Fire Damage Cleanup Tips

During bushfire season the risk of fire damage is great in some areas which has prompted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue recommendations to local residents about how they might conduct a fire damage cleanup. These tips are to help to remove smoke and fire damage in and around the house.

• Launder or dry clean all clothing.

• Pressure wash, scrub or disinfect all exterior surfaces including walls, walks, drives, decks, window and deck screens, etc.

• Wash and disinfect all interior walls and hard surfaces with mild soap or other appropriate cleaning solutions or products, and rinse thoroughly. Don't forget inside cabinets, drawers and closets.

• Wash, dust or otherwise clean all household items, including knick-knacks.

• Disinfect and deodorize all carpets, window coverings, upholstered furniture and mattresses with steam or other appropriate equipment.

• Upholstery, fabric window treatments, etc. can be spray-treated with deodorizing products available at most supermarkets, but do not use odor-masking sprays.

• Have heating, ventilating and air-conditioning units and all ductwork professionally cleaned to remove soot, ash and smoke residue. Change filters when you first return to the premises and at least once a month for the first year.

• If aerial fire retardant or firefighting foam residue is present on the house and/or automobiles, use a mild detergent and brushes to scrub and dilute the dried residue and flush it from the surfaces; rinse with clean water. A follow-up with pressure washing may be beneficial but will not replace scrubbing to remove the residue.

• Ash and soot on the ground and vegetation in the vicinity will continue to generate smoke odors and airborne particles when disturbed by air movement. Until the ash and soot are diluted and absorbed by the environment, indoor mechanical air filtration may help minimize the uncomfortable and potentially health-threatening impact of these pollutants.

With a house fire cleanup the steps you take will have to be carefully considered so that further damage is not inflicted upon your possessions. On a similar note, take extra care when moving around the damaged property to ensure that you don't misstep and go through a weakened part of the floor or cause the collapse of unstable structures.

Moving outside the house we come to a different kind of fire restoration consideration which comes in relation to the effects on the landscape around the home after a firestorm. In this case there may be considerable damage to the soil upon which the house sits making the landscape itself extremely unstable. Because there will be a lack of vegetation following a large fire there is a real chance of soil erosion which makes another potential hazard for the home. One of the tasks that should be undertaken is to select some fast growing plant species for the land around the house that will help to preserve the soil.

What is not mentioned by the FEMA guidelines is that the best plan for a fire damage cleanup is to contact a fire damage restoration firm. These professionals are equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to get the best fire damage cleanup results possible.

There is quite a lot of stress surrounding any kind of disaster, particularly when you home and loved ones are involved, Fire Water Damage Restoration attempts to explain some of the options that are open to you to make things a little easier.