Fires in your home can be emotionally devastating. It’s imperative to ensure the safety of your family after your home sustains a fire by relocating to a safe place. After that, you can begin to think about how you’re going to get your home back in order. Fire damage repair professionals will help assess your home, but until they arrive on the scene, follow the do’s and don’ts below.

Do:

Take pictures of the damage.

Having a visual record of the fire damage will come in handy when you file your insurance claim. Instead of scrambling to remember how everything looked after the incident, you’ll be able to refer back to the pictures you took.

Call your insurance agent.

Insurance claims can take months, and even years, to fully process, which means you’ll want to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. The faster you find out what your course of action is, the faster you can contact fire damage repair professionals to restore your home.

Wear gloves if you must enter the home.

If you need to enter your home to gather important paperwork, such as your home’s deed or insurance documents, make sure to wear gloves. The soot on fabrics and ashes on items can linger on your hands and cause irritation if you touch your eyes, nose, and mouth without washing them.

Don’t:

Enter your home until it’s safe.

Even though your home may appear to be structurally sound, there is no guarantee damage hasn’t been done somewhere you can’t see. Don’t enter until it’s been inspected and approved by fire damage repair professionals. 

Try to clean walls and floors yourself.

Getting soot off of your walls and out of your carpets is more complicated than your everyday cleaning supplies can handle. Fire damage repair teams will assess the damage and rip out affected carpets, replace them, and paint walls after cleaning them.

Turn on any electronics.

The hardware and wires in your computers, TVs, phones, and other electronics might have undergone damage from the fire. Additionally, the home’s electrical system may be compromised as well. Before turning on any electronics or light switches, consult with an electrician to ensure they’re safe to use.

If your home sustained severe damages due to a fire, the team at SERVPRO of Greater St. Augustine/St. Augustine Beach will work hard to restore your belongings. The fire damage repair team helps clients throughout Saint Augustine, FL, regain their homes and peace of mind. In addition to fire restoration, they also provide water and storm damage services and mold remediation. Visit their website to browse their offerings and call (904) 429-4457 to request help.