You've Had A Fire Now What?

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do to prepare, but disaster strikes.To be prepared remember and share these tips with your family members and or co-workers.

My building has had a fire...how do I proceed? That question is heard every day at a Fire and Water Damage Restoratoin company.Most important thing is to take immediate action to prevent further damage to your belongings.Every waisted minute can add to the cost of repairs and time neccassary to completely restore your loss...and you loss will expand if you wait.

Timing is most important in water damage. In just 24 hours, fungi and bacteria will begin to grow and flourish. Foul and unpleasant odors will begin to permeate the entire building structure. Hardwood flooring will likely be ruined from warping and metal surfaces will start to tarnish and rust. Try to avoid self drying. You may mop up standing water, but remember, just appearing dry is not good enough.

Certified professionals have moisture monitoring equipment that can tell them just where the moisture is, and if more drying is needed. If left moist, warping and in the worst cases, mold will infiltrate your home and potentially cause thousands of dollars in mold damage to your home.

Follow these steps when you have a disaster to help make your claim go smoothly:

1. Contact your insurance agent (Am I Covered?)

2. Immediately contact your local restoration company to star the cleaning and drying. Whomever you choose, make sure they are an IICRC certified technician. The IICRC lists certified companies by zip code on their website. This cannot be stressed too much. There are hundreds of copy cat companies out there that will say they do restoration work, but they are not trained or certified.

3. Do not attempt to clean the smoke or water damage on your own! Fire cleaning and water extraction should be handled by professionals. It will likely end up worse if you try doing it yourself. As before, check with the IICRC.

4. Businesses should contact all employees and explain the situation. Contact major customers and explain there may be delays.

5. If you are a homeowner, contact the utility companies for your residence. If you have a water loss, call your sewage company. You can sometimes save on your sewer bill as the extra water usage did not go though the sewer system.

Most significantly...act immediately!

To limit the potential damage from a fire around the perimeter of you home, I would suggest you invest in some fire retardant shrubs and plants that you could add in and around your home/business. Lists of ideas are:

* Jade Plants

* Rose Geraniums

* Ice Plants

Some other tips....firewood should be stored outside of and away from the building....Trim tree limbs to at least 10 feet from your building...and keep your gutters clear of dead leaves and pine needles.Locate the water shut off for your building.Inspect your breaker box so you know how to turn off the electricity to you home in an emergency. Have your chimney and fireplace inspected. Make sure your fire extinguishers are in easy to access places through your entire house.

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do to prepare, but disaster strikes.To be prepared remember and share these tips with your family members and or co-workers.

Our site at FGSWPA has detailed information about fire and water damage restoration. or for emergency services 24 hours 7 days a week call First General Services of Western PA at 1-800-553-8426.