Thursday, December 3, 2015

Roofing Contractors, Fire Damage, And Getting Your House Back Together

By Adam Jordan


It can be every family's worst nightmare. You are woken up from your sound sleep by the shrill alarm coming from the smoke detector. As your eyes open up, you recognize the air is smoky and you can feel the warmth in the air. Thank goodness everyone gets out in time, but your home is in need of repair.

Even though your fire may not have started in the attic, and even if your roofing material wasn't directly affected, a fire can cause major problems with your roof and leave it in need of immediate repair. Many insurance companies require immediate roof repair and leave that responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the home owner. Most roofing contractors offer emergency services.

There are also many total restoration companies that offer turnkey home repair after a fire. Many of them offering concierge services that will even find you a temporary residence while your home is being put back together.

Why is it so important to get the roof repaired first? The reason is simple, you're homes roof act as it's first barrier against the outside elements. Even small fires can do significant damage to your roofing structure and leave your home and attic open to rain and weather.

It's your home and as such you will want to immediately start putting things back to normal. This is typical, but we never recommend trying to do roofing repairs or post fire restoration on a do-it-yourself basis. No matter how handy you are. Restoration follows a specific order of events and it is best left to the professionals. If you feel you need to do something, there are a few things you can do under the direction of a pro.

Pets are family too - so remove them from the home for the duration of the restoration project. They get stressed out just as people do so give them a break as well.

Next, empty the fridge and freezer if the fire department or another authorized person had electrical power shut off to the structure. This is often over looked but nothing is worse than a fridge full of rotting food that festers and ferments for several days.

Check with your contractors first, but it's generally a good idea to open up windows and venting if it doesn't interfere with the weather. This helps your home air out.

Now there are some things you should steer clear of doing completely. Smoke problems can be rather detrimental, virtually as much as fire damage in most cases. Although your family's clothes, upholstery, and other electronics may appear okay, microscopic particles of ash and soot from the fire may embed into the fabric. You want to stay away from having your skin come into contact with this and you definitely should not breathe it in.

When it comes to electronics, have them cleaned and checked by a restoration company. This would include televisions, any types of computers as well as laptops, and all major electrical appliances such as ones in a kitchen. The last thing you want is to survive a fire, but find your health and well-being compromised by an electrical shock.

After you've contacted your contractor, visit with your insurance company. They will often send a representative to visit with you on site and will have the necessary training to help guide you thought the process of putting you life back together.

Getting your life back together after a fire can be a monumental job. Fire recovery companies and professional building contractors are trained and skilled to assist you though this. Along with your insurance company they can help clean your house, restore your roof, and get you back on track.




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