A Small Fire Has Affected Part of My Home. Can I Perform the Cleanup Myself?

6/16/2020 (Permalink)

We can board windows and tarp the roof to protect the structure after a fire to prevent secondary damage.

It Is Advisable to Involve Restoration Professionals to Prevent More Fire Damage in Your Jamestown Home

The fire incident might seem small but can cause costly damages if not handled on time by an expert. The smoke odor can persist in the affected area, and the soot can discolor surfaces in your Jamestown property.

Should I contact my insurance company or restoration experts first?

After the firefighters put out the destructive flames, it is counter-intuitive to call anyone else before talking to your insurance company. However, it is essential to contact SERVPRO technicians to handle the fire damage in your Jamestown home. When a fire happens, it causes both primary and secondary damage. Quickly calling a restoration company can help reduce secondary damage, such as:

• Smoke odor
• Residue from soot and smoke which can imbed in materials
• Water damage resulting from firefighting efforts.

Can you work with my insurance company?

When the insurance adjuster gets to the affected area to inspect the damage, our technicians can work closely together with the professional. We remain objective and help our customers to document the destruction to make it easier for them to file their claims.

How secure is my property during restoration?

The restoration process may take a few days, depending on the magnitude of damage. During this time, severe weather such as heavy rainfall can ruin valuables in your property. Therefore, our technicians board up all openings using plywood. If the fire damaged your roof, we could tarp it.

How do you clean soot and smoke residues on surfaces?

At SERVPRO, we have advanced products that can clean soot and smoke residues on various surfaces. Some materials and surfaces in your property cannot withstand aggressive agitation or direct application of cleaning products. We clean these surfaces safely by using products that absorb the soot and smoke residues from the materials. Our technicians can use a solvent spotter mixed with stain absorption powder, which is absorbent enough to remove residues from porous surfaces such as:

• Upholstery and fabrics
• Carpets
• Draperies
• Marble

We apply the mixture, a thin slurry pastes on the affected surface, and allow it to dry. That provides the product with ample time to absorb the residues before we vacuum off the dirt.

After a fire loss, call SERVPRO of Jamestown / Olean at (716) 338-4901. We have the expertise to restore your property to its preloss condition quickly. We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster.     

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