First Steps After A Fire In Your Business

11/24/2020 (Permalink)

The clean up after a fire will take a lot of time, patience, and preparation and should be handled by industry experts. If your business experiences a fire of any size, you will want to ensure that your enterprise is properly protected through careful consideration and the work of well-equipped professionals. Below, we are sharing the first steps you will need to take after a fire in your business: 

• Insurance. Before any clean-up is started you will need to contact your insurance company. You will need to gather information about what is covered, what needs to be repaired or replaced, and how to find reputable companies that can take care of repairs to your property for you during this time. A restoration company such as SERVPRO is equipped to work with your insurance representatives to ensure your business is taken care of correctly. 
• Documents. Find and retrieve all important documents, and let a document recovery specialist handle anything that has been damaged beyond your ability to recover. 

• Soot Damage. Movement around your premises should be limited to prevent soot particles from being stirred up and becoming embedded in the upholstery of your furniture and carpeting. Laying down tarps or plastic strips to walk on can help in this area. 
• Filters/Appliances. Change your HVAC filters and any others you may have around the office, and if the power is out, empty the breakroom freezer/fridge. Get rid of any leftover food so that you aren’t dealing with the smell of it going bad, and prop the doors open to get rid of lingering smoke and its odors. Once the power comes back on, be sure to check wiring for ceiling fans and any plug-in lighting before turning them on as the wiring could have been damaged during the fire. 
• Specialists. Washing walls or painted surfaces, or clean carpets, etc. should not be done without contacting a fire damage specialist; these will need to be properly cleaned by a professional before any repair is done. 

Here at SERVPRO of Hermitage/Donelson, we are always ready to help you in the event of fire damage to your business, and we have all the equipment and skill necessary to get you back to work right away. We are also experienced in the areas of water damage and mold prevention/remediation, too.