When You Should Leave Fire Water Restoration To The Experts

By Ladonna Chambers


Having your home and belongings damaged by fire is both traumatic and stressful. In the process of extinguishing a fire, the water or foam products used can create almost as much damage as the fire to the fabric and structure of the building, not to mention the contents. Hiring an experienced and professional fire water restoration expert as soon as possible after the fire is out will help to prevent further damage, and keep your restoration costs to a minimum.

Depending on the extent of any damage to the structure of the building, the decision will need to be taken immediately on how to proceed. When the damage is severe and the building is deemed to be unsafe, it will be necessary to install support structures to allow work to start. Alternatively, it may be more cost effective to demolish the property and re-build. In either case a surveyors report and the advice of a building restoration expert will be required.

As a matter of urgency the supplies of gas, electricity or other fuels need to be isolated and shut down. Utility providers need to called in to check their supply lines. The supplies should only be turned back on after the pipes and cables have been checked for damage from the fire or water.

One of the first tasks that will be undertaken by an expert, once the structure is secure, will be to pump out any excess water from the building using heavy duty pumps. Any items of furniture or other belongings that are intact, but perhaps have some smoke damage will be removed from the premises and stored safely. Items damaged beyond repair will need to be disposed of safely which usually requires the hire of a skip or a van.

Depending on the level of water damage to the building structure, it can take anything from a few hours to a number of days to dry out the building, even with the help of industrial drying machines. The building will need to be protected from the elements while it is being dried out. Doors and windows are usually blocked of with plywood and a protective cover is placed over the roof if it has been damaged.

Leaving the property empty over a period of time, while restoration work is ongoing, can cause a security problem. Options for securing the building could include putting safety shutters on doors and windows, or installing security fencing around the property. Another potential option would be to hire a security service to provide regular patrols to check the property is secure.

How much of the restoration work you intend to carry out on your own will help to keep the overall costs down. However, for health and safety reasons it is always best to leave any structural restoration to the experts. You can concentrate your energies on reclaiming your personal possessions and restoring them to their natural state.

The cost of fire and water damage should be covered in your building and contents insurance. Always check with your insurance provider, when you are looking to hire a fire water restoration expert. Your policy may require you to use someone on their recommended list.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment