While a property owner’s nightmare begins at the sign of fire, it’s after the fire is out that the real work begins. It’s a fire department’s job to put out the fire, and in order to do that, it’s sometimes necessary that the home or business receives damage to stop the spread of fire. Fires burn at temperatures greater than 1200 degrees, and that heat has to go somewhere. Windows are broken to eliminate any heat and to remove smoke and hot gas. To ventilate the property, firefighters will tear open the roof, break windows, or knock down doors. This helps reduce the spread of the fire and ultimately puts the fire out. However, this also means a fair amount of work has to happen after the fire. The property will need to be secured after a fire to prevent further damage.

Board up windows and secure doors

Once the fire is out, firefighters may do some sort of debris removal, which reduces the risk of a secondary fire. The next step is to begin boarding up the windows and making sure doors are secured. This prevents further damage from unauthorized entry or the elements causing further damage to the structure and contents.

Place tarp over holes

To put out a fire, not only will firefighters break windows and tear off the roof, but they may also be forced to knock down walls to search for hidden fires within the structure. Tarps will need to be placed on the roof and over any other areas that were torn down and that lead to the outside.

Remove any valuables

If the home or property is no longer habitable, valuables will need to be removed. It’s an unfortunate fact that often nefarious people will scope out damaged building to find anything of value. So one of the first things that need to be done after the fire is out and debris is cleared out, is that valuables are located, removed, and placed in a safe area. Removing valuables also means removing any guns that may be present. Some valuables may be salvageable, like electronics, but make sure even if they aren’t, nothing is thrown away. The insurance company will need to inventory everything and will give permission once things are allowed to be pitched.

If your home or business experiences a fire, don’t hesitate to call Swartz Contracting & Emergency Services in Lima, Ohio for all your restoration needs. For more information about our fire and smoke damage restoration services, call 800-462-1024 or 419-331-1024.