One of the most common questions we get asked concerning fire damage cleanup is, ‘How long does it take?’ Well, the simple answer is that fire damage cleanup will depend on the extent of the damage so it may vary. Depending on the size and scope of the damage your Tremonton home received, cleanup may require more time. That being said, there are certain steps that must always be taken for fire damage cleanup to be successful. By breaking down the cleanup process, we hope to help give you a better understanding of what to expect in terms of a timeline for fire damage cleanup.
Assessing the damage is the first step of fire damage cleanup. Once the flames have been safely extinguished, trained experts should be the only one to enter the damaged area. They will inspect the area and asses for any potential threats, dangers, and harm. This inspection will give them the information they need to develop a cleanup plan that will address the damage done, and what steps will be required to return the home to its pre-loss condition. It is important to not enter a fire damaged building until after the inspection has been complete and it has been deemed safe to re-enter. This phase of the cleanup process tends to be the quickest, but will also largely depend on the extent of the damage. Most restoration companies have technicians available 24/7 so they can respond to your situation right away. Plan at least a couple hours for the inspection to be complete.
One of the main goals of a fire damage restoration team during cleanup is to mitigate as much damage as possible. Before any major cleanup can begin, all belongings that may be salvageable from the damage are removed from the area. Lingering smoke and soot damage can be just as destructive as the initial flames so removing as much as possible from the area will ensure the best odds of salvaging belongings. This step of the cleanup process also includes securing the home if there has been any damage to the roof, walls, windows, or exterior doors. Tarping and boarding up any areas that have become exposed to the outside elements is crucial in preventing any further damage to the home.
Once everything has been removed from the area, the actual cleanup can begin. Ash and byproducts of burned materials are toxic and can release chemicals into the air, so this step requires the use of proper personal protective equipment along with specialized cleaning solutions and industry tested and proven techniques to successfully remove and cleanup up fire debris. All affected surfaces need to be sanitized to remove any harmful substances, and cleaning treatments are used to remove the lingering smell of smoke in the area. You do not want this phase to be rushed, so allow the restoration team plenty of time to do a thorough job. Again, depending on how sever the damage is, this step could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
The final step in fire damage cleanup is to make any necessary repairs to damage structural elements of the home. This phase is a wild card when it comes to time frame. Not only will the extent of damage affect this phase, but also the availability of materials to complete required repairs will need to be taken into consideration. The good news is when you trust Sierra Restoration to handle your fire damage cleanup, you can rest assured that all of our time, energy, and efforts will be out into your project to ensure your home is returned to normal as soon as possible.
When going in to any fire damage cleanup, keep in mind the timeline will vary. We want to be as transparent as possible with the timeline we think we will need to successfully cleanup our home and will make sure to communicate that with you from start to finish.
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