What You Should and Shouldn’t Do After a House Fire | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston

6/3/2022 (Permalink)

When you have fire damage, call your local expert at SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston so that we can get the job done right.

Once the smoke clears and the flames have been stopped, the fire department leaves and you might be stuck with a disaster that you don’t know how to handle. Regardless of the extent of the damage, it’s crucial that you plan accordingly and know the next step when fires erupt.

While the fire is roaring, and even days after it’s put out, your home can suffer extensive damage caused by the flames and the resulting smoke. It’s not often mentioned, but when this happens, your home is exposed to the elements and can suffer serious water damage as well.

In places like South Carolina where rainfall is a constant part of life, our homes can be at extreme levels of risk once a fire opens them up to the outside world. And while fires may not seem like a major concern to us, this recent blaze in Charleston displaced over 180 people in just over an hour of burning.

This is why we recommend that you contact your local restoration professionals at SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston—that way you can get back into your home as quickly as possible.

Common Mistakes Homeowners Make

Many homeowners believe that it’s safe to walk around their home once the fire has been stopped, but this is often not the case. There are many factors you must consider before deciding whether or not to traverse your damaged home. If the damage is severe, there could be major structural issues and your walls could be mere moments away from collapse.

A lot of people who suffer fire damage immediately begin to clean up and gather personal belongings, discarding ones that are fully destroyed. This can actually hinder you, and you should keep everything until your insurance company has had ample time to assess the damage and potential claims for your situation.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, it can take as little as 30 seconds for a small flame to grow into a major problem and do major damage to your home. This does not mean that you should give up hope.

Recovering from a home fire can be very stressful and demanding. With these following ideas, however, we hope to lighten the load and keep you on the right track to restoration.

The Right Moves To Make

It goes without saying that when fire damage happens to your home, you ensure the safety of your family, and then you pull out your phone to call the insurance agent. This process is often thought of as annoying and trivial, but doing it properly can actually help you restore your home quicker.

By documenting the important information like the date and time of the fire, the specific location, potential causes, and the level of damage done to your home, you can breeze through this step.

Along with keeping the crucial details, taking photos is an absolute must! Many people become too overwhelmed by the damage and forget to photograph the damage, but you can’t allow yourself to do the same. Once it’s safe to approach the home, take as many pictures and videos as your phone can store to guarantee that all of your losses are properly documented and logged.

The last step is to remember to breathe, and attempt to stay calm. During these horrible events, emotions run high and stress levels skyrocket, which only makes you feel worse about the current situation. Hopefully, you follow these steps and call your local experts at SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston so that we can get the job done right.

If you have experienced fire damage or want to learn more about our fire damage restoration services, contact us today. We’re here to act fast, ²⁴⁄₇.