Tips on What to Do After a Fire in Your Mooresville Home

6/4/2018 (Permalink)

Fires can cause significant damage, but there are steps you can take to restore both your home and your belongings!

(Updated 7/24/20)

A house fire is one of the last things a person wants to experience. The situation is both physically and mentally exhausting, and if it’s your first encounter, it’s not always clear what to do next. For years, our team has helped house fire victims recover their homes and belongings. As local experts in the Mooresville community, we know the many things you and your family should do if you have a fire.

Contact the Professionals

Once you’ve called your local fire department and let your family know you’re safe, you should call the right professionals to get the restoration process started. At the very least, this will include your insurance company and your local fire restoration company.

You should first call your insurance company or your local agent. They will be instrumental in helping you cover costs and managing the multiple steps involved in the restoration process.

Ask your agent:

• What to do about the immediate needs of your home. This includes pumping out water and covering doors, windows, and other openings.

• Who else you should call. If you aren’t sure who to call for restoration and repair services, your local agent can refer you to somebody they have a trusted relationship with.

• What you need to do. Your life has been disrupted, and you agent can instruct you on the steps you should personally take to reclaim it.

You should also call a local cleanup and restoration company so you can restore your damaged home and belongings. These experts—like our team at SERVPRO of Iredell County—can extract water, clean up soot and ashes, and even restore many of your damaged belongings.

Ask your restoration company:

• What services they can provide. Not all cleanup and restoration companies are equal, so see what services they can provide, such as boarding up doors and windows, cleaning your belongings, and HVAC cleaning.

• If they can also repair your home. If possible, find a company that can do the entire restoration process—from mitigation to repairs. It’s often easier to work with one company versus several.

Re-entering Your Home

Once it’s safe, you’ll want to re-enter your home to inspect damages and see which of your belongings endured. Before you do so, consider the following:

• You should never enter the home until your fire department has said it is safe to do so.

• Fires can start again even if they appear to be out.

• Soot and dirty water left behind may contain things that could make you sick. Do not eat, drink, or breathe in anything that has been near the fire’s flames, smoke, soot, or water used to put the fire out.

Reclaiming Your Home

There are many steps involved in restoring your home after a fire, and it’s never easy. Fortunately, if you live in Mooresville, NC, you have access to our professional team of cleanup and restoration experts. So if you have a fire, put yourself in good hands by calling SERVPRO of Iredell County at (704) 872-7466!