Fire Damage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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After you've had a fire in your home, here are some tips to remember:

-Soot can be extremely hard to clean off walls, ceilings and flooring. SERVPRO has special cleaning tools so that the soot does not just get pushed around, but actually gets removed.
-It's best to have as little traffic through the home as possible so that the soot is not getting carried around the home.
-When you call to schedule an estimate for cleaning, it's important to know whether the fire was put out with water, a fire extinguisher or other means. If the fire was put out with water, we'll want to start mitigation as soon as possible to stop further damage.
-SERVPRO works with insurance companies so you don't have to worry about the cost of the cleaning. We'll make sure all the cleaning we do is covered by your insurance company. We'll explain to them why we want to move forward with certain types of cleaning. If for some reason they don't approve our work, we'll let you know beforehand. 

Have Smoke or Fire Damage? Call (315) 457-3432

What To Do After A Fire

  • Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
  • Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls and woodwork.
  • Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery and carpet traffic areas.
  • If electricity is off, empty freezer and refrigerator and prop doors open.
  • Clean and protect chrome with light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
  • Wash houseplants on both sides of leaves.
  • Change HVAC filter.
  • Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

What NOT To Do After A Fire

  • Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting us.
  • Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
  • Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat or water.
  • Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
  • Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.