Basics of Fire Damage Restoration
Not many people are aware of the steps and procedures that are necessary to undertake a fire damage restoration process. In order to make them clear, without getting too technical, here is a brief overview of what can be expected from fire damage restoration companies.
Pretesting and Assessment
One of the first things that a fire damage restoration expert will do is to conduct a thorough assessment and evaluation of the damaged property and the extent of the damage. They will survey the site of the incident and using their knowledge of building systems and construction will check the actual area where the incident took place, as well as those which seem to have been spared by the fire. This will help them better to diagnose the existing and possible problems which need to be addressed.
Inventory
In some cases, keeping and inventory of the items, both the damaged ones and those that are not, are left in the hands of insurance companies and the homeowners or building owners. However, there are fire damage restoration companies who offer to help victims out with this. They can help setup perimeters to warn other people to stay clear of the area, and alert them of possible dangers that may occur. However, do know that keeping inventory is still the responsibility of the owner, and these companies are simply there to help.
Insurance
Fire damage restoration companies also provide valuable data which victims can use in dealing with insurance agents. They provide reports after their assessment to identify the extent of the damage, as well as outline the specific items which were destroyed or damaged in the incident, and make recommendations as to what needs fixing or cleaning. These reports can help you make your claims stronger and ensure that you get what you signed up for.
Cleaning and Restoration
Only after a full evaluation of the site has been conducted and all details with contractors and the insurance company (and the owner, of course) have been ironed out will the fire damage restoration company start working on cleaning up the place and fixing what needs to be fixed. Sometimes, they will call other contractors who specialize in certain areas (e.g. replacing wet and rotten posts and beams) to help out with the cleaning and restoration process.