Top 3 Things To Do When Your Home Suffers Smoke Damage

9/16/2014 (Permalink)

When there is a fire at a home, the damage from the smoke can sometimes be much greater than the damage caused by the actual fire.

When your home suffers smoke damage from a fire it is natural to want everything back to normal as soon as possible.  The following list outlines 3 steps you can take to make sure that your home is repaired and that damage is minimized:

1. Call your insurance agent. Insurance agencies deal with fire and smoke damage often and have lots of experience in working with restoration specialists like SERVPRO.  They can advise you about the damage that you see but even more importantly the damage you don't see.  Even small fires can impact your whole home though modern conveniences like a central air system.

2. Think about what needs to be done to clean everything up. Interior clean up will almost always be required with a house fire but it is important to remember the damage will often extend further that what you can visibly see.  The air conditioning vents tend to get quoted with soot as can ceiling tiles and walls.

3. Take steps to prevent further damage.  If the fire department came and water hoses were used, try to prop up furniture off of wet surfaces.  Even if it means placing a plastic bag under the legs of your furniture.  Also, opening the windows can help dissipate the smoke smell and remove some of the remaining soot from the air.
If the damage to your home is significant, be sure to enlist the help of a restoration specialist.  Your insurance agent can recommend one to you.  SERVPRO of Minnetonka specializes in smoke and water remediation and our certified technicians are always on call to help with needed.  We service the towns of Wayzata, Minnetonka, Hopkins, Shorewood and Orono.