Everyone always seems to have great advice about what you should do if you experience fire damage – call your insurance company, secure the property, call a restoration team, and so forth. Something they don’t often point out is the many things you want to be sure NOT to do. Here are a few of those things you should know about if you are dealing with fire damage at your home.
- Do not try to keep any food items, including canned goods, which were inside the house during the fire. High heat can render them dangerous to consume. They should be thrown out and in some cases, you can itemize the cost to replace them as part of your insurance claim.
- Do not deal with fire ash and residue on your own. If you handle this the wrong way, you could damage walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. You could also cause respiratory distress and damage if you breathe it in. Leave it to the professionals.
- If there was heavy smoke, do not try to reuse carpeting or upholstered furniture. They will need to be replaced so as not to cause respiratory problems.
- Do not turn on any electrical appliance, including computers, which were in a smoke-filled room before they have been checked out and professionally cleaned. There may ash and debris inside the components, and if you turn them on, you risk damaging them.
- Do not enter the home until you have been told it is safe to do so. If you are not given that clearance due to structural integrity concerns, don’t go in. Period. Your life is worth more than any of your belongings that you are hoping to salvage. Let a professional handle that for you.
At Spangler Restoration, we want you to be safe after your home experiences fire damage. We have the expertise to handle everything for you and get your home restored while not putting you in danger. We can work with your insurance company to make your fire damage restoration less stressful for you. If you are in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, the one thing you can (and should) do is call on us!
