Do's and Don'ts After a House Fire

6/10/2020 (Permalink)

Fires are scary. Don't go it alone.

Even after the last flame has been put out and the smoke has dissipated, the scene of a house fire can be a dangerous place. While it’s understandable that you’d want to spring into action and do everything you can to get back to normal after a fire in your home, follow these do’s and don’ts to make sure that you’re both safe and effective in your response.

Do’s After a House Fire

Do wait for the fire chief’s permission before you reenter your home. Even if there’s no active fire, it still may not be safe to go back into your house, especially if there’s been any level of structural damage. Firefighters are specially trained to assess that threat – follow their lead

Do check with a professional before turning on any utilities, including water, propane and electricity. They’ll be able to verify whether turning those utilities on is safe or if you need repairs that might not be obvious to the untrained eye.

Do call a professional cleanup and restoration company like SERVPRO of West Seneca/Lancaster to help with getting back to normal. After a serious fire, it takes the tools, training and experience to accurately assess issues and fix them. Even something as seemingly simple as cleaning up smoke and soot is usually better left to the pros.

Do get a copy of the fire report from your local police department. It may be necessary and helpful if and when you decide to file an insurance claim.

Don’ts After a House Fire

Don’t just run back in as soon as you can to search for personal belongings and valuables. You’ve got to resist the urge to rush the process – your safety is more important than any material possession.

Don’t move your car if it was anywhere near the site of the fire. It may be damaged in ways that aren’t obvious upon initial inspection.

Don’t assume that all damage is visible. Even if you don’t see obvious damage to surface areas, there may be hidden damage that poses long-term risks for you and your family.

Finally, don’t go it alone! Between your fire department, your insurance agent and your professional restoration team, you should have plenty of people to call who have dealt with situations just like yours before. Lean on the experts, trust the process and everything should turn out “Like it never even happened.”