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- The Basics of Fire Damage Restoration
The Basics of Fire Damage Restoration
By 123Cleanup.com
The restoration that occurs after fire damage involves a series of different steps. Oftentimes, the cleanup begins in as little time as a couple of hours after the fire. Experts are in agreement that it should already begin as soon as the area is declared safe for people to enter.
The wisest of property owners know that fire damage restoration is best left at the hands of the professionals. Not only is it a complicated process, but it also time-consuming and laborious. The restoration involves tearing down unsalvageable parts of the house, drying, and finishing. It can also include the repair of the electrical, water, gas, and any other system which may have been damaged by the fire.
Professional contractors, therefore, provide access to the technical skills and manpower needed to return the property back to its original inhabitable state. When choosing to hire someone, it is best to get at least three quotations for the same scope of work to provide a point of comparison.
One of the most difficult stages of the fire damage restoration is the removal of the odor from the property. There are actually two different kinds of smell to contend with. The first one is the smell of smoke and the second is the musky smell caused by fungi and bacteria. Most people would expect the fire to leave the lingering smell of smoke behind. But where does the biological smell come from? Fungi and even bacteria tend to build up in the water that is left behind when the fire is put out.
In order to completely restore the property, including making it smell good, there are some basic steps that need to be taken. It usually starts off with the removal of damaged structural portions. This does not just mean the parts of the home or business that are charred but also those which have sealed in smoke or moisture. If the fire has been especially severe, then the insulation of the structure also needs to be replaced.
It is important to remember that the work should start from the top. Meaning, the ceilings and the walls have to be demolished first before working on the floor coverings. The reason for this is that it would give the floor coverings to collect the debris, resulting in easy cleanup.
The area and its contents would then have to be objectively assessed in order to determine which ones may still be salvaged. If not, such as when there is warping or charring, then they should be replaced accordingly. The items that may still be repaired should then be treated with the appropriate cleaning measures. This can range from the use of the cleaning solution or the treatment with a biocide to kill off the microbes.
As for the smell, a combination of ozone deodorization and fogging may be used to get rid of the smoke smell. These methods in the restoration process need to be conducted by professionals because they can be quite dangerous if they are applied properly.
