Fire Damage Restoration

If you’ve just experienced a fire, you might be wondering what to do next:

• Follow all safety instructions provided by your local fire department personnel.
• Move pets and kids to a smoke-free environment. Smoke contains carcinogenic gases that can affect their health. Start with a neighbor you trust for immediate aid then move them to a temporary home with friends or family until the fire restoration is complete. Learn more about the impact of smoke damage.
• Open all the windows. This will get air moving to push the smoke out of the rooms.
• Make that call – you will need professional help, so before you get too busy, hire a fire remediation specialist who can start work on getting your home or business back the way it was. Insurance policies require that you take reasonable steps to “mitigate damages,” from tarping a damaged roof to boarding windows and making sure smoldering is stopped. Rainbow Restoration provides free estimates, has 30 years of experience and is available when you need us most. Call (936) 291-0968 right now.
• Call your insurance company. All policies require that homeowners and businesses report their loss “as soon as reasonably possible.”
• Empty your refrigerator and freezer if there is no power. Once empty, prop the door open to prevent odors from building up inside.
• Inventory the contents of your home. Make a list of all items that need replacing. Take pictures of the damage, too. You will need copies for the insurance company, for your own personal records and possibly for the fire investigation authorities. Make up to five copies to have on hand just in case.
• You know it’s time to recover, but where to start? Download our "After The Fire: Cleaning Up" whitepaper to learn more about recovering from a fire – both the structural damage and emotional damage.

There are also tasks you do not want to attempt on your own due to the toxic gases or risk of smoldering ash.

• Don’t use electrical devices like appliances, stereos or TVs until the fire restoration service deems them safe.
• Don’t wipe down the walls, wood trim and furniture or any other absorbent surface.
• Don’t sit on or move upholstered furniture.
• Don’t consume any food product, including canned items that were exposed to the extreme heat of the fire.
• Don’t turn on home systems like the furnace or air conditioner.
• Don’t water your indoor plants until you wipe down the leaves to remove soot.

Fire restoration services have the proper safety equipment to get the work done without the risks.