Fire & Smoke Restoration

What Should You Do Immediately After a Fire?

Safety first!

Between watching the local fire department extinguish the flames and waiting for your trusted fire damage restoration company to arrive, it can be tempting to enter the building to view the extent of the damage and find out what may be salvageable. Don’t do this without permission from the fire department! There may be smoke and soot lingering around, which is dangerous for your health.

Contact your insurance company!

What you should do instead is notify your insurance provider and file a claim. Most insurance companies will cover an accidental fire and help you begin the fire damage restoration and reconstruction process. Once it is safe to enter the building, you’ll want to make a list of what items have been damaged to provide to your insurance company.

Begin fire damage cleanup and reconstruction!

Then, get in touch with ServiceMaster Restore to schedule your fire restoration service. Our team has the proper training and technology to safely begin reconstructing your building. With fast response times and careful investigation, we can minimize the damage left behind, as well as repair and replacement costs. Most importantly, we’ll make sure your building is safe and enjoyable to occupy once again.

The Process of Our Fire Restoration Services

Although our fire damage experts make cleanup, restoration, and reconstruction look easy, it’s anything but! Getting your home or business back to pristine condition involves a long and laborious process of removing soot, determining what personal property is too damaged to restore, drying any standing water, and repairing or reconstructing necessary building materials or home items.

● Assessing the Situation: The very first step of our fire restoration services is to assess the extent of the damage. How far did the fire penetrate? Where is the brunt of the damage centralized? What furnishings, appliances, or personal items can be saved? Does the building need an emergency tarping? Our team will provide a comprehensive investigation and record everything for insurance purposes.

● Minimize Damage: Just because the fire has been put out doesn’t mean there is no damage lingering behind in the form of smoke, soot, water damage, mold and mildew, rust, corrosion, structural damage, and poor indoor air quality. The ServiceMaster Restore experts will work quickly to minimize as much damage as possible.

● Remove Soot and Debris: Using specialty tools, our professionals will remove all traces of soot in the building, whether it’s sitting on the surface or it has seeped into the surrounding building materials and home items.

● Determine the Condition of Personal Property: With the soot removed, it’s time to get a clear picture of what survived the fire and what needs to be replaced. As we evaluate each personal possession, we will update the homeowner or business owner for their records.

● Mitigate Water Damage: The large amounts of water used to extinguish the flames often need to be cleared professionally. We use high-quality dehumidifiers and other commercial-grade equipment to dry out any standing water and mitigate possible water damage.

● Cleanup and Sanitation: Smoke and mildew are two of the most common problems left behind by a fire. Using professional cleaning products and equipment, we can carefully deep clean all types of furnishings, appliances, and building materials to remove stains and odors.

● Repair and Renovation: Our team is highly trained and experienced in restoring buildings to pre-fire conditions. Homeowners and business owners are amazed at the commitment to quality and excellence shown by ServiceMaster Restore contractors.

In Need of Fire and Water Damage Restoration Services in Reading, PA? Give us a call!

During a disaster, you may not know what to do. Call us, and we will help you through the entire process! Check out what to do and not do in the aftermath of a fire or smoke damaged business or home. Also, take a look at our pro tips to help prevent fire hazards to keep your business and family safe.