What to Do When You Have Had a Fire 

After your home fire is extinguished and the immediate dangers of the fire is dealt with, an inspection will need to occur. A designated fire inspector performs the fire inspection, and they will look through your home and determine where and how the fire started.

The results of the investigation are important because they can affect the steps you take next. Arson, for example, is a serious crime and dealing with a fire caused intentionally may take a great deal longer than an accidental fire. If your fire was determined to be an arson case, you may be looking at a long process to get your home back up and running.

Before you can begin the work necessary to get your home back to normal after a fire, you need to talk to your insurance agent and company. You will need to report the fire, including the police/fire department case number for the incident.

Your insurance company will have to approve any repairs or fire damage remediation that occurs in your home after you have had a fire. This means that the fire inspector will have to finish their investigation before you can do anything with your home.

However, you do not want to wait to report your fire to the insurance company until after the inspection is complete. You should contact your insurance company as soon as possible and know you will have to stay in contact with them until after the inspection is completed.

While you may not think it, when you go back to your home after the fire, you can expect to see water damage as well as fire damage. Most people just expect to see smoke and flame damage to their home, but the water and chemicals used to put out the fire will leave their mark as well.

Know that you will be dealing with water damage cleanup as well as fire damage cleanup when you come home again. You may have soaked furniture or walls that have water and mold damage. Being prepared for what you are walking into can help with the whole recovery and restoration process.

Your next step, of course, is to find a company that can help you to restore your home. You will want to find a full-service water and fire restoration company that can offer a wide array of services.

For example, after a fire has broken out in your home, you may have broken windows or doors, or even pieces of your roof missing. Protect and secure the premises as best you can and as soon as you can. The area needs to be secure so that only those who are authorized can enter.

Securing the premises is to preserve what remains of the property, protect the property from the elements, and prevent any unintended person from entering, causing damage, or getting hurt. The immediate securing of the premises does not require pre-approval from your insurance company.

Fire restoration experts can help to cover your roof and windows with plywood, durable tarps, and other materials. This will prevent your home from sustaining more damage as you are trying to restore it. Then, you can focus on getting your possessions and the structure of your home back into pre-fire shape.

Knowing these steps to take when you have had a fire in your home can help you to deal with the situation in the best way possible. Contact the right company to help you overcome the damage.