When there’s a fire, you need to be able to react immediately. In most cases, how fast you take action determines whether or not you can save your property and items and minimize damage. Therefore, the first 24 hours after fire damage are the most crucial ones and are known as the golden hours of recovery since an effective emergency response at that point determines the outcome of the fire.

Things like chemicals, water, smoke, and soot remain after the fire has been extinguished and can cause structural damage to your home or commercial building. Fire damage restoration is essential to fight this and save as much of your property and belongings as possible. Since it is a multi-step process that fights fire damage, smoke damage, and water damage, fire damage cleanup should be started as soon as possible.

Stay Safe

Even after the fire has been put out, don’t try to enter the property. Smoldering remains can result in the fire rekindling. Additionally, depending on the severity of the fire and the damage caused, the property’s structural integrity may be compromised. Entering the building can be dangerous since the roof and floors may collapse because of the damage.

Act Quickly

Fire, smoke, and water damage can cause severe damage to your home or commercial property. Soot damage is especially difficult to deal with since soot residue settles right after the fire and can cause discoloration that can be nearly impossible to get rid of. Water damage from extinguishing the fire can also pose a great risk. Mold can form within 24-48 hours of water damage, especially when it comes to porous surfaces. This, in turn, can damage structural integrity and damage your health.

Additionally, the longer you wait, the more damaged your possessions are likely to get. At some point, these will no longer be salvageable. For the best possible chance to save your belongings, you must act as quickly as possible after fire damage.

Call Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance company immediately and notify them of the fire and damage incurred. You should also ask what actions are required of you to ensure that you are taking the proper steps. When the right measures aren’t taken, some insurance claims are denied. For example, if you have a lot of structural damage, you may be required to board up windows and doors.

Additionally, different insurance companies require different details, with some asking for detailed inventories of damaged items, including how much you originally paid for the items, the quantity, description, and more.

When you’re in touch with your insurance company and are letting them know about the damage, it’s also best practice to ask for an insurance adjuster to inspect your property to know whether or not your insurance will be covering repair and restoration, and if so, how much of the cost they will be covering.

Call a Fire Damage Restoration Service

Even after firefighters put out the fire, there is plenty left to take care of. In addition to fire damage and smoke damage, you’ll likely have water damage from the firefighting efforts. All of this damage must be dealt with as soon as possible since putting it off can result in further damage and more costly repairs.

Unfortunately, soot, smoke, and water damage aren’t simple fixes that anyone can make. To ensure that your home or commercial property is properly repaired, you need to call in the experts. Contacting a reputable restoration service like  911 Restoration of Lansing is crucial because you need qualified technicians to get your property back to its former state.

Collect Your Valuables

Only do this when it is safe to enter the building. Try and locate important items like insurance information, medical information, and valuables like cash, credit cards, and jewelry. You may also want to locate and collect prosthetic devices, eyeglasses, or other necessities.

Document Everything

Save all receipts to document the money you have spent and document all the damage incurred. This documentation will be helpful when showing your insurance providers the money you spent on repairs. Hiring a comprehensive restoration service like 911 Restoration of Lansing is useful because of the help you’re given with insurance claims and documentation. In fact, at 911 Restoration, we even talk to the insurance companies for you and add supplementary documents to ensure that you get the best coverage possible.

Call 911 Restoration of Lansing for Fire Damage Restoration Services

When your home or commercial building suffers fire damage, it can be devastating. Even minor missteps can result in tragic fires that can damage your property and result in lost business hours and having to move out of your home while repairs take place. While there are many measures you can take to prevent fire damage, these instances aren’t always preventable.

If you have faced fire damage, the best thing you can do is act quickly. Instead of waiting for matters to get worse and losing more time, call  911 Restoration of Lansing as soon as possible. We understand that emergencies require immediate action and are thus available 24/7. Our fire damage restoration and water damage restoration technicians can be at your home or commercial property within 45 minutes of your call.

Call us at (810) 204-5998 or contact us here for more information about our commercial and home restoration services.