A house fire is a traumatic experience, and it can be hard to pick up the pieces afterward. Below, you will find some tips to help you rebuild your home and your life after a fire damages or destroys your home.
- Safety always comes first: Before entering a fire-damaged home, you should have it inspected by a professional to make sure it is safe. Do not let your children or your pets into the home, and turn off the electricity and water before entering. If you have to enter the home, wear gloves, boots, goggles and a mask to prevent the inhalation of airborne debris.
- Look after your pets If pets are in the structure, get them away. If your aquarium fish lived through the fire, change the tank water promptly. If you are a bird owner, carefully clean away any debris and soot, and be sure to wash all cages,pens, toys and food/water dishes.
- Contain the debris. If the inside of the home is full of debris, you should wet it down to prevent dust from polluting the air. Once the debris is wet, you can hire a Fire Restoration company in San Fernando to remove it.
- Save your houseplants. If your plants survived the house fire, they need a cleaning to get rid of damaging soot. Use a damp, clean washcloth to clean each branch and leaf thoroughly. Larger, sturdier plants can be rinsed with a hose to remove debris.
- Dry clean your textiles. Smoke-exposed linens and clothing will not come clean in the regular wash. Call local dry cleaners to find one specializing in fire restoration. Conventional dry cleaning will not do the job—fire restorative cleaning is expensive, and requires certain materials and solvents.
- Ventilate the home. After re-entering the structure, open windows and doors to allow fresh air to enter. You may have to leave them open during the fire restoration process to allow the home to air out completely.
- Throw away all food. Anything exposed to smoke or fire should be thrown away. If soot or smoke entered your freezer, those items will need to be disposed of as well. If you do keep any food, inspect it before eating to avoid ingesting any soot.
- Don’t use any appliances. Any appliance exposed to fire shouldn’t be used until it has been inspected and cleaned by a Fire Restoration San Fernando company. Soot and smoke can cause serious malfunctions, and can even cause another fire.
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