Become Familiar With Effective Fire Damage Remediation Techniques in Seal Beach

2/24/2020 (Permalink)

Fires can leave behind fire damage including soot and odor. Contact our certified SERVPRO team right after the fire fighters leave.

Common Questions Seal Beach Homeowners Have After Fire Damage

Fire damage comes from a lot of different sources and leaves behind varying levels of loss. The common factor in all of it is that it needs professional level cleanup because soot and smoke residues have the potential to be an irritant and are unhealthy to live around. 

This approach to fire damage is misleading to Seal Beach residents, particularly in the case of small-scale fires where not a lot of visible damage happened, such as in the case where a pan flames up during cooking and there is not a lot of smoke residue seen. Still, a strong, pungent odor permeates the kitchen. The reason for this is protein fires emit a nearly invisible spray that smells strong but is challenging to see as it coats surfaces in the kitchen. 

Can Homeowners Clean Up Fire Loss?

This is a case of just because you can does not mean you should. DIY fire loss cleanup often creates more damage than done by the fire. Using wet cleaning solutions on dry smoke can drive the soot deeper into surfaces, ruining the prospects for restoration. One helpful action homeowners can take is making a list of valuable or sentimental items and asking SERVPRO techs to locate them for you. Essential things to have in your possession include: 

• Cash, credit cards and checkbooks
• Medications
• Personal documents 
• Passports
• Birth certificates
• Expensive items

How Long Does the Restoration Process Last?

As each fire loss is a unique situation, the technicians scope the damage and then can create a timeline for the homeowner to count on for the amount of time they estimate the restoration to take. 

Do I Need to Vacate the Property During Mitigation?

When the fire loss gets contained to a single, small area in the house, homeowners may be able to stay. However, breathing soot is unhealthy, and in most cases, it is wise to make arrangements to stay elsewhere during fire loss cleanup and restoration services. 

Should Belongings Get Packed Up?

While on-site restoration is preferable when necessary, SERVPRO techs can pack out belongings. They use a comprehensive contents control system that includes the state, photo, and location of each item within the home, so after restoration efforts complete, each piece gets returned where it belongs. 

Can the HVAC Run? 

Post-fire loss, it is best to have your unit and ductwork inspected to ensure there are not odorous soot particles resident. The thorough cleaning of the ducts ensures the fire odor does not spread throughout the home. 

SERVPRO of Seal Beach / Los Alamitos / Cypress at (562) 431-9400  has certified, trained technicians to make the fire damage to your home "Like it never even happened."

Click here for more information about Seal Beach.