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FIRE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
The first step in restoring a property after it was damaged by fire was to have a proper assessment of the damage. Professional technicians enter the property once it has been deemed safe to enter by the firefighters. From there, they can use inspection checklists to see what areas of the property have been damaged and what type of damage occurred.
This way, they can determine what steps are necessary for restoring the building. During the damage assessment, the team will note all types of fire and smoke damage in the building or structure. This step also involves determining what things are to be discarded and which things are still possible to restore.
The goal of the assessment is to determine the extent of the damage and what the team can do to restore the affected property. The assessment is then used to create a comprehensive plan for clean, restoring and repair the property.
Secure the Property
The next step in restoring a building or structure is securing the property. This usually involves installing a fence and boarding up the building to ensure that it’s safe from weather and no one enters the structure unauthorized. Additionally, if parts of the building or structure weren’t damaged, then the team needs to seal off the damaged parts of the structure to reduce the chances of cross-contamination and/ or unwanted intrusion to the impacted property.
Preventing Further Damage
During fires, firefighters extinguish the flames using various methods, but the most common method is water. While water effectively extinguishes most fires, water damage can also occur, leaving parts of the building wet can lead to further damage from mold, corrosion, and more. So, the next step in fire restoration is preventing future damage by drying out the structure and removing as much water as possible.
This also involves demolition and removing anything that the fire has too damaged. For example, damaged drywall and flooring need to be removed, which the technicians do during this process step.
Clean Up and Smoke Removal
The cleaning phase is one of the most labor-intensive parts of fire restoration. During this phase, the team has to clean up any remnants of the fire. This includes all soot and smoke stains on the floors, walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. It’s crucial for the team to ensure that every inch of the affected and contaminated areas is clean during this phase.
Once the areas are cleaned, the team then applies deodorizers. This removes any smoke or fire smell that could be lingering in the area. If water damage occurs due to the fire extinguishing techniques, the team may also apply a disinfecting agent and antimicrobial chemicals to prevent mold and bacteria growth.
The cleanup phase also involves going through the vents and ducts before the team moves on to the final step.
Construction and Restoration
The last step in the fire restoration process involves rebuilding everything that was damaged by the fire. This could involve fixing the floors, rebuilding the roof, and restoring walls. The team will try their best to salvage and restore whatever is possible. But in most cases, some things have undergone too much damage and require a complete replacement or reconstruction.
Specialized fire damage equipment's and product must be used to help reduce the odors, soot and oxidation to the property components and personal property exposed to smoke, water, heat and soot.
The Fire Dudes LLC/ Network Article