Dangers To Know Of Fire and Smoke Damage
If you have recently experienced a house fire it’s essential that your next steps are handled with care, especially if you plan to continue living there. Fire and smoke damage in a home can present major risks to you and your family’s safety. If you’re reading this, you at least know that there must be some dangers and want to make sure you’re protected. As a fire restoration company in Milwaukee, we have extensive knowledge on this topic and can give you some insights on what to know and what needs to be done. Keep reading for the dangers to know of fire and smoke damage and how a restoration company can help you move forward and continue to reside in your home in the safest way possible.
What to Know About Living in a House After a Fire
When it comes to a house fire, both fire and smoke damage should be taken into consideration. While smoke doesn’t cause as much damage to property as fire, it still can have harmful effects on your house and health. Even small fires can create enough smoke to cause harm, requiring extensive investigation and restoration.
Dangers of Fire Damage
The high levels of heat generated by a fire can cause structural damage to your home that isn’t immediately obvious. The high-pressure hoses firefighters use to extinguish the fire can make the results of those damages even worse. Aside from structural damage, miscellaneous debris like broken glass may be present. Additionally, if there is asbestos or lead-based paint in the home, fire can release the particles into the air which can be poisonous. All things mentioned are examples of why entering a home after a fire should proceed with extreme caution.
Dangers of Smoke & Soot Damage
Soot and smoke damages are even more deceptive and dangerous because they don’t necessarily reveal themselves visually. While you often can see where fire has caused damage, smoke causes damage to items that may still function as though they aren’t. Instead of causing physical damage to items, smoke particles can spread out and get embedded in your things. As you interact with these items you could be exposing yourself to harmful substances without realizing it. Furthermore, breathing in the air from smoke-damaged items can cause serious health problems such as:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Skin and eye irritation.
- Chronic coughing
- Bronchitis.
- Headaches.
- Heart or lung disease.
- Cancer.
People with certain conditions can be more negatively affected by smoke inhalation, particularly those with COPD or asthma. To avoid the possibility of inhaling smoke and/or too much of it, it’s wise to have a home restoration company look at your home before going through it yourself.
Where Smoke Causes the Most Damage
Smoke won’t collect in every item in your home, but there are certain things that attract it. Once it gets into these items it can be very difficult to remove. Examples of items smoke is most attracted to are:
- Bedding.
- Clothing.
- Curtains and upholstery.
- Carpeting.
- Wooden furniture and hardwood floors.
- Plastic containers.
- Drywall.
- Ceiling tiles.
- Some medicines and cosmetics.
- Food items, even those kept in glass jars and cans.
What to Do After a House Fire
The devastation of a house fire can leave us disoriented, making it difficult and confusing to figure out the best next steps. A nearby home restoration company will treat your case with urgency and expertise. To avoid injury or causing further damage to the property:
- Contact a nearby fire restoration company and schedule an appointment for your house to be evaluated as soon as possible.
- Call your homeowner’s insurance company to file a claim.
- Don’t enter the house unless you have been cleared by someone from the Fire Department.
- Do not attempt to clean up soot or fire-damaged items yourself. A fire restoration company has methods to go about this in a safe and harmless way.
- Keep gas, electricity, and water off until the house has been checked for safety risks.
- Document as much of the damage as possible without disturbing anything in the home.
Insurance & Property Restoration
Fire and smoke damage can be addressed quickly and efficiently with the right support. Undoubtedly, a lot of questions will arise about the state of your property. Can it be restored and to what extent? Will insurance pay for the damages? Or how expensive is restoration after a fire? Where do you even begin? Property restoration experts will work with you and your home insurance company to ensure you find the best solution possible. To help the two parties work together as seamlessly as possible:
- Get in touch with your insurance and gather as many details about your coverage as possible.
- Allow your property restoration company to assess the scope of repair and provide you with everything you need to communicate to your insurance.
- Get a clear understanding of the payment requirements and process – both companies should work with you to come up with a plan.
- Allow your property restoration company to act as your advocate. Insurance processes can be navigated with ease when you have experienced professionals working in your best interest.
Milwaukee Property Restoration Experts
If you’re looking for a property restoration company in Milwaukee or the surrounding area, Kelmann Restoration is here to help. As an award-winning full-service disaster cleanup and property restoration company, we provide all levels of restoration services.
Kelmann restoration has been serving the Milwaukee area since 1973. As a family business dedicated to serving our community, we put our hearts into what we do. We understand that what you are going through isn’t easy, and that’s why we pay special attention to customer care and success. We continue to live out our mission to improve the lives of those living in Wisconsin by striving to:
- Return each damaged property we are tasked with to a state better than before.
- Become the best and most trusted property restoration company in the area.
- Employ industry-leading talent who make a commitment to our company values.
- Treat each and every person like family.
Contact us for property restoration services in Milwaukee today!