Cleaning up smoke damage is no easy task. Soot and ash tend to stick around and make restoration difficult. Even the most experienced teams sometimes have difficulty removing smoke damage after a fire. So, how can you have a better chance at reclaiming your home and belongings and not having to replace them? Below, we’ll discuss some tips to help.
Tip #1: Call the Experts Right Away
Smoke damage needs cleaned as soon as possible. The longer it sits, the more damage it will cause. You need to call smoke damage restoration experts right away. Of course, you’ll also want to call your insurance company and make sure that they’re aware of what has happened and can assist with the financial and logistical aspects of it.
However, your biggest assistance here will typically come from professional fire cleanup and damage restoration teams. They have years of experience with this kind of work and will be able to give you an accurate assessment of what needs done. Then, they’ll get started as soon as they can to get your home back in shape.
Tip #2: Stay Out!
It can be tempting to walk right back into your home after a fire or smoke damage incident. You want to check on your things, your home, and your peace of mind. However, fire can be dangerous to structures and the chemicals and toxins left behind in the air can be dangerous to breathe, which means that you’ll want to make sure that you don’t put yourself at risk.
Usually, the fire inspector will clear the scene after the incident and advise whether it’s safe to enter the structure. Some insurance companies will request that you wait for an adjuster before you go in or touch anything. Whatever the case may be, follow the guidelines you are given for the best outcome.
Tip #3: When In Doubt, Replace It
Although you can clean up a lot of smoke damage, it’s not something that you really want to do if the items are too far gone. If you’re not sure something can be salvaged, just replace it. The caveat, of course, is with sentimental items—most people will try harder to clean and restore these. The good news is that some fire damage restoration companies off content restoration and often are able to save and restore items back to new or before damaged condition. However, they’ll also be the first to tell you when something needs to go.
Tip #4: Use the Resources You Have
There are a lot of ways that you can help with smoke damage cleanup. Some of the items in your home might be able to be salvaged if cleaned properly, and some might not even need the cleaning offered by restoration professionals. Check with the local American Red Cross and other services to find what assistance is available in your community to help you through this difficult and uncertain time. Not only could they have assistance and advice for fire and smoke damage remediation, but they may have other solutions to help.
A house fire is not something that anyone wants to deal with. However, if you take the time to use the resources you have, it’s easier to get your home back to the way it was.