After a fire outbreak ravages your property and leaves nothing standing, you will surely be left feeling overwhelmed. However, clean-up, repair, and safety are crucial to getting your life back to normal as soon as possible. Yet, when you’re surrounded by soot and damaged items, you could lose sight of getting your house back to its previous state. As long as no one is harmed, remember that everything else is only stuff. When the smoke clears, only then should you deal with the other belongings.
If your home recently experienced property damage due to a fire outbreak, here are several dos and don’ts that you must always keep in mind:
The Dos:
- Take precautions and keep safe at all times as you walk around the property. If you find yourself unsure about any repairs and you don’t know what to do, it’s better to wait for a professional.
- Remember to take photos of the damage. These photos will serve as proof you can give your insurer to validate your claim.
- Stay organized, even amid your scorched surroundings. By doing so, the restoration process will be more efficient and go as smoothly as possible.
- Take as many notes as you can, especially with every conversation you have, whether online or offline. These conversations are the ones you have with your insurance company and restoration professionals. This is important because it’s easy to forget and make things slip in the middle of a stressful situation.
- Save original documents and receipts, which are important when filing your insurance claim.
- Make your claim as early as possible because the sooner you do this, the sooner an insurance adjuster will come to your house to assess the damage. During this time, you will be asked to submit a proof of loss claim.
- Make sure you work with a reliable restoration company, such as Nationwide Restorations, because you will need professional help to clean up and make repairs after fire damage. With our help, we will make the process easier for you.
- Get rid of carpets or upholstered furniture that has received heavy smoke residues or debris during the fire.
The Don’ts:
Now that you know the vital points of the dos, let’s talk about the don’ts instead:
- Enter the property without a go-signal from the fire department.
- Use food items that were exposed to fire or heat.
- Turn on devices, like televisions, computers until a professional has cleaned and checked them.
- Wash fire residue from ceilings, walls, or other surfaces until an insurance professional has assessed the damages.
Conclusion
Fire damage in your property is undoubtedly stressful and overwhelming. Yet, the best thing to do next is to know what and what not to do. It’s only natural to feel “lost” for a while, but keep in mind that you need to address the damages as soon as possible and file a claim with your insurance company.
Restoration professionals are important following fire damage. With prompt action, you might even be able to salvage a few of your belongings before they get totally damaged! Moreover, it will help you get back to your normal life as soon as possible. At the same time, be sure to take your time and research the best companies in your locality that hold a great reputation for fire damage and restoration.
At Nationwide Restoration, we provide high-quality fire restoration in Edmonton. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help or learn more about our services!