Preparing Yourself in Case of Fire Damage

5/30/2019 (Permalink)

Linda Cobb, 15 year owner of a disaster restoration company in Michigan, and author of the book “Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean” also gives good advice in Chapter 29 “Turning Down the Heat on Fire Damage”.

“….in those first hours after a fire it’s all you can do to remember your name.  The fire truck has just left and there you stand amid what once was your home and is now a smelly, wet, black mess that you hardly recognize.  You want to sit down and have a good cry, but there isn’t any place clean to sit.  What do you do now? Is everything ruined?  This chapter will help you deal with the emotional turmoil and give you sound information about what you, as the homeowner, need to do.

Just in Case

First, as soon as you are done reading this, put your homeowner’s policy, along with your agent’s name and phone number in a fireproof box or bank safety deposit box.  This enables you to easily find them and protects them from being destroyed in the fire.  Make notes from this chapter and put them with your insurance information.

Get on the Phone

After the fire is out, call your insurance agent or the 800 number that is often provided on your policy to report claims.

Call immediately.  It may seem like the damage couldn’t be worse, but it could.  After a fire there can be ongoing damage from acid soot residue.  Fire produces two main pollutants – nitrous oxide (from burning wood, food, etc.) and sulfur dioxide (from burning plastics and petroleum by products, etc.)  When these pollutants combine with moisture and humidity, they form acid!  Within hours this can cause substantial and continuing damage.  Prompt attention from your local disaster restoration firm will eliminate the problem and prevent further damage to valuables.“

Our experts at SERVPRO of Appleton are here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  We will preserve, protect and secure your property with our board up service should it be necessary.  And we will work with your insurance adjuster to estimate the damage and begin the clean up process.