Restoration: After Fire Or Water Damage
Having to deal with fire or flood damage to your home, office, or commercial space can be shocking and overwhelming. But the times that seem the most jarring are often the ones that require the most diligence and care. That is why it is to your benefit to know the basic dos and don’ts of any post fire/water damage situation.
The superiorly trained staff of The Mazzei Group knows what it takes to help get people back on their feet after such unfortunate occasions come to pass.It is imperative to remember that these scenarios are a lot more intricate than they may seem. For instance, the soot left behind after fire/smoke damage may be either wet or dry and determining which type is present determines both subsequent cleanup and the risk of permanently embedding soot in upholstery.
Therefore, the most important lesson to learn is: Do Not Try To Clean It All Yourself. Many different factors are considered in both assessing and remedying the damage. The Mazzei Group staff is highly trained in both fire damage restoration and water damage restoration. Our technicians will be able to get you through these trying times. But, until we get there, there are some useful tips to bear in mind.
Fire Damage Restoration
Fire restoration can be quite an involved process. The smoke from a fire has the potential to infiltrate every crevice of your home and affect areas you can’t even see. Therefore, it best serves your needs to obtain the services of a fire damage remediation service to ensure that more than just the superficial cosmetic damage is cleaned up. However, until the experts arrive, here is what you can do to help the process along.
Do:
- -Ensure that your hands are clean at all times so that you do not add further damage to an already affected area.
- -Lay old towels and rags over carpeted areas to help prevent any soot not already affecting the area from becoming a problem.
- -Tape double-layered cheesecloth over air registers, to help filter the soot and ensure it does not get circulated throughout the given space.
- -Clean all chrome with a light coat of Vaseline or oil.
- -Wash both sides of the leaves of household plants.
- -Change HVAC filters.
Don’t:
- -Clean electric appliances.
- -Use canned or packaged goods that may have been stored near the heat of the fire.
- -Turn on ceiling fans.
- -Send your clothes to any dry-cleaner (this may cause the smoke smell to set in).
- -Walk around carpeted areas where you will permanently press and embed the soot into your carpet or flooring.
Water Damage Restoration
Water damage cleanup can be just as difficult to contend with as fire damage restoration, if not more difficult. A trained expert will utilize hydrometers and various other implements of the trade, such as portable truck mounted extraction units and disinfectants, to ensure that the water damage is cleaned up properly and quickly. This may prove to be an intricate process best handled by the professionals. However, there are a few things you can do and a few things you can avoid to aid in the cleanup process.
Do:
- -Remove excess water by blotting and mopping affected areas.
- -Remove lamps and electric appliances from/wipe down wood furniture.
- -Remove and prop up wet cushions and upholstery to allow drying
- -Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet flooring
- -If flooding occurs in the summer turn on the air conditioner to aid in the drying process.
- -Remove colored rugs from wet carpeting.
- -Remove expensive or sentimental items and store in a dry area.
- -Clean debris from the flooring.
Don’t:
- -Hang wet fabrics. Do not let them sit as this may cause the formation of mildew.
- -Do not leave colored items on a wet floor as the colors may bleed and stain the flooring.
- -Do not use your household vacuum to remove excess water from the floor.
- -Refrain from turning on electric appliances until it can be determined that doing so would not cause any injury or short out the appliance.
- -Do not turn on ceiling fans if they are wet.
- -Don’t remain in rooms where the ceiling begins to sag.
These are just a few helpful hints that can help get you on the right track in handling the delicate situations in an effective and expedient manner. There are many courses of action you can take in aiding the fire damage cleanup or water damage cleanup in your home, office, or commercial location. Following the guidelines of “do’s and don’ts” will surely help expedite the process. However, there are some things that are just better left to the professionals. The Mazzei Group has trained professionals on staff who are here to help finish the job we hope our helpful hints have helped you start. Let us worry about attending to your fire damage restoration or water damage restoration so you don’t have to.