In the United States, fires are the most common disaster that can strike your home. Even rooms where the flames don’t reach can still suffer severe damage from the heat. There are many things you’ll need to do after the fire has gone out to help get your life back in order. Here are four tips for checking your home after a fire.
Check for Structural Damage
Damage to the structure of the house can put the lives of everybody in it at risk. Before entering the house, do a walkthrough to check for damage to any power lines or cracks in the foundation. When you do enter the home, be sure to check the ceiling and floor for sagging. These could both be signs of structural damage and require a professional to properly secure.
Inspect the Utilities
After you get back into your home, you will want to check your utilities. If you see sparks or damaged wiring, immediately call an electrician. If you can safely get to the fuse box, shut it off and check for additional tripped breakers. If you suspect that there is damage to your water main or the sewage lines, call in a plumber to look for signs of distress in the system.
Inspecting Your Possessions
After ensuring that your home is safe, the next step is to check over your possessions. Organize and separate your things into piles to see what you need to submit to insurance. Examine any of your family keepsakes to determine if they are salvageable. Open windows and doors, if possible, to help dry everything out from any water the fire department used to put out the blaze.
Cleaning Up
The final tip for checking your home after a fire is to finish the cleanup. Adding bleach in with your clothes can help to remove the smell of smoke. Use soap and warm water to remove additional soot from walls and ceilings, and then wait until they are completely dry before you attempt to repaint. Wash all your kitchen items to prevent possible illness as a result of the smoke. Finally, keep lists of everything that sustained damage so that you can submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement.
For anybody dealing with the fallout from a house fire, the fire restoration contractors at Aloha Restoration can help you get your life back to normal before the smoke even has a chance to dissipate.
