A fire is a traumatising event, no matter how big or small the incident is. So when it comes to restoring your property, it’s vital that you understand how to a fire damage restoration provider should perform and also what to expect during the restoration process.
The ultimate goal of fire damage restoration company is to restore your property and its contents to as close to pre-incident condition as possible, leaving a clean and safe environment. If fire damage cleaning isn’t done correctly, not only can the odour linger, but further damage can happen to both your contents and building. Insufficient cleaning of smoke and soot can also continue to put your health at risk once you move back into the property.
Fire Damage Restoration Works
Fire damage restoration work includes fire and smoke damage clearing, decontamination, removal and listing of all contents, decontamination of structure and contents, odour removal, structural building repairs and even fine art / documentation restoration.
Is it safe to stay in your home after a fire?
No matter if the fire was big or small, it’s most definitely not safe for people to inhabit a building that has experienced fire damage. There’s not only the danger of structural damage, there’s also the harmful effects from smoke damage. You may not realise it, but smoke damage can be a very large health risk, and smoke particles aren’t always visible to the human eye. So, even if the fire happened in a downstairs room, your upstairs rooms could be harbouring dangerous smoke particles.
The Role of the Insurance Company
When a claim reaches a certain size, an insurance company will appoint a loss adjuster. The loss adjuster will investigate the claim to ensure that it is valid and that the sum being paid out is correct and in line with your policy.
Loss Adjuster
If your claim does require a loss adjuster, they will usually be the first contact you receive from the insurer once your claim is logged. They’ll usually arrange to visit the affected property within a few days of the claim being made.
A loss adjuster will visit the affected property to obtain all necessary facts for ensuring that your claim is valid, and to ensure that the correct sum is paid out should the claim be successful. A report is usually compiled by the loss adjuster which is then presented to the insurance company.
The loss adjuster can then appoint a restoration company.
Whilst loss adjusters work for the insurance companies to ensure the insurance company is not paying out more than it should for your claim, you are completely entitled to appoint a loss assessor to work on your behalf.
Loss Assessor
A loss assessor does NOT work for the insurance company, but manages all aspects of your insurance claim from start to finish for you, usually on a commission basis. They ensure you get exactly what you are entitled to from the insurance company. They will also deal with all the finer details and jargon.
A loss assessor can also appoint a restoration company if required.
The Fire Damage Restoration Process
What to expect
The restoration provider will arrange a date to attend the property. When they arrive, they will carry out initial enabling work which aims to make the area safe for work to begin.
As the professional restoration technician has carried out fire restorations on numerous occasions, you will find them empathetic, trustworthy and surprisingly quick at listing and removing contents.
At all times the project manager will be in communication with you every step of the way.
Contents
All affected contents are listed, boxed and removed to the restoration companies secure premises. They will be then kept in a humidity controlled area and decontaminated.
During this process, the policy holder and insurance company will be made aware of any valued items that are considered beyond economical repair (BER)
When all contents have been decontaminated, they will be stored in a clean, humidity controlled area, awaiting return to the policy holder.
Building
It’s not unusual for a fire restoration provider to have processes in place to avoid cross-contamination. This can include the erection of “clean rooms” outside of the property and an initial saturation spraying or ULV (Ultra-Low Volume) fogging using a coagulant. This procedure effectively increases the mass of airborne particulates, forcing them to the floor which in turn, allows for their safe removal.
HEPA air scrubber or negative air pressure units should be installed to remove soot particles from the air. Due to their particularly small size, soot particles are easily inhaled into the lungs, causing respiratory issues. All surfaces should then be HEPA vacuumed to completely remove surface soot, then washed down with the appropriate chemicals to remove any remaining soot and smoke. To determine the best methods of cleaning, pH and chloride testing are carried out.
When all surfaces have been cleaned, they are then rinsed using potable water and if necessary, the process is repeated. At the end of the clean, a deodourising procedure should be completed to eliminate any lingering odours. It’s important to note that at times, it may be necessary for plaster or plasterboard to be cut away due to lingering odours or irreparable damage, such as thermal damage and charring.
Your property will then be left in a state that is ready for redecoration and free from odour and soot particles.
At the end of a fire restoration process, you should be left with a property that is safe to inhabit, free from smoke, soot, and odour, and ready for reinstatement work to begin.
