When it comes to a fire, humans should always come first. The most noteworthy thing you can do if your home or business catches fire is to get your family or employees to safety. The next step is to call 9-1-1 and request that a fire department be dispatched as soon as possible to extinguish the fire. What happens next, though? Getting your household or business back on track is a difficult task. You’ll need to move on to mitigation and restoration after the firefighters have concluded their work.
8 Steps to Rebuilding a Fire-Damaged Home
While it takes time to recover from a house fire, you are not obligated to do so alone. Several jobs necessitate the assistance of licensed specialists, so you can expect good support as you work through these eight processes.
Call your insurance.
Calling your insurer is the first step in reconstructing a home after a fire. It’s vital to get the claims procedure started as soon as possible. Suggest to your agent that they hire a reputable fire restoration business like PuroClean.
Preferred vendors with a proven track record are the best restoration companies. “Do I have to start over after a fire?” Follow the recommendations of your agent and contractor.
Evaluate your home’s structure.
Make sure your home is safe before beginning a fire-damaged home remodeling project. Your restoration contractor can recommend an engineer. The engineer can inspect the basement, second floor, and attic floor joists, interior load-bearing walls, and foundation and basement walls. The repair contractor can also put you in touch with carpenters and electricians that specialize in fire-damaged homes.
Secure the property.
Lock all but one entryway and board up damaged windows after you have the all-clear. The personnel from your restoration contractor can help. While you’re rebuilding, close your house to limit the chance of vandalism. Many insurance companies demand that vacant properties be secured.
Advance structural repairs.
This is another project phase that should be left to the professionals. To keep the house’s structural integrity, you’ll need professional carpenters to do major repairs. They secure the inner framework and fix trusses and floor joists in the attic.
Repair and inspect the electric system.
Even if the fire did not destroy your home, your electrical system must be inspected and repaired. A fire-damaged home often necessitates a new breaker box, as well as the replacement of any damaged wiring, outlets, or fixtures.
Address specific fire damage problems.
Every rehabilitation of a fire-damaged home needs specialized cleanup work to handle unique fire and smoke damage. Your restoration contractor will deal with mold growth in damp sheetrock, smoke stains and soot residue, polluted air ducts, and other difficulties that have a link to fire and smoke damage..
Clean the rooms one by one.
You must be patient because it takes time to rebuild after a fire might range from weeks to months. Your qualified repair technicians are your best allies during the recovery procedure. They can repair shattered sheetrock, refinish burned-out floors, and even help you salvage furniture. In this final step, take it one room at a time.
Document everything from the beginning to the end.
Because the cost of rebuilding after a fire may be prohibitively high, keep meticulous records of all repair and replacement costs. To indicate the extent of your loss and the recovery cost, convert photographs and papers to digital data. Working with the insurance company is easier with detailed documents, and your repair contractor can also help with the claim process.
Conclusion
Many fire repair companies use subcontractors to complete these chores, which relieves the property owner of this burden. Additionally, some fire repair companies work directly with insurance companies, accelerating the claims process and ensuring that the homeowner has a smooth transition.