Steps to Restore Fire Damage

8/2/2022 (Permalink)

Fire damage restoration is the process of returning a fire and smoke damaged property to preloss condition.

SERVPRO of Kendall County is your one stop shop for fire restoration. When our expert fire damage technicians gain access to the structure the restoration processis carried out from there:

1. Assessment of Damage

After first confirming the property is safe to enter, the first thing SERVPRO of Kendall County must do is perform an assessment of the damage sustained in the fire and ensuing water intrusion. This typically involves assessing how far the flames and smoke have penetrated into the structure and how extensive any clean up is likely to be. This step also involves assessment of the contents inside of the property to determine what should be discarded and what can be packed out and restored. At the end of a thorough assessment, the restoration company will have a better idea of the scope of the work, how long it will take and can begin formulating a cost estimate.

2. Security of Property & Debris Removal

After the assessment has been performed, the next step is securing the property. This includes installing fencing around the property, removing debris around the perimeter, and boarding up openings in the structure, as well as tarping or sealing off parts of the roof to protect what's left of the property from the weather. If certain areas of the property were not impacted by the fire, then it's important for our highly-trained technicians to ensure that this area is sealed off from the area that was impacted to minimize any cross contamination.

3. Demolition, Water Mitigation & Dry Out

The goal during this stage is to prevent further damage due to mold or corrosion by removing water and drying out the property. Personal property will be removed from the interior of the structure. Damaged drywall, flooring and other materials will be removed down to the studs as necessary. Water extraction crews will work with commercial equipment to dry out the structure. Roof tarps will be maintained during this stage to prevent further intrusion of water.

4. Clean Up & Smoke Removal

This is the most intensive part of a fire damage restoration job: clean up. This step typically involves a lot of manual labor to properly clean smoke and soot from interior and exterior surfaces. In many cases, every inch of the affected area will need to be cleaned. Following proper clean up, deodorizing agents are used to fully remove any lingering smoke odors. If water damage restoration has also been performed, it may be necessary to sanitize or apply antimicrobial chemicals to halt any subsequent mold growth. Off site, any contents that have been packed out are also likely being restored to preloss condition. Clean up also involves duct cleaning to remove any soot, smoke or debris that may have settled in ducts.

5. Construction & Restoration

The final step in returning the property to preloss condition is performing any necessary fire damage repairs or to rebuild fire-damaged areas. In the case of a fire, parts of the structure may be completely unsalvageable during the initial assessment, and therefore have to be removed and replaced. This may include: rebuilding and replacing the roof, replacing electrical, replacing and painting drywall, replacing flooring materials, replacing interior counters, fixtures, etc. to bring the property back to preloss condition.