Blog Post

What Should You Do After a Fire?

Ryker Bingham |  Dec 05, 2019

Having a house fire, whether small or large, is a traumatic event. Not only were you in an unsafe and scary position, but after the fire is put out, you might have mild to severe property damage. In some cases, you will not be able to continue residing in your home. If you have a house fire, your first priority is the safety of all household members. Once you are safe and the fire is put out, it is time to start thinking about fire restoration.
Firefighters

Immediate Steps After Any House Fire

Even the smallest fire in your home will get your heart pounding and has the potential to cause some significant damage to your property. A large fire will often make your house uninhabitable. The first thing you want to do is make sure that the fire is completely out. Calling the fire department is always advised even if you put out a small fire yourself because the professional firefighters can check to be sure that nothing has been left smoldering or dangerously damaged. They will also be able to check you and your family members for smoke inhalation and burns. They can advise you as to whether you should seek medical care (usually a good idea) and arrange for emergency transportation to the hospital if needed. 

Your next step should be to call your homeowners’ insurance company to report the fire. Even if you think there’s not much damage, you might discover later that part of the wall, cabinets, flooring, or other parts of the home need to be replaced due to smoke or soot damage. In addition, smoke can permeate furniture and clothing. It’s best to have the process started with your insurance company sooner rather than later.

Your next phone call should be to a fire restoration company. They will be able to get to your home quickly and make an assessment as to the extent of the damage. From there, they will work with you to make a plan to repair the fire damage, which will usually include the effects of smoke, soot, the fire itself, and water.

Finally, if the firefighters did not clear you to go continue living in your home, find a place to stay temporarily. This can be a good idea even if you are cleared to return. The home will smell like smoke and there will be a lot of soot. You might need a bit of time away from the home to map out your next steps and deal with the trauma. Try to stay with friends or family; if you can’t, a hotel will be a safe and comfortable location. Be sure to bring your pets with you or find somewhere safe for them to be. If you cannot afford a hotel, contact social services or ask the fire department who can help you. There will be local help available during the first few days after a fire.
Insurance Assessment

Taking an Inventory for the Insurance Company

Your insurance company will want to send someone to the home quickly, maybe in as little as 24 hours. If you can safely enter the house, you should take photos of the damaged areas before moving or touching anything. Ask your insurance company whether you should begin cleaning up. They might want you to wait until the adjuster has been to your home.

If they say it’s okay (and it is safe for you to be in the home), you might consider doing some of the following. If not, you can begin these tasks after the adjuster leaves. Do not enter the home unless both the fire marshal and your insurance company have cleared you to do so. 
  • Opening the windows to begin to air out the home. Only do this if you are at home; do not leave your house unsecured.
  • Boarding up any broken windows to prevent crime and squatting. You can hire someone to do this for you or you can do it yourself if it is safe to do so.
  • Begin creating a list of items that were damaged. If you can gather receipts for these items, this will be very helpful. Since you might not have receipts available and accessible, looking at bank statements can help you determine what you have purchased recently and what the items cost.
  • Work with your insurance adjuster to gather the information and documents you need for them to begin to get your claim processed.

Assessing and Managing Your Belongings

Some items that you have will likely need to be replaced, while others might be salvageable. One of the first things you should do when you get to this step is to determine whether you need to replace important paperwork. If you had items such as your birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, deeds, and so on in a fireproof box, it might not need to be replaced. If it is damaged or missing, begin going through the process of ordering and re-obtaining those items.

If you can safely enter your home, you can gather up undamaged items to have them professionally cleaned. Your clothing, for example, might be smoke-filled even if it was stored in a completely different area of the home. Do not wear or use anything that has smoke damage until it has been professionally cleaned. 

Your fire restoration company will be able to help you with these tasks. We can also work with your insurance company to help you get your claims submitted and to help you understand what your out-of-pocket expenses, if any, will be. Our goal will be to restore your home to its original condition so you can get back to your regular life as efficiently as possible.

If you have been affected by a house fire and you are in the Nampa, Idaho, area, contact Standard Restoration. We understand what you are going through and we will be there for you in this time of need. You don’t have to face this process alone. Call us right away for prompt and compassionate assistance.
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