Fire Damage?  Why You Should Call Restoration Experts ASAP

10/1/2018 (Permalink)

If you’ve just suffered fire damage to your home, the aftermath can feel overwhelming.  You may feel tempted to hole yourself up some place far away and safe, putting off the stress of dealing with the whole restoration process.

While this reaction is understandable, you should know that if fire restoration gets postponed, the extent of the destruction and damage to your home can grow even worse than it already is.  The longer you wait, the more repairs you will probably need – and the more money it will undoubtedly cost you in the long run.

However, if you make restoration a priority, you can probably avoid many long-term issues and expensive repairs.

Here are some steps you can take to get your home -- and your life -- back to normal as quickly as possible:

Contact Fire Damage Restoration Experts ASAP

In order to reduce the risk of increasing damage to your home, it is essential to bring in help from licensed fire damage restoration professionals.  Everyone’s situation is different, but here are some of the steps they are likely to help you with, making your safety and the protection of your valuables their number one priority:

• Salvaging as many of your personal belongings as possible, making sure they will be safe for future use (this includes furniture, appliances, other electronics, etc.)
• Documenting everything temporarily removed from the premises, either through written records or photographs.
• Performing any needed restoration services from the fire (here in NJ near to the shore, fire damage is also often accompanied by water damage – which the professional can also help you address).
• Returning and re-installing the belongings that were saved.
• Working as quickly and carefully as possible to get you and your family back living in your home, keeping in contact to make sure you aren’t experiencing any continuing issues. 

Be on the Lookout for Prolonged Smoke Damage

Fire damage can be tricky to assess, because while some signs of damage are obvious (wall discolorations and smoke stains on surfaces), there are some instances of prolonged smoke damage that stay hidden and can go unnoticed, until they start causing problems. 

For example, it is common for ash and soot to become trapped in vents or in the spaces between your walls.  You fire damage restoration experts should make sure to check your HVAC system, attic, basement, and exterior walls to ensure that all contaminants are removed and cleaned. They should also keep in touch after the cleaning is done, to ensure there are no lingering issues.