What is Fire Loss Restoration?

3/30/2017 (Permalink)

What is Fire Loss Restoration?

Experiencing a fire loss causes stress on top of devastation. No one has to weather the situation alone though. While the insurance company helps settle the claim, call SERVPRO for help getting things back to normal. Whether fire damages a home or business due to arson, wildfire, or accidental fire, remediating the damage and restoring the structure and its contents takes time and a professional effort. The SERVPRO serving St. Charles and Batavia, Illinois can help address fire's destruction and its residual effects of smoke damage, soot damage, and water damage from fire supression efforts. Recovering from a fire loss consists of much more than gutting burned lumber and rebuilding. It extends to fire cleanup and abatement needs that address air quality issues, and mediate the potential development of mold and mildew from water damage caused by fire suppression efforts.

First Steps

From the moment of the first flame, the home or business owner mitigates damage by taking the right steps in the right order. Here's what to do.

    If present when fire breaks out, evacuate the premises. Do not try to save any items. Focus on getting safely out of the structure and away from the fire.
    Once at a safe distance, call 911 for fire suppression help. Also, request medical assistance, if needed.
    Call the insurance company that covers the home or business to get things moving on the claim.
    An insurance agent will examine the damage once fire personnel declare the structure safe to enter. The insurance agent may ask the homeowner or business proprietor to tour the structure with them.
    Request an advance against the eventual claim to address emergency needs and/or living expenses.
    Discuss whether the policy covers restoration services. If it does, the agent will probably suggest the owner obtain estimates from a few companies.
    Remove salvageable items to an unaffected area before repairmen and restoration professionals begin work.



The post-fire cleaning, repair, and restoration process requires special training. DIY efforts are not recommended. While the insurance company processes the claim, the home or business owner can jump start the return to normal by having Illinois SERVPRO professionals address the various types of damage to return the home to a safe and livable condition, or the business to an appropriate public safety level.

Fire Damage

Damage from fire consists of more than burned lumber. It includes secondary effects. Damage from fire also includes damage caused in the course of fire suppression, such as holes in the walls and broken windows. Fire fighters aren't willfully destructive. They break windows to more safely enter a structure and to vent it. They knock holes into walls to ensure that a fire which seems suppressed doesn't continue burning in the wall's interior. Fire may destroy some items inside the structure, requiring replacement, while flames merely damage others that restoration can salvage. Removal and restoration of damaged items requires a cleaning and abatement professional while wall repairs and window replacement requires a general contractor.

Water Damage from Fire

Water damage also occurs during a fire due to the methods of fire suppression used. Water damage can rot items, and cause mold and mildew. More than an unsightly mess, mold and mildew also affect the air in the structure. Water damaged hardy board or particle board requires replacement. A general contractor can demolish affected walls and replace the wall sections. Mold and mildew abatement requires specially trained personnel and equipment, including drying fans and commercial chemical treatments.

Smoke Damage

Some items not in the main fire area may incur damage from smoke or soot which forms from the debris of burned items. It causes visible damage and affects the quality of the air. Areas or items commonly affected by this secondary damage include:

    ceilings
    walls
    carpets
    fabrics
    upholstery.


Proper cleaning of damaged items removes the debris. In some cases, an item can't be recovered or restored, requiring replacement. Call a cleaning and abatement professional to address this damage.

Air Quality

As mentioned, water damage can spawn mold and mildew problems that affect the quality of the air in the structure. Debris and soot damage wreak havoc not immediately visible, too. Debris and soot collect in air vents. Re-establishing residency or re-opening for business without professional abatement creates a risk of developing respiratory issues. Fire debris spread by an un-abated HVAC system may adversely affect those with health conditions like COPD or asthma. An HVAC professional should examine and clean the structure's air systems and vents before the structure is returned to regular use. SERVPRO even provides odor control technicians. Although a bad smell might not cause disease, it does cause discomfort. Technicians thoroughly clean and freshen affected areas and items re-creating pre-fire comfort levels.

Why SERVPRO?

As complicated and stressful as recovering from a fire loss in St. Charles and Batavia, IL sounds, SERVPRO can help. The team provides complete fire cleanup, remediation and recovery teams that can address the contracting, air issues, water damage, HVAC, and damage caused by fire and smoke. The IL team works to restore the structure and contents to normal while the insurance company works on the claim. Although some companies rush the process, SERVPRO puts a premium on restoration of items rather than replacement. Each SERVPRO is locally owned and operated. It understands the importance of mementos, memories, and making things work. SERVPRO quickly addresses the owner's needs. The team arrives quickly, ready to work, armed with the latest professional equipment, cleaners, and restorative chemicals. Every technician receives specialized training in their area. SERVPRO hires experienced personnel who have stellar remediation track records. The company's quick response helps reduce further damage and that translates to a reduction of costs incurred by the owner. Together, the home or business owner, SERVPRO, and the insurance company form an unbeatable team that can efficiently, quickly restore a property to a comfortable, safe state.

Visit http://www.SERVPROstcharlesgenevabatavia.com for more information about the fire damage restoration process.