to homes and commercial businesses throughout the US and recovering from a fire can be difficult for any owner. Fires can be caused by any number of things, from faulty wiring, to spilled grease in a kitchen, poorly placed heaters, or wildfire. Once a fire has happened, and has been dealt with by firefighters, it then comes to the next step, fire and smoke remediation and restoration.
Dealing With the Outcome
The moment a fire has been put out, and the okay has been given by the fire department, the remediation and restoration process can begin. Often the first step an owner will take is to call their insurance company so that a claims adjuster can come out and inspect the site, in order to determine whether the insurance policy will cover the fire and begin to work with the owner in finding a fire and smoke remediation company.
Dealing with a fire restoration is more than just removing burnt items and structural components, and a professional company will be able to determine exactly what needs to be done. Water damage is a major issue when it comes to having the fire department deal with a fire, but even worse is the smoke damage. Smoke from fires can penetrate almost any porous surface, making it so that just removing burnt objects won’t be enough to remove the odor.
Health Risks Associated with Smoke and Fire Damage
When a fire ravages a building a lot of things get burnt, and the smoke from those objects is often going to be a health hazard, even if it’s no longer lingering in the air. Ash, soot, and smoke smells hanging around in a building are major irritants to most people’s lungs, and it also contains hazardous compounds, so being inhaled can cause long term respiratory health risks. Through the use of a professional fire and smoke remediation service, an owner can be assured that any contamination by ash, soot, or smoke will be cleaned up throughout the building, whether it is behind walls, on personal possessions, in ducts, or in HVAC equipment. Without a proper HVAC system being fully cleaned, once restoration has been completed, smells can come back, requiring even more work to be done, or even undone to get to the bottom of the issue.
Fire and Smoke Restoration
In the fire and smoke restoration process, a professional company will begin with an assessment of the damage. The type of fire will determine how they remediate the mess, and the level of damage (how much of the structure is affected) and how, either through burning or smoke damage, will determine how extensive a cleaning service will be required for the remediation and restoration process. A comprehensive assessment is required to build a quote for the cost of the work needed.
The next step in the process is determining which items in the building need to be replaced, and which can just be cleaned. In residential buildings, sentimentality of objects may be considered, however, the restoration process for many objects may be more expensive than just replacing them. Non-porous materials (such as tile, metals, etc.) are the easiest to clean, but there are often options available for porous materials (fabrics, wood, etc.) as well.
Once the toss or save decisions have been made, the professional fire and smoke remediation service will go through the building, disposing of damaged items, and using their extensive cleaning knowledge, equipment, and chemicals to start the cleaning process. Certain items may need to be taken off-site for proper cleaning and restoration.
Smoke remediation is often done at the same time as fire damage restoration, however there may be cases where smoke remediation is done on its own, such as cleaning up after a heavy tobacco smoker.
Calling in The Professionals
DIY fire and smoke remediation is not recommended and can often lead to extensive costs (if done properly) due to equipment, chemicals, or a lack of training causing areas to be missed. If a building has been damaged by fire, calling in the insurance company, then a fire and smoke restoration company is key to a complete and proper restoration.
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