4 Important Steps To Recovering From a Merritt Island Fire

11/26/2021 (Permalink)

If you have a fire incident in your home, time is of the essence when it comes to the fire damage restoration process.

If you have a fire incident in your home, time is of the essence when it comes to the fire damage restoration process. Certain steps should be taken immediately to prevent the damage from getting worse, and to lead you on a smooth and fast path to recovery.

Notify Your Insurance Provider
Because an insurance adjuster needs to assess the fire damage and take a valid inventory, contact your provider right away, and don't throw away any items, even if they seem beyond repair, until the adjuster has taken note of them.

Contact the Fire Damage Restoration Company
Merritt Island fire damage can spread to further areas of the house if not taken care of properly, so contact the fire restoration company as soon as you can. The company is open every day and can provide emergency services as well to ensure that your possessions are restored quickly from fire, vandalism, water, or smoke.

Water Removal
While you may breathe a sigh of relief once the firefighters water beats back the last flame, the unfortunate result is that you now have potential water damage on your hands. When soaked into flooring, furniture, walls and more, the moisture quickly turns into mold and mildew, as well as rusting appliances and rotting wood. A wet-dry vacuum, air-moving machine, or even just leaving your windows open can help alleviate some of the damage, but a water restoration company, like SERVPRO of West Brevard, will remove up to 95 percent. They use advanced extractor equipment without disturbing your possessions or lifting the carpet.

Odor Removal
Prolonged exposure to smoke can cause a variety of lung and health problems, and simply opening the window won't be effective in the long run. Smoke particles can cling to everything in your house: furniture, ceilings, walls, etc. One major smoke target is your HVAC system, especially the air ducts, which can release the particles back into your rooms long after the fire is gone. A professional company, like SERVPRO, is required to get rid of the odor, and they do so by using an ozone machine that breaks down all the smoke particles.

Final Thoughts
As a homeowner, you want what's best for your home. By utilizing Merritt Island fire damage restoration experts, you can rest assured that your home will be as close to its original pre-fire state as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What To Do After A Fire

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
• If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
• Change HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

What NOT To Do After A Fire

• Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting us.
• Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.