Cleanup and remediation following a building fire in Southeast Michigan is a stressful time for property owners. In the immediate aftermath, the long-term impact of fire, water and smoke damage may not be evident. Insufficient emergency fire and restoration work will have an adverse impact on recovery so you need to ensure work is managed correctly the first time. Finding the best experts to oversee emergency fire damage restoration and smoke cleanup will support the process of getting your Michigan property looking and feeling like new, no matter how extensive the damage is.
Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration Steps
The fire is out… but now what? Outside of calling friends and family to let them know you are safe and reaching out to your insurance company, the next call should be to a qualified fire damage restoration service. All reputable firms provide service 24 hours a day, seven days a week because time is of the essence. The sooner the cleanup process begins, the closer you will be to having this trying ordeal behind you.
What many homeowners may not immediately realize is that the water used to put out the fire can create as much or more damage as the fire and smoke itself. It is one of the many basic and necessary fire damage services managed by professionals. That list of fire restoration services includes:
1. Assessing the Degree of Damage
Fire and water damage recovery technicians inspect the property and assess the extent of the fire, smoke and soot damage along with damage from the water used to put out the fire. The restoration team will uncover and document all visible and hidden damage throughout the property so that fire damage restoration and smoke cleanup may begin.
2. Handling of Contents
After the extent of the damage is determined and a plan for emergency fire and water restoration is established, restoration professionals will carefully move or remove items from the property. These items can be either restored or discarded, depending on the amount of damage they suffered. Undamaged items are stored onsite or at a different location. As needed a pack-out service may be contracted on your behalf to temporarily transport items unaffected by the fire to a safe and secured location.
3. Ensure the Property is Protected from the Elements
Following a fire, the roofs, walls and windows of your home have likely suffered some type of physical damage. This can compromise the security of the property and the validity of the building itself. The fire damage restoration contractor will provide board-up and roof-trap services to the property to secure it from intruders and any weather-related incidents. Other strategies may protect the property depending on the severity and location of the damage.
4. Removing Water and Drying
Once the property is secured, fire damage restoration services continue with certified professionals taking necessary steps to remove the excess water that helps extinguish the fire. After the water is removed, these contractors use professional grade, high-powered equipment that includes vacuums, air movers & dehumidifiers to remove all water and moisture from the building, preventing further damage. These steps protect your home and contents from adverse long-term effects of mold.
5. Removing Smoke and Soot Residue
Once water and moisture is removed the restoration team will clean the soot from surfaces, such as ceilings, floors, walls and items, using specialized fire and water damage recovery equipment. The contractor will also eliminate biological and chemical pollutants and remove smoke odors using a full range of high-tech equipment such as foggers, ozone generators, and hydroxyl generators.
6. Cleaning and sanitization
The next step in the fire damage restoration service is to remove remaining dust, debris, smoke and soot residue throughout the building. All items and surfaces must be carefully cleaned and the property fully sanitized, even in areas of the home where little to no fire and smoke damage occurred. Smoke and soot will get into the corners of your home through small cracks and is often hard to see with the naked eye. Additional odor elimination services that may linger following the fire and clean-up may be necessary. This thorough cleaning and deodorization process may require multiple stages of drying, soot removal and smoke deodorization.
7. Property restoration
Finally, the restoration team will work to get your property back to its pre-loss condition before completing the emergency fire and water restoration process. Your home may need additional repairs and reconstruction, such as painting, replacing drywall or carpet, remodeling, or other necessary modifications. Your fire restoration provider may offer demolition and complete property reconstruction services or can recommend contractors skilled in these areas.
Call the Fire Restoration Experts at weDRY
When a fire occurs, you need to rely on the experts to get the job done right immediately. Your health and home must be protected. The certified professionals at weDRY provide comprehensive fire damage restoration services every single day of the year for homeowners and business owners throughout metropolitan Detroit and around Southeast Michigan. We are there when you need us.
Call 248-998-9967 or contact us online to schedule your free assessment. When our professionals arrive at the site of a fire, we can be ready to start the fire and water restoration job immediately so you can get back to living the life you deserve.
