Experiencing a house fire is traumatic, and the effects of this scenario don’t end as soon as the fire is out. If your home is still habitable after a fire, you may find that dealing with the aftermath can be overwhelming in specific ways. While you haven’t lost your home, it is likely damaged in significant ways.
One of the most challenging tasks you’re likely facing involves addressing smoke damage, which can permeate every part of your home, leaving behind odors, stains and potential health hazards. It’s essential to act quickly to minimize the damage and start the restoration process.
Assess the extent of the damage
One of the first things you’ll need to do is to evaluate the smoke damage and document it all. This can help to show insurance adjusters exactly what you’re dealing with and can be critical if you have to try to force your hand before they’ll cover the damages. Take pictures and make detailed notes about the damage and what you had to do to clean everything up. It’s also a good idea to keep receipts for everything you have to purchase.
Ventilate your home
You should ventilate your home thoroughly by allowing fresh air to circulate throughout, even in the rooms that weren’t visibly affected by the fire. This can help to remove smoke odor. As you do this, be sure to replace HVAC filters frequently so they’re able to capture smoke particles and other particulates.
Clean all surfaces
The first thing to do when you’re trying to clean surfaces is to start with vacuuming using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. This can remove loose soot from surfaces, which can prevent it from transferring to other areas. Be sure that you don’t use a regular vacuum because they may blow the soot back into the air.
Walls and other surfaces may need to be brushed off, which means another round of vacuuming. Once that’s done, you can start to clean everything with a cleaning solution that’s made for smoke damage. Certain items, such as upholstery and fabrics, may require laundering, dry cleaning or other specialized cleaning options.
It’s sometimes necessary to call in professionals to clean. This can be a costly undertaking, so it behooves you to ensure your insurance claim is handled in a way that provides you with the benefits you’re due. Consider seeking legal assistance to better ensure that your rights are honored as you move forward.