A Quick Response to Smoke Damage Saves Money

8/24/2018 (Permalink)

Kitchen fire damage in a Jasper, TN home

Responding immediately is the best way to save your Jasper, TN, building, assets, and budget when dealing with fire and smoke damage. It's important to keep in mind that there are actions you should take and actions that are better left to the professionals. After leaving the building, contacting emergency personnel, and making sure your staff are okay, it's time to make a couple of phone calls. The first should be to your insurance company and the second to professional fire and smoke cleaning and restoration professionals.

A Focus on Safety

If it is safe to enter the building after smoke damage, make sure you prepare to do so safely.

• Obtain permission from emergency responders, such as the firefighters.
• Wear protective clothing, including a face mask and gloves.
• Ventilate the area by opening windows and doors. Position fans to provide airflow.

Cleaning You Can Do

Although most of the work should be carried out by restoration professionals, there is some cleanup you can tackle while waiting for the restoration company to arrive. Make sure you have permission from your insurance company before you begin cleaning. Your cleaning efforts should start at the ceiling and always move from the top down. If you are using a vacuum, be sure it has a high efficiency filter. The risk of polluted air is a real hazard after soot damage occurs.

Professional Services.

Even if you plan to do a lot of the cleanup on your own, you'll need professionals to assess and complete the task. Did you know that acid soot can lead to discoloration in wood, marble, and plastics within a few short minutes? If left for days, soot residue can lead to permanent discoloration on floors and furnishings. A quick professional response will minimize the extent of damage and could keep your recovery costs down. Fortunately, the cost of restoration following smoke damage may be covered even if the fire occurred at a Jasper, TN, building or office next to yours.