Safety Issues After a House Fire
An unattended frying pan erupted in flames; faulty wiring ravaged your house burning everything in its way; your chimney failed sending soot backflowing into your home. Any one of these scenarios could have been what caused such devastation. The bottom line is that your home was damaged by fire. Whether it was contained to one room or traveled to other areas; you still have a mess on your hands. The fire was extinguished, but your problems are far from over. You are now plagued with smoke and soot damage, debris, poor air quality, and even the possibility of structural damage. Your problems aren’t just about the destruction that fire causes; water and other substances used to extinguish the flames may continue to harm your property for quite a long time. It’s important to know the safety issues after a fire and how to deal with them.
Fire damage to your property
In the aftermath of a fire comes the real work. Most items in your home are tainted by smoke odor. Several items are soggy with the water that rescuers used to extinguish the flames. Whatever’s salvageable must be carefully inventoried, removed and professionally cleaned. This is not all you have to deal with; if firefighters had to cut holes in the walls of the building, to look for hidden flames, or in the roof to let out heat and smoke, you have much more to do to restore your home to normal. There are so many issues brought about by a fire; smoke damage – smoke travels throughout your house during a fire, even into rooms that seem otherwise untouched by flames. Soot can also be unsafe as it contains harmful carcinogens including arsenic, cadmium and chromium, which, if inhaled could cause health issues. The damage caused by water is also an issue, as this could produce mold which can stimulate serious health problems.
Safety and security for your family
Before entering a fire damaged property, you want to make sure it is safe. Ask the fire department, local building officials, your insurance agent and restoration specialists if it’s safe to proceed. Fire damage cleaning and repairs are a priority, but not at the risk of personal safety. If there has been significant damage to your home and you and your family needs a place to stay, contact a local disaster relief service such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. They will help with a place to stay and provide food, clothing and medicine. Your insurance company may also provide ALE (additional living expenses coverage) to help you secure accommodations. Speak to your insurance adjuster or agent to sort out those details.
Fire damage restoration process
Repairing your home after a fire is a huge process, one that you can’t handle on your own. Calling a disaster restoration company is your best bet to get your home back on track. Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration is the one to call. They can do a full inspection of the area and consult with you as to the extent of the damage. Soil-Away offers full-service restoration from cleanup and deodorization all the way to repairs and construction. If you have structural damage to your home from a fire, you will need someone who can help immediately. Call Soil-Away 24/7 at (603) 641-6555.
Written by E. Aceves
