🚒 After a fire

A fire in a property can cause serious damage. The building and many of the contents including furniture, clothing and personal effects may have been severely damaged by flames, heat, smoke and water. Anything that you want to keep or reuse will need to be carefully cleaned, and this will take time and patience.

It is normal practice for an individual’s insurance company to consider provision of alternative accommodation whilst returning a property to a habitable condition and replacement of any items that were damaged. They may also consider engaging a specialist company who have the right knowledge, skills and equipment to be able to achieve restoration of a property (to include smoke damage and residues of combustion), in a safe and controlled manner.

Use caution

It is important to understand the risks to your own health and safety even after the fire is out. The building may have become unstable, utilities such as electricity, gas and water may well have been isolated due to damage with soot residues and dirty water left behind often containing substances hazardous to human health.

Always check the property is safe to enter and exercise care should you touch any fire-damaged items. Seek advice from local council structural surveyors, a reputable builder, your insurance company, and restoration specialists before entering the property and attempting to clean up or make good any damage yourself.

Precautions to take when cleaning up/restoring to use a property damaged by fire

Do’s

✅ Check the building is structurally safe before entry
✅ Do wear a dust mask to limit inhalation of any airborne contaminants
✅ Do wear gloves to prevent contaminants from becoming ingrained in your skin
✅ Open windows for ventilation (weather permitting)
✅ Empty fridges and freezers if the electricity has been isolated, and prop doors open to allow air to circulate
✅ Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from becoming embedded into upholstery and carpets

Don’ts

❌ Don’t attempt to reconnect/reinstate utilities such as electricity or gas yourself; always have them checked by a ‘competent’ person first
❌ Don’t attempt to wash or wipe fire residues from walls, ceilings or other absorbent surfaces
❌ Don’t reuse carpets or upholstered furniture impacted by heavy residues or debris
❌ Don’t turn on computers, TV’s, stereo’s or other electrical appliances until they have been thoroughly cleaned and checked for electrical safety
❌ Don’t use food stuffs or canned goods that have been exposed to heat
❌ Don’t send clothes / garments to an ordinary dry cleaners as improper cleaning may ‘lock in’ smoke odour permanently