Repairing your home after fire and water damage can be costly.
Fire and water can cause extensive damage to a home, which can be costly to repair. Professional cleaning companies that specialize in home restoration after fires and floods are available to repair homes after disasters, but homeowners can, to an extent, clean and repair fire and water damage in the home. Time is of the utmost importance when repairing fire and water damage. To save your belongings and prevent lasting damage to your home, you will need to come up with a plan of action as soon as possible after the fire or water damage occurs. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Call your insurance agent. According to Licensed Home Improvement, contacting your insurance agent to determine the extent of your coverage under your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy should be the first thing you do when attempting repairs. Your agent should be able to give you the coverage amount available and give you a better idea how much money, if any, will be available for repairs. Your agent can also give you the names and numbers of professionals specializing in the types of repairs necessary for your home, if you choose to hire a professional.
2. Open a window. Increasing ventilation will help stop increased water damage, such as mold and mildew. Open doors and windows and use a fan to help circulate the air throughout the damaged areas.
3. Mop up excess water on hardwood floors. Even if floors are sealed, they can and will be damaged by long-term exposure to water. Use an absorbent mop to soak up the water and use fans to ensure the spaces between the boards have a chance to dry out. When completely dried, you may need to refinish the flooring depending on the amount of damage done from the sitting water.
4. Move furniture and sensitive documents to a dry place. Wood furniture can be damaged from sitting on a wet carpet, so be sure to quickly move it to a safe, dry space as soon as possible.
5. Rinse water damaged areas and belongings with clean water to remove debris, soot and dirt. Use a clean, soft, damp cloth and leave the objects spaced out indoors to dry with the help of the fans set up to improve ventilation.
6. Separate fabrics to keep the colors from bleeding. Rinse and lay flat or space out in a well ventilated area to encourage drying.
7. Clean copper and brass within 24 hours of smoke exposure. According to Licensed Home Improvement, this is the time frame in which smoke can etch copper permanently. To save any fixtures or accessories, use a specialized copper cleaner to remove smoke residue.
8. Remove soot from upholstery. Generally, it is recommended that you call a professional to avoid pushing the soot further down into the fabric. To try and remove soot residue yourself, Licensed Home Improvement recommends vacuuming without an attachment at least an inch above the fabric.
9. Remove soot from walls, floors and ceilings with a "dry sponge" meant to remain dry and contain appropriate cleaning chemicals. Rub the stained area from the top down with gentle movements in one direction. Using water will only smear the soot and worsen the problem.
10. Apply a commercial mildew and mold remover to floors and carpets to keep mold and mildew that may be present under carpet padding and between floorboards from growing.
11. Call a professional to deal with smoke odors and electronics. A professional has the proper equipment to remove smoke from fabrics and walls. For safety reasons, electronics should be cleaned and repaired by a professional repair company, as home repairs can lead to electric shock and burns.
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