Fire Damage Clean-up

Where does fire damage come from?

There are three types of fire: electrical; oil and gas; and spontaneous combustion and chemical reactions. While they do not all start or burn the same way, they all require three elements to ignite and continue burning: heat, fuel, and oxygen. And they all result in fire damage. The fire damage may be caused directly by flames, or it could occur due to smoke and other corrosive substances emitted by a fire.

What does fire damage affect?

Fire damage may go beyond the surface to cause structural weakening. But fire damage also affects more than the physical structure of your home or business. Some of the most dangerous parts of the fire are found in the ashes and the debris left behind. When materials burn, they create toxic volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which are extremely hazardous to your health.

If soot and smoke are allowed to remain on certain items following a fire, permanent etching, staining, and discoloration are all possible.

Fireservice Fire Damage Clean Up

How does Fireservice clean up fire damage?

Assess and secure

Once the fire department has deemed your home or building safe to enter, Fireservice can respond with emergency disaster clean-up services anywhere in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, or Sarasota County. We will board up any doors or windows or other entry points to your home that have been damaged, and secure tarps over any holes in your roof.

Inspect and salvage

Our experienced fire damage restoration professionals can help you determine whether certain items are salvageable. After clearing the area(s) to be restored, we will establish perimeters to protect the remainder of your home and belongings during the clean-up process.

Dry-out and clean-up

Most likely, during the process of extinguishing the fire, your home will have sustained water damage in addition to the fire damage itself. We will follow our successful, proven protocol for water damage remediation to dry out the affected areas. We will use our industrial-sized fans and state-of-the-art air scrubbers to remove hazardous air particles and create a safe work environment. It is critical that we begin this clean-up as soon as possible — before mold can begin to grow.

Properly suited up with protective gear and armed with powerful, specialized cleaning solvents, our professionals will clean damaged areas from top to bottom, removing the debris from your property.

Remediate and rebuild

At the very least, our licensed contractors can provide you with consulting and construction services to remediate the portions of your home damaged by fire, restoring them to their original condition before the blaze. If your rebuilding project entails extensive remodeling, we can help you with that, too.

What should you do?

While the majority of fire damage clean-up should be left to the professionals at Fireservice, there are some things you can do to prepare for the process.

Call your insurance agent. Then call us.
Find a safe place to stay. No matter the size of the fire or the extent of the fire damage, you will need to find a place to stay for at least a few days while your home is inspected and cleaned.
Once your home is cleared to enter, secure it as best you can, with assistance from Fireservice.
Keep a notebook. Take photos. There will be many details to remember, conversations to note, and items that need follow-up. Writing it all down will help keep the process clear in your mind and help you manage the wait. The process takes time.
Go through your home in your mind and make a list of all the major items and valuables that may have sustained damage. “Walking through” your home room by room will help you break down this seemingly unmanageable task.
Keep receipts for any expenses you incur while you are not living in your home. These items may be reimbursable from your insurance claim or noted as losses on your tax return (consult your accountant).

What can you expect afterward?

Oftentimes, the first question a homeowner asks us is “Will my home ever smell like normal?” We understand that they are really asking if their life will ever get back to normal, if their schedules will ever get back to normal, if they will ever feel normal in their home again.

Our concern for people in need is what prompted our founders to launch Fireservice over 50 years ago. That concern guides our company today. You are not in this disaster alone; we are here to help you through it. Yes, your life and your home will return to “normal.” And, yes, because we remove smoke odor instead of masking it, your home will smell like normal again!

Wherever fire damage occurs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, or Sarasota Counties, we will be there when you need us. Our 24-hour dedicated emergency crews are on the road to you within 3 — 5 minutes of your call.

The #1 concern of homeowners who have suffered a house fire is, “Is my home ever going to smell like normal?” Our answer is, “Yes.” At Fireservice, we do not mask the odors from a fire, we remove them.