How Do I Safely Remove the Fire Damaged Property from My Your Bridgewater Home without causing More Damage?

4/7/2020 (Permalink)

Even small fires can produce smoke and soot throughout the house. We have the equipment and expertise to clean your home and possessions.

Use SERVPRO Fire Restoration Technicians to Professionally Clear Your Bridgewater Home

Most residential fires, like yours, are usually restricted to one part of a home. The origin point is usually a cooking fire in the kitchen or from improperly stored chemicals and cleaning rags in the garage. These locations are where the physical damage is at its worst, such as scorching and other damage from the heat and flames. If the fire burns in your Bridgewater home burns long enough, it can send smoke, soot, and larger particles throughout the home, which can cause further physical and other damage.

How can SERVPRO protect my home while removing Fire Debris

For fire debris removal in Bridgewater homes, SERVPRO Fire & Smoke Restoration Technicians (FSRTs) lay down a layer of thick plastic so that we do not grind burnt particles into what might be an, otherwise, undamaged carpet. Once that is in place, the FSRTs take the next steps: 

• Inspect the structural and personal property for items that cannot be cleaned or repaired
• Carefully bag everything small enough before removing it from your home
• Break down more substantial items into smaller pieces for easier removal. Where possible, they disassemble an item (a bookcase for example) to avoid accidentally injuring themselves or causing further damage through demolition
• Place all debris into a skip as quickly as possible for removal to a dumpsite.

What about all of this Smoke and Soot Residue in my home?

We can remove that too. After removing scorched items Bridgewater properties like wall framing, couches, and ceiling fans, our FSRTs move in to perform the following tasks: 

• Where residues are dry and powdery, specialists wipe down everything with dry sponges and cloths. If this does not remove everything, they spray a small amount of water or mild cleaning agent to break up the residue. They repeat this step until the property is clear of smoke and soot residue.
• For wet or sticky residues, our specialists use a stronger cleaning agent to break these down. As with the dry residues,
• If the residues have strongly bonded to a surface, our specialists have another option. If the surface is easily scratched or gouged, FSRTs use a soft-bristled brush to work out the residues. If the surface is stone or brick, they use wire brushes or powered agitation device to dig the residue out of the surface and break it apart for removal.

Fire Damage is Not Only Physical 

Odor removal is often the last step for clean-up companies, but at SERVPRO, it is a part of every step in our restoration process. Odor Control Technicians (OCTs) train specifically to eliminate the smell of smoke and other residues that can appear after extinguishing a fire. 

• They use cleaning agents specially designed to neutralize odor particles left on otherwise clean surfaces.
• For odors that penetrated the surface of items such as wall framing and other structural property, they sand down the top layers and remove the dust until the odor dissipates.
• If the odor deeply penetrated structural or personal property, they use an ozone generator to create a gas that penetrates to the same depth as the odor particles. The ozone binds with and eradicates the odor particles.

How Expensive is Restoration?  

Restoration can be costly, depending on the item. It is, however, the only way to keep a piece of furniture or something else passed done over the generations. That is why our office has Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technicians (UFCTs) and Water Damage Restoration Technicians (WRTs) for particular tasks: 

• UFCTs use specialty tools like injectors that attack smoke and soot residues by deeply penetrating fabric on couches and chairs. These devices are also used by OCTs to eliminate odors in the same items.
• WRTs train to remove water damage on the property caused by efforts to extinguish the fire. For example, on wood furniture, they use air movers to evenly dry paint and veneer that was accidentally soaked to lift water spots and other damage. 

Does SERVPRO Keep Track of Everything Removed and Replaced or Restored?

Our team leaders maintain a detailed list of their actions on each home we service. That includes a complete inventory of each piece of structural and personal property removed. For restorable items, they keep a list of them and the actions taken to perform the task. This inventory is beneficial when it comes time to deal with your insurance carrier. 

For fast, professional, and thorough removal of fire damage in your home, use our experts at SERVPRO of the Bridgewaters. No matter the size of the fire, one of our teams is ready 24/7 to clear and clean your residence. Contact us at (508) 697-5439 today to schedule a service call.