Fire Damage and Fire Restoration
Call 1-800-443-1070 to talk with a representative immediately.
A house fire is an emotionally devastating event. Many times, a lifetime of possessions and memories are gone in an instant, not to mention the physical comforts necessary for a comfortable life; shelter, food and clothing.
In the midst of all the emotions, the realities intrude. One of the realities is that the home must be evaluated to see if there are any possessions that can be salvaged and to see if the structure itself can be saved and restored.
In addition to damage caused by the fire itself, your home likely suffered additional damage: that caused by the smoke, water and perhaps chemicals used by firefighters to put the fire out
In the case of a house fire, unlike flooding, the best advice is to immediately call your insurance agent. They will likely send an adjuster out promptly. Flooding is often associated with a widespread natural disaster, which delays analysis by insurance adjusters. If your home suffered an individual house fire, however, it is likely that you will be able to count on an adjustor arriving relatively quickly.
Many of us are not exactly sure what our insurance policy covers or to what extent until we are faced with an emergency such as a house fire. This is the time to immediately sit down with your agent and go over your policy carefully. You should have specific items in mind that you want to discuss – “Will you cover my antique Louis the XV chair?” “Do you cover the water damage the firefighters caused on my dining room floor?” and so on. If the agent tells you something is not covered, do not accept his word as final. Put everything in writing as quickly as possible so you can move forward with restoration.
Your insurance agent is also a good source of recommendations for reliable fire restoration companies. The insurance agencies are generally interested in finding a reasonable price for the scope of work necessary, provide the repairs that are needed but not overpaying. They will usually use industry-accepted standards for reimbursement calculations.
If an insurance agency suggests the name of some fire restoration contractors, you can generally assume that the insurance company has a relationship with those businesses. However, you cannot take the insurance company’s recommendation as the final word. You are responsible for choosing the best contractors and insuring that they complete the work on time and well.
Once you have spoken with your insurance adjustor and chosen a reputable contractor, one of the first things to do is get the forms from your insurance agent to help you determine losses. These are important forms, and filling them out should be first on your “to do” list. Without them, repairs cannot be reimbursed, so work with your fire restoration contractor to get them completed. Your contractor may have other forms for you to complete. The contractor will have a great deal of experience working with insurance companies and knowing how to get paid for his work, so listening to the contractor is good practice.
The next phone call you should make is to the bank that holds the mortgage. Fire clearly damages the value of your home, and the mortgage holder needs to know what is happening with the home. The mortgage company may not take any action or they may devalue the home until repairs are complete, but they need to be involved in the process.
If you chose a temporary contractor to quickly complete initial cleanup, now is the time to evaluate the contractor and see if you want to continue working with him or her. You need to be completely comfortable that the work is being done well and completely. An incomplete or faulty job can cause illness besides being frustrating and possibly unattractive.
Before venturing back into the house yourself or sending in a contractor, be sure you have an “okay” from the local fire department. The structure may be unsound and therefore unsafe, there will likely be no electricity, there may be mold, and it will likely be wet. Additionally, there may be jagged items on the floor and dangerous chemicals in the air.
Once you have the okay to enter the home, you may want to take the very first steps yourself, before the contractor can get to your home. The first recommendation is to open all the windows and doors in the home, and bring in at least one fan. A dehumidifier is likely recommended to deal with the high humidity caused by water from the firefighters, and it may be to your advantage to purchase a new, stronger vacuum. Common vacuums simply grind soot into the carpet and make it more difficult to clean.
Since you are responsible for securing the site, it can be better for you to hire a professional who understands that as part of his job. No one should go into a damaged house alone. At least two people should be together, and one of those should be a professional.
It will be important for you to keep lists of damaged items, rooms involved, any work done, and what kinds of agreements were made with contractors and insurance agents. It is beneficial to take a number of photos as well, documenting damage and work done. These things may be helpful later in any disputes over damages and claims.
One of the primary goals for a fire restoration contractor is quickly removing any moisture from the home. Wet materials can grow mold within hours and days, and mold and other microscopic growths can cause serious health concerns.
Therefore, the first step in removing any liquid water left in the home. The next step is removing moisture from the air either through simple evaporation or using de-humidifiers. Drying the home properly requires special equipment and techniques. The goal is to reduce the relative humidity in the home to below 65 percent within two days. Doing so gives the best chance of preventing mold growth.
A restoration may also be the perfect time for upgrading appliances, ventilation or energy efficiency in your home.
