The Cost of Fire Damage Restoration.

5/7/2022 (Permalink)

From Emergency Services to Rebuilding Damaged Areas: SERVPRO of Haddon Heights/Voorhees Manages All Aspects of Structural and Contents Recovery After A Fire.

A reliable and integrated response to a fire disaster quickly calms the panic felt by property owners in the aftermath of a fire. Few residents feel the need to prepare for the steep learning curve of cleaning fire residues, repairing and restoring charred structural components, and eliminating overwhelming malodors until the unspeakable happens. Even with insurance, many fear financial ruin, as they survey the chaos and loss. After a fire, you need a disaster survival partner.

Should I Try to Clean Up Fire Damage Myself?

One of the ways you might consider saving on restoration costs is to take on the cleaning of fire damage in your Voorhees property yourself. A small fire that was contained quickly might seem within your abilities. Unfortunately, you have no readily available method to determine whether the damage confined itself to the space where the fire started. The residues created during the combustion of building materials, foods, grease, oils, and other contents are sometimes hard to discern and even more challenging to follow into other areas inside your property. Consider the following:

• Smoke and soot, the incompletely consumed fuels burned, drift freely on air currents. 
• The heat of the fire drives residues to move upwards, even into second and third stories of your dwelling. 
• The HVAC system, frequently operating normally when the fire starts, carries smoke and soot throughout your home via its ductwork.
• Odors borne within soot particles hidden in cracks and crevices can persist long after all visible signs of fire damage disappear.

What Special Skills Do Fire and Smoke Restoration Experts Have?

Above all, SERVPRO Fire and Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRT) offer knowledge gleaned through rigorous coursework completed through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and experience gained on the job with our seasoned mentors. The soiling deposited by smoke is unlike ordinary dirt and grime. Attempting to clean it up using standard techniques can at best smear and stain surfaces. At worst, failure to successfully remove fire residues permits continuous deterioration of structures and allows hazardous substances to linger in spaces where you and your family eat, sleep, play, study, and attempt to live life as usual.

How Does a Professional Fire Restoration Company Begin the Structuring of a Comprehensive Restoration?

When our crew arrives, our highly-qualified project manager assesses the damage and begins to develop a work plan. We check for safety issues before beginning the first phase of tasks. Then a series of mitigation steps ensures that the progressive harm halts. Steps might include:

• Water removal
• Disabling of the HVAC system to prevent further spread of residues
• Ventilation of affected areas
• Containment of heavily involved spaces, and set up of air scrubbing systems
• Crew members assigned to commence fire damage mitigation often don personal protective equipment (PPE)

What Does Remediation Look Like During Fire Damage Recovery?

As crews get busy with preliminary mitigation tasks, management evaluates the types and levels of smoke and soot damage in all spaces of your home. Using knowledge obtained during IICRC training and on the job experience, senior members of the team match cleaning products and methods with the residues found. 

How do we handle dry soot?

Loose and ashy residues dust, brush, or vacuum away. Dry sponges, sometimes called chemical sponges, are useful in removing light coatings on surfaces.

How do we handle wet soot?

Sticky coatings often need the help of a cleaning product to loosen the bond between the soot and the surface. Soaps and detergents, often applied as sprays, contain wetting agents and surfactants that help break up the residues so it can be wiped or rinsed off.

How do we handle protein-based soot?

Tightly adhered residues that are actually dehydrated foods and cooking grease and oils are notoriously tricky to remove. Solvents and abrasive products or tools assist in dislodging this common and challenging fire damage. 

What Can We Do About Charred Structures?

The heat and flames sometimes burn deeply into woodwork or other fixtures. Our crews use brushes, scrapers, and sanders to remove the damage. Sometimes the remediation is inadequate to return the materials to preloss condition. Our general contractor license permits us to offer repair and rebuilding services in these cases, saving you time, expense, and the stress of hiring additional contractors. 

Take advantage of the wrap-around services of SERVPRO of Haddon Heights / Voorhees when coping with fire damage in your residence. We can manage everything from the initial assessment to rebuilding after the mitigation and remediation complete. One call to (856) 566-3388 sets the restoration ball in motion.

Contractor Licenses:
General: HIC #13VH01276600

Find out more about Voorhees.