Going through a fire in your home is an extremely scary experience that can leave you feeling vulnerable. After a fire, you might not be in the state of mind to get a fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX. You would need to spend some time back in your home and look at the extent of the damage along with the restoration service profile. Here we mention a guide about what should be done after you suffer fire damage inside your home. The situation and the panic in the situation might take the better of you, but it is extremely important to remain calm and collected and maintain your senses. Read on to learn more about what you should do after fire damage in your home, including getting fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX.
Wait to Enter
Only enter back into your home if you have been given the go-ahead signal from a professional or a figure of authority. Do not take the risk of entering your home if the fire hasn’t been controlled fully and there are still some risks involved. Take precautions if you don’t want to risk your life in the face of the fire. Once the fire has been controlled and diminished, the authorities would have a look around and let you know the extent of the damage and whether you would need fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX. Once checked, they would give you the go-ahead to enter inside. Only when you have this go-ahead signal from the authorities or a professional should you step inside your home.
Call the Right People
Once the fire has been controlled and you’re allowed to return to your home, you should call relevant people and let them know about your experience/ordeal. Call the right people now, as you would want some emotional support as well as physical support for restoring your home. Firstly, you should call any friend or family nearby and inform them of the fire damage. Let them know of the ordeal and if they could come over. After you’ve gotten in touch with family, look for a fire damage restoration service in Dallas, TX. It is imperative that you tell them about the fire and the extent of the damage. Select a scheduled time with them so that they can come over and asses the premises. The assessment stage is important as the service would prepare an action plan for fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX, on the basis of this assessment. Be sure to give a time when you would be at your home. Once you’ve set a time with the fire damage company, try calling your insurance company/agent to get things in motion with them. They would be willing to walk you through the steps and may even set up a temporary lodge if your home is not under livable conditions. Let them know that you are in touch with a fire damage restoration company and would let them know of all costs needed for repairs and replacement.
Secure Your Property
Once you have made the right calls, best secure the property to limit any further threats of looting or theft. Don’t make the mistake of leaving your property open and going to a friend’s house. The property should be properly secured to prevent whatever thefts that can happen during the issue. By securing the property, we mean that you should try closing all windows and locking all doors. If the fire has damaged the windows and doors, then you should mention that to the insurance agency and do what they recommend. It is best to let your insurance agency know all the details pertaining to the accident.
Begin Clean Up
While fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX, would cover all of the cleaning and restoration, it is best to begin the minor cleanup immediately. You do not want the soot to spread across your home, so you would have to limit movement and clear away the soot as much as possible. Don’t walk around carpets with your shoes on, as that would deeply embed the soot inside the upholstery. Soot can be wiped off surfaces using a mixture of tri-sodium phosphate. However, with the emotional damage a fire can bring, we suggest you leave the wall cleaning and other major restoration to the experts. You can, in the meanwhile, look to address your emotional troubles.
Cancel Cards and Collect Important Items
Since you’d have fire restoration staff, insurance agents, and all other people around the house, it is best to have a bag containing all your important financial and non-financial items all the time. Once you are back inside the house, look around for all of your credit cards and identification documents. See if they have suffered the brunt of the fire and can be used further. If you cannot find your card, it would be best to cancel it immediately, rendering all transactions useless. This would save you if a fraudster gets their hands on the card and tries to use it somewhere.
Consider Water Damage
If water was used for treating the fire inside your home, you would also have to consider the impact of water damage. A service providing fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX, can also give you water damage restoration in this case of water damage. If you leave the water damage unaddressed, you might witness the growth of mold/mildew going down the line.
Consider Emotional Health
Finally, it is best to consider your emotional health and not undermine the impact of the fire. If you have a problem coping with the loss or the experience, go for therapy. In both cases, therapy would help you get a hold of yourself and your emotions. Mr. Restore provides extensive fire damage restoration in Dallas, TX, and ensures that you get the best restoration services possible. Head over to us in case of an emergency.
