When it comes to a fire, the priority should always be humans. If your home or business catches fire one day, the first crucial thing you can do is get your family or employees to safety. The next step is to call 9-1-1 and request that the fire department respond as soon as possible to put out the fire. But what happens next? The challenging effort of getting your family or business back on track. After the firefighters have finished their work, you will need to move to mitigation and restoration.
8 Steps to Rebuilding a Fire-Damaged Home
While recovering after a house fire takes time, you are not required to do so alone. Numerous activities necessitate the support of licensed professionals that can be looked up on their fire page, so you can count on solid assistance as you work through these eight processes.
Call your insurance.
The first step in reconstructing a house after a fire is to go now to your insurance company. It is vital to initiate the claims process as soon as possible. Suggest to your agent that you hire a qualified fire restoration firm.
The best restoration businesses are preferred vendors with a proven track record. Take your agent’s and contractor’s suggestions.
Evaluate your home’s structure.
Ensure that your home is safe before beginning a fire-damaged home restoration project. Your restoration contractor can recommend an engineer. The engineer inspects the basement, second floor, and attic floor joists, interior load-bearing walls, and foundation and basement walls. The repair contractor can also put you in touch with carpenters and electricians who have worked on fire-damaged homes.
Secure the property.
When you have the all-clear, lock all but one entryway and board up any damaged windows. Your restoration contractor’s personnel can help. Close your home to limit the danger of vandalism while you repair. Many insurance companies demand abandoned houses to be secured.
Advance structural repairs.
This is yet another project phase that should be left to the professionals. Significant repairs necessitate the involvement of professional carpenters to protect the house’s structural integrity. They fix trusses and floor joists in the attic and secure the inner construction.
Repair and inspect the electric system.
Even if the fire did not completely destroy your home, your electrical system would need to be assessed and repaired. A fire-damaged home typically necessitates the replacement of a breaker box, as well as any damaged wiring, outlets, or fixtures.
Address specific fire damage problems.
Every fire-damaged house rehabilitation needs specialist cleanup work that tackles unique fire and smoke damage. Mold growth in moist sheetrock, smoke streaks and soot residue, contaminated air ducts, and other concerns are addressed by your restoration contractor.
Clean the rooms one by one.
You must be patient because the typical rebuilding time following a fire can range from several weeks to several months. Your trained repair technicians are your most valuable partners during the recovery procedure. They can repair cracked sheetrock, restore fire-damaged floors, and even help you salvage furniture. In this final step, tackle one room at a time.
Document everything from the beginning to the end.
Because the expense of rebuilding after a fire may be prohibitively high, keep thorough records of all repair and replacement expenditures. Convert photographs and papers to digital files to indicate the extent of your loss and the expense of recovery.
Working with the insurance provider is made easier by detailed records, and your repair contractor can also aid with the claim process.
Conclusion
Many fire repair firms use subcontractors to complete these chores, absolving the responsibility of the property owner. Furthermore, some fire repair companies work directly with insurance companies, accelerating the claims process and guaranteeing a smooth transition for the homeowner.