Oh No—Your Home Has Suffered Fire Damage! Here's What to Do Next

11/25/2020 (Permalink)

fire damage clean up tallahassee

Oh No—Your Home Has Suffered Fire Damage! Here's What to Do Next

The emotional damage, loss of items, and sudden need to find a new place are just a few ways fire damage can affect you. Here's how to control what you can.

Over 27% of all reported fires occur in a home.

Fire departments respond to a fire every 24 seconds all across the United States. If your home has suffered fire damage, you might be dealing with a lot of uncertainties. There are so many different things to attend to that it can feel overwhelming, especially while you're still dealing with the emotional trauma of having lost belongings and potentially your entire home.

This article will cover a house fire checklist in an effort to help make it easier for you to manage the various tasks that need to be tended to. Keep reading to learn more about what you can do after you've suffered a house fire.

Find Somewhere to Stay

Even if your home only suffered slight damage, you likely won't be able to stay there for a few days. You will need permission from your local fire department officials that it is safe to re-enter your home. If you don't have any nearby friends or family that you can stay with, look into a disaster relief agency like the Salvation Army that can help.

Contact Your Insurance Company

As a homeowner, you will be responsible for contacting your insurance company to inform them of the fire damage. Every company is different, but they will advise you on the necessary steps to take. Most likely, they will want documentation of the damage. This means you'll probably need to take pictures and list all of the damage your home has suffered. Many companies send their own agent to assess the fire damage, but you should also keep your own records.

Replace Important Documents

If the fire destroyed your birth certificate, driver’s license, social security card, or other important documentation, they’ll need to be replaced. You’ll want to start the process of getting new copies issued as soon as possible. It can take several weeks for new copies to be mailed to you. 

Speak With a Fire Restoration Company

Get in touch with a professional fire remediation company that can help house fire recovery. Fire damage contractors have experience working with insurance companies and will be able to help you with the evaluation and documentation that will be required. This step should be high up on your list, as a restoration company will be able to help get you back into your home as soon as possible.

Tell Utility Companies About the Fire

If the fire damage was severe at your home, you'll need to contact your utility company and inform them of the event. They will have to shut off services to the property before any fire restoration and damage cleanup can begin. This is done to prevent any accidents from happening, such as electricity short-circuiting.

Begin Fire Damage Cleanup

Experiencing a home fire can be traumatic and overwhelming. However, if you follow some of the key steps we've listed, the task of dealing with recovery will be made a little easier.

If you need help with fire damage remediation, SERVPRO can help. We serve Tallahassee, Florida and the surrounding areas.

Contact us today if you have any questions or to request a visit.