Do I really need disaster restoration services?
It’s hard to imagine needing something called disaster restoration services, but if you’ve had a house fire, you’ve had a disaster, in some capacity. And you need help dealing with the smoke damage. But what kind of help do you need? Are restoration services all they’re cracked up to be? Here’s what you need to know about them to help you decide.
The Fire is Out, But the Danger Isn’t Gone
Just because the flames are out doesn’t mean there are no longer any dangers after a fire. What is left behind in the smoke damage can be nearly as dangerous as the fire itself. Soot and smoke residue are highly corrosive and will continue to damage your home and property the longer it sits untreated. In addition to being dangerous to the structure of your home, the smoke and soot are also huge health hazards. If touched they can burn or irritate your skin, eyes, and nose. When disturbed the soot can become airborne and then inhaled which can cause respiratory irritation and inflammation.
In order to properly clean up smoke damage it’s important to wear the right protective gear. When you call in professional restoration services they will ensure that they protect themselves by wearing gloves, masks, and protective eyewear, and they will protect your home by cleaning up the smoke residue without transferring it from place to place.
Time is of the Essence
A professional will tell you that timing is critical when it comes to cleaning up after a fire. Is that a legitimate claim? Indeed it is. Not only will the smoke continue to damage your property if it’s left sitting, but the longer it’s left untreated the more difficult, and more expensive, the restoration process will be.
If you’ve just been through the emotional upheaval of a fire, the last thing you want to do is jump in and take on a huge cleaning project. Not only do you not have the right tools, experience, or knowledge to do it properly, you likely don’t have the time to get to work and get it done as quickly as possible to prevent further damage.
Assessing the Damage Accurately
Without the right training, an average homeowner is unable to accurately assess the damage done by a fire. Being able to identify what kind of fire occurred, understanding the cleaning techniques and products that are needed on a situational basis, and being able to evaluate and make recommendations on your belongings and what can and can’t be saved and restored, and what can and should be discarded, should be left to the trained professionals. These are challenging decisions that only someone with extensive experience can make with any level of determination.
The Success is in the Details
If you’re still not convinced that disaster restoration is really valuable, let’s take a look at the details involved in professional smoke damage cleanup and restoration.
- 24-hour emergency response, to get on site as quickly as possible
- Soot and smoke residue cleaning with specialized tools and products which could include:
- Pressure washing
- Sand blasting
- Steam washing
- Chemical application and cleaning
- Carpet scrubbing or replacement
- Use of chemical sponges to clean porous surfaces such as walls and ceilings
- Smoke odor cleaning and air purification
- Ozone treatment
- Restoration of documents, furniture, and electronics
Can you do all of the things on this list? The details are where the success comes in when it comes to smoke damage restoration. Without taking all of the steps and completing them effectively, you can’t ensure comprehensive smoke residue and odor removal.
Restoration services might seem like a luxury or an abundance of precaution, but the reality is that your insurance company will want you to use one, and if you want your home to get back to how it was before the fire so you can get back to life as you know it, then trust us when we say that they are really all they’re cracked up to be.
