There are fewer things more difficult to watch than flames cover your home or business. And after the fire trucks leave, there’s still more destruction to face – your burnt structure and belongings, perhaps charred beyond repair.
If you’re lucky enough to escape with just minor damage, there may still be smoke and soot contamination and water damage from the firefighting efforts to deal with.
Luckily, with the help of a professional and reputable team like Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT, your normalcy can return once cleanup is underway. Cleanup and restoration can be vast.
You’ll be dealing with the absorption of smoke in all porous surfaces, ceilings, and walls. Soot will have covered and stained much of the damaged property, carpeting, and textiles too. And let’s not forget the actual damage to the structure of your property.
At Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT, we offer fire and water damage cleanup services, have an experienced crew and use professional equipment to clean up and restore your home, or business facility, back to its previous condition. From odors to structural repairs, we’ve got you covered.
What is Involved in Fire Damage Cleanup
It’s challenging to know what’s involved in the fire damage cleanup process and how you can get involved before the professionals arrive. Here we look at what you need to know before the restoration process begins.
Take a breath
This is a stressful time. Take a breath and understand the restoration road may be long, but things will eventually return to normal.
Finding a reputable, professional team to work with will help you reduce your anxiety. Understand that the fire damage cleanup process may take some time. Accept this and be patient.
Call your insurance
You need to let the insurance know about the fire as soon as possible to move forward swiftly with your restoration company.
Some insurance companies need to authorize the restoration process. So get in touch so they can help you file a claim and start with cleanup and restoration.
Alternative housing
Even with a small fire, you will need to find an alternative place to stay because the air quality will need to be checked and the property thoroughly cleaned before moving back in.
Fire smoke damage cleanup is essential for your health as smoke, soot, ash, and burnt material can pose many health risks.
Even if your home looks clean, it doesn’t mean it’s safe. If you don’t have family nearby, you may need to rely on your insurance for temporary housing.
Secure the property
Insurance will insist that your property is secured from theft or further damage from the elements while you are waiting on the restoration.
Board-up services are a must for covering up missing windows and doors, and tarps will do the trick for holes in the ceiling and other areas.
Professional Fire Damage Cleanup Process
Restoring your property after a fire should be left up to the professionals. Remember, they have the experience and know-how regarding ascertaining when it is safe to enter and how to proceed in your unique restoration situation. Let’s have a look here to see how the pros handle fire damage.
Is it safe to enter?
The crew will check for signs of structural damage to your property by inspecting the outside. If they are concerned, they will call in an inspector. When it is safe, they will start the internal property assessment.
Assessing damage
Smoke and soot: The team will check what fire smoke damage cleanup is necessary. Soot staining happens when the soot in the air adheres to surfaces like metals, plastics, grout, carpeting, and wood and causes discoloration. Often this staining is removable; other times, it’s not. The team will determine what is salvageable.
Mold and mildew: Due to the fire extinguishing process, your property may have mold and mildew issues creeping in. These two can form quickly. If the crew finds signs of mold or mildew, the restoration will be more extensive.
Rust and corrosion: If your electronics have had contact with water, it’s best to have them checked. Not only can they rust and corrode, but there is a risk of electrical shock too.
Air quality: If there are lingering odors, the team can use air scrubbers or air movers to clean the air. And all smoke-damaged items that can be salvaged must also be cleaned to rid them of any residual smoke odors.
Remove soot and debris
Now that the property has been assessed for potential problem areas and needs restoration, the crew will remove debris and soot. Soot can cause a lot of damage to your items, so these must be removed and set aside for restoration.
Taking out these items and any loose debris will also help rid your property of any foul odors. The team will use specialized equipment for the removal of remaining soot.
Removal of big items
All items that are too damaged to repair must be removed and disposed of. The items for repair should also be removed and fixed as soon as possible.
Some undamaged items may also need to be removed, depending on whether they are in the way for restoration to take place. The crew will clean and store these items for you until your home, or office building, is fully restored.
Drying excess water
Next, the team will start drying the property. Standing water will be extracted, and fire and water damage cleanup services will include using air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the property.
Deep cleaning
Once everything is dry, deep cleaning and deodorization can take place. Professional cleaning products and equipment will be used. Furnishings and upholstery will be tackled in this process, and any unsalvageable items will be discarded.
Restoration
Now the crew can get to any restoration, repair, and rebuilding that is necessary. For example, drywalling will be assessed and replaced, ceilings and floors repaired, and painting will be done. If reconstruction services are needed, Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT can tackle those jobs too.
Fire Damage Restoration Consultation
Fire and water damage cleanup services are more than just cleaning and repairing places that the fire has touched.
You have to consider how fire and smoke transform the foundation of the property and the contents within, and if there is water damage to repair.
Find a company that provides you with all the tools and options that you need to get your property back to its original state and the fire damage restoration smoke cleanup done.
At Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT, we take care of the entire restoration process beyond what can be seen at a glance.
Contact us today for a free consultation and learn why homeowners and big businesses trust us during natural disasters and emergencies.