Use a Professional Restoration Service for Fire Damage Clean-Up
Unless you’ve personally experienced a fire in your home, it’s hard to imagine how extensive the damage can be from even a small fire. Between the fire, smoke, water, and soot, household fires are capable of wreaking all kinds of havoc. A professional fire restoration service is your best bet for restoring your home to its original condition. In fact, many insurance companies will insist that a fire restoration service be used, rather than allowing a homeowner to make repairs himself.
When a fire restoration service enters a home, the first thing to be done is to assess the extent of the damage. This assessment includes water damage, and any subsequent mold that may have begun to grow since the fire happened. If there is mold present, the restoration service will lay out a plan to remove it and repair the damage left behind. It is essential that all mold be removed as it poses a health hazard if it is allowed to remain in the home.
The fire restoration service will also test soot in order to determine all the different molecules contained in the smoke. This is needed to determine how to deal with the home and its contents before repairs are made. The company will more than likely utilize an ozone generator to remove smoke odors from timbers, floor boards, paint, and wallpaper. As for furniture, draperies, and clothing, an odor neutralizer will be applied based on the soot analysis.
A fire restoration service will generally not conduct structural repairs. The homeowner will be responsible for hiring a contractor to perform such structural work. Timbers that are charred will be removed and replaced while those that are simply covered with soot will be deodorized and then sealed and painted. Weakened floor boards will be replaced as will blown-out windows.
When choosing a fire restoration service, be sure the company employs only certified professionals who will do the job right. If there are several companies in your local area its fine to ask for multiple estimates. The service you choose should be able to supply a comprehensive restoration plan including materials used what parts of the home or its contents will have to be replaced, total cost of the restoration service, and the time frame for completion. Make sure you read and understand the estimates before choosing a restoration company.
