Understanding the Factors Affecting Fire Damage Restoration
6/30/2021 (Permalink)
House fires happen unexpectedly, burn rapidly and can cause a lot of damage to your home. Hopefully your local fire department responds quickly and can prevent a total loss. But once the flames are out and your family is safe, you may have questions about the recovery process.
For example, how long does the fire damage restoration process take to return your home to its preloss condition? And what factors affect the fire damage restoration process? Understanding these factors will help us set reasonable expectations for the work that needs doing and the time it might take.
Time is of the Essence
Timing is crucial when dealing with fire damage. A matter of hours or minutes may mean all the difference.
The first thing we need to clean up is the smoke and soot damage. As smoke and soot lingers in the area, they can discolor the walls, floors, appliances and other household items. Over time, the discoloration can become permanent if left unaddressed. The acid in soot can corrode metal, wood, drywall and other materials. Smoke can also affect the air quality. And there are potentially serious health effects associated with prolonged soot exposure.
Smoke and soot can travel, including inside your HVAC system and duct work. So it's important to have a highly-trained fire damage restoration professional thoroughly inspect your property. That ways there is less risk of an unseen problem in the future.
Water Used to Put Out Fire
In the event of a fire, many residential and commercial buildings have sprinkler systems to prevent the fire from spreading. Firefighters may also need to dowse the home with water or other fire suppressants to extinguish the flames. Stopping the spread of a fire may mean flooding your property with gallons and gallons of water. And this means water damage cleanup is also a part of the fire damage restoration process.
Of course, you may not be thinking about water damage following a fire. But heat and water are two factors that can help mold and mildew thrive on your property. And areas of your home may degrade and rot because the water used to put out the fire wasn't removed and dried out properly!
What Happens During Fire Damage Restoration?
Fire damage restoration is the process of cleaning, reconstructing and restoring a property damaged by fire. It includes assessment, cleaning, deodorizing and a restoration process to return your home to it's preloss condition. And what you do following the fire matters too. Depending on what caused the fire, its duration and spread, there may be different steps involved in your specific fire restoration process.
Conclusion
Recovering from a fire in your home is difficult for anyone. With luck, your family gets out of harms way and your most cherished mementos are saved. What remains can be assessed, cleaned, restored or replaced, if necessary. And trained professionals are here to help with the recovery process to ensure your home life returns as close to normal as possible.
SERVPRO of North Hollywood is a cleanup and restoration company in Los Angeles. We take care of both residential and commercial properties affected by fire, water or mold. And as a member of the community, and your neighbors, we understand the stress and worry you feel following a disaster. Please don’t hesitate to call us at (818) 754-0050! We're here for you, 24/7 to help you recover from a fire damage disaster "Like it never even happened."