When fire, water or smoke damage happens to your home or business, it ruins more than just the walls, ceilings and floors. More often than not, your personal possessions that are irreplaceable are destroyed when a fire or flooding occurs. Regardless if the fire is put out or a flood is contained, the daunting task of restoring your home to its previous condition could take months or even longer. If your home is damaged by water, any porous material can be affected. When dealt with quickly, however, you can often restore many of your furnishings, floorings and other possessions.
Both fire and water damage can pose serious threats to your home and all that is in it. Fires present a far greater immediate threat. Like any other type of damage in a home, the most important thing to do is act quickly and to start the remediation process immediately. In doing so, you can prevent further damage from occurring. This increases the chances of restoring your home and everything inside of it back to its previous state.
Homeowners and business owners are often anxious to begin cleaning and restoring their property after the fire has been eliminated. If done incorrectly, you could do more harm than good. Fire and water damage restoration can get expensive especially if the foundation is damaged. Fire does not often damage a foundation, thanks to the high heat point of concrete, but water can do serious damage to a home’s foundation. The fact of the matter is that water causes the ground to become soft, causing the home to shift and your foundation to possibly crack. This begins a domino effect causing your drywall, floors and other walls to also shift or crack. When this happens, it’s best to seek out a professional to ensure your home is structurally sound.
Once you are certain the house is safe enough to be in, you can concentrate on restoring the interior, as well as your possessions. There are a lot of little things to take into consideration for any fire and water damage restoration project. Drywall and wall coverings are best saved for last, because they need to be torn down if they smell of smoke or have severe water damage. The same rule applies to any ceiling structures. Plaster damage is easy to spot, as it can literally crumble when presented with direct heat.
Bacteria and mold can start to grow in as little as 24 hours. Numerous health risks like respiratory distress, flu-like symptoms and possible allergic reactions can occur when mold is present in a home. Preventing and removing mold after a flooding is a process that should be left to a professional. If done by an inexperienced contractor or the homeowners themselves, the mold may not be completely removed, or it may simply grow back in a few months.
Having to deal with fire or water damage is something that no homeowner ever wants to deal with. Water or fire damage can take a toll on both your home and your family. It can also put a substantial dent in your wallet. The certified professionals at ServiceMaster Restoration by Wills know that this could be an emotionally difficult and highly stressful situation for you and your family. Our experts can make the process flow smoothly and work to return your home to its original condition as quick as possible.
