Fire Damage

Fire damage in your home or office is usually an overwhelming experience. You not only have the cleanup portion from the damage itself, but in most cases you have to address the damage from the processes that were used to get the fire under control and extinguish it. These may include water, fire suppression chemicals such as those from a fire extinguisher, and possibly a combination of both.

The fire damage area needs to be cleared of all non-salvageable items. These may include furniture, carpetings, flooring, drywall, tile, doors, and portions of the structure. Once you have removed these items, you need to deodorize the remaining surfaces. This can be accomplished by using cleaning agents and counteractants. A counteractant is a chemical that neutralizes odors. It is either sprayed directly on a surface and allowed to be absorbed in, or it can be allowed to evaporate into the air using a wick.

Another method used in removing odors caused by fire damage is ozone treatment. This can be highly effective in eliminating odors. It will require putting an ozone generator in to the the area and allowing it to run for several hours.

Regardless of which treatment you are using to eliminate the odors from the fire damage, you still have to be concerned with any water damage that has occurred in the process of extinguishing the fire. Failure to address this immediately could result in additional damage due to the materials rotting, or a significant mold problem. Mold usually can occur within 24-48 hours. Allowing this to happen would only add unnecessary expenses to the project.

When it comes to removing water from the fire damage area, you will need to use a pump or a commercial wet/dry vacuum. Be sure to remove any wet carpeting and have it professionally cleaned. If any carpet padding got wet, it should be immediately discarded. If any of the water or chemicals were able to come in contact with the drywall, plaster, trim, or flooring, they will need to removed and inspected.

If building materials in the fire damage area are salvageable, they will need to be cleaned, deodorized and dried. It is highly recommended that you wipe all surfaces with a bleach/water solution. You can put up to two cups of beach per gallon of water. Be careful to not allow this solution to accidentally get on any colored items such as clothing, carpeting, furniture, and some wood items, as it may remove or lighten the color. The area will also need to be adequately ventilated when using a bleach strong mixture.

Any electrical wiring that is in the fire damage area will need to be inspected. It could have sustained damage from the fire as well as from the water or chemicals used to extinguish it. You will need to have a licensed electrician perform this inspection. If there are any heat or air conditioning ducts in the area where the fire occurred, they will also need to be inspected for damage and thoroughly cleaned.

Now that the fire damage area has been cleaned, deodorized, and the necessary repairs have been made, you can proceed with the finishing touches needed to bring it up to its former glory. This may include painting/plastering, new flooring or carpeting, or just some new furnishings. Whatever finishing touches you decide on, make sure they are ones that you will want to enjoy for a long time. It is highly unlikely that you will experience the same type of occurrence again.

As you can see, there is a lot of work required in restoration of a fire damage area to bring it back up the a clean, safe, comfortable and productive environment. If you are not a professional that is experienced and has all of the necessary equipment for this type of restoration, you will need to contact one.

Flooded.com has been serving all of Long Island, New York City, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Westchester, NY for over 32 years. Give us a call today at 866-435-6637 and let us show how we have the experience, technology and responsiveness you need to get your life back on track.