After a fire in your home, understanding and accepting what has happened is difficult. It’s very normal to feel unsettled and confused for a while. Often enough, the hardest part is knowing what to do after the incident. Follow these 5 steps after you experience a fire in your home to keep the chaos at a minimum and return to your normal lifestyle.
1. Call your insurance company – Call your agent to let them know what has happened and discuss your options. You may receive calls from public adjusters and contractors trying to offer you deals on getting your house back together, which can be very stressful at this point in time. Wait until your agent has informed you that an adjuster will be sent to your property to assess the damage and cost.
2. Ask if it’s safe to enter the home – Do not enter your home until a professional tells you that it’s okay to do so. Fire authorities need to check the site and establish a safety zone. Not only the fire, but the water used to put out the fire can cause a lot of damage to household appliances and personal items. The wiring in a home may have been water damaged and should be checked by an electrician before the power is turned back on. All food, drinks, and medicines exposed to heat, smoke, or soot should not be consumed, and thrown away immediately.
3. Obtain a copy of the “Fire Report” – A fire report discusses what structure the house was in, the area that was involved, and the date and time of the incident. This allows officials to know all of the specifics of who was there, what resources were provided, and other information about the incident. You can get a copy of your fire report from the fire department or arson.
4. Secure the property – The first thing to do after a fire is to protect yourself from additional losses. It is important to secure your property in order to prevent possible looting. If the fire is under investigation, no one is allowed on the site without approval of the fire investigator, including the property owner. Make sure you remove all valuables, contact your insurance agent, and call a general contractor to board up your home.
5. Call a cleanup company – If your home was not destroyed, but rather damaged, interior clean up will be required. Even if you think that you can perform the clean up by yourself, always remember that damaged property goes further than the eye can see. If water hoses were used to put out the fire in your home, it is best to hire professionals to do a fire/water combination cleanup. Drying your home is very important in order to not run into water damage and mold problems in the future. For quick fire, soot, and water damage clean-up, contact J. Brian Day today! They have the expertise and equipment to clean up and restore your home to its original state! 1-888-435-7968.