What to do after a fire

6/18/2021 (Permalink)

Even small fires contained to one room can spread soot and harmful fumes throughout your home. Putting out the fire may create a water damage or a mess of fire extinguisher foam.

Your first instinct may be to start cleaning whatever you can, but you may actually make the damage worse. You should consult a fire restoration specialist certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) to learn what you can do and how best to save your property.

Call SERVPRO®

Our restoration professionals are committed to restoring your property. We want to help you reoccupy your home as fast as possible.

Our experienced crews will help you navigate the restoration process. Their know-how and commercial cleaning products will prevent secondary damage to your belongings.

Protect Plumbing

You can safely wipe soot off chrome fixtures. Consider applying a light coating of lubricant to protect them from soot disturbed during cleaning.

If the weather is cold and the heating system is disabled, you should pour RV antifreeze into sinks, toilets, tubs, and holding tanks to prevent pipes freezing.

Check Your Appliances

If you do not have power, empty the freezer and refrigerator of food and leave the doors open. Otherwise, you will get bad odors in them.

As with plumbing fixtures, you can wipe the soot off chrome appliances and apply a lubricant, but you should not attempt to use an electrical appliance until you are certain it was not damaged in the fire.

Protect Heating System

Cover your HVAC intakes with two layers of cheesecloth to prevent soot and other particulates from getting into the system. You may also change the air filter, but you should not try to turn the system back on until an HVAC professional has inspected it.

Remember Your House Plants

Plants are living organisms that need to breathe. Wipe away soot from both sides of all leaves to help them survive. Consider moving them to another location if the temperature during restoration is too hot or cold for them.