Why Should I Call for Expert Help After a Fire in Augusta?

4/28/2020 (Permalink)

Calling SERVPRO to Address Fire Damage Your Home Incurred in Augusta Helps You Regain a Sense of Normalcy Faster!

Nobody wants ever to think that their home could catch fire, but these emergencies, unfortunately, happen from time to time. In order to get your life back to normal, hiring professional restoration technicians is the right choice. There are many ways that SERVPRO works to ensure your home is safe and livable once again, so calling us for an initial assessment is the best first step.

How Soon Can I Call After the Fire?
After the emergency responders finish up on the scene and they give the okay for entry, you can start to assess the damage. This is the perfect time to call us for help with fire damage in Augusta so that our team can start to formulate a plan for restoration. We know how important it is for you to get back into your home and living comfortably, so be sure to:

    •    Call your insurance agency. This should be the first call that you make right after you call 911, and first responders arrive on the scene.
    •    Hire us as your mitigation crew. We can make sure that the proper steps are followed to bring your home back to preloss condition.
    •    Never touch anything immediately after the fire. It is vital that everything is adequately assessed, documented, and recorded.

Why Do I Have to Worry About Water Damage After the Fire?
Any water that is used to put out the fire can start to penetrate the walls and floors throughout the impacted area. Our skilled technicians have to remove this water and then dry the structure completely to help thwart mold growth as well as wood rot. Water migrates and follows the path of least resistance, and our team of water restoration technicians (WRT) is trained to follow this path to address it quickly.

We can take a look for hidden moisture pockets using equipment such as:

    •    Moisture Meters – find the amount of moisture content in materials, which helps our technicians determine whether or not your structure is dry.
    •    Moisture Sensors – find the levels of moisture within soft materials using sharp, penetrating probes.
    •    Thermo-Hygrometers – Measure the relative humidity and temperature within the impacted space.

How Do You Address Soot Build-Up?
Soot from a house fire can start to stain and saturate your upholstery as well as other porous materials. In order to restore your interior, our team may combine a variety of techniques, equipment, and chemicals to salvage carpeting, draperies, linens, and furnishings properly.

Will the Smoke Odor Ever Go Away?
The unfortunate truth about smoke with any fire is that it easily penetrates just about anything within your home. We work to ensure that your rugs, furniture, structural materials, and personal belongings are thoroughly cleaned to eliminate odorous smoke particles. Smoke often damages the ducts of your HVAC system during a fire, which can trigger foul odors each time that your furnace or air conditioner is turned on. We must work to clean up and repair damaged ducts so that there is no lingering smoke damage.

With some fire loss situations, our SERVPRO technicians may have to employ the use of ozone treatments to help mitigate smoke damage. This is a process for treatment that involves tenting in a targeted area or the entirety of the structure. Chemical sealers can also be used to fix smoke that has penetrated drywall, air ducts, and flooring.

Different Types of Smoke
The level of cleanup necessary after a fire may also have to do with the type of smoke that developed. For example:

    •    Fires that are fast-burning and extremely hot usually results in a dry smoke that features a powder-type residue. This is a smoke type that is often easier to clean up than others.
    •    Slower-burning, smoldering fires will often generate wet smoke. This type of smoke is often sticky and includes odor-causing particles that bond with surfaces, making it challenging to address.
    •    Any fire that involves petroleum products often puts out lots of soot. This soot damage is easy to detect on hard surfaces that are lighter in color but may be difficult to detect in fabrics and carpeting.

Fire Damage Restoration is Never a DIY Project
It can be devastating enough to have a fire in your home, so the last thing you want is lingering soot and smoke damage. Our IICRC-certified technicians know how to address these things, as well as the potential for mold and mildew growth that would otherwise happen if moisture is left to fester. Our restoration team is trained and ready to go with our Green Fleet loaded with all of the best equipment and products in the business today. All visible surfaces are cleaned thoroughly, odors are neutralized with advanced technology, and disinfection wraps up the project to make your home “Like it never even happened.”

Call us at SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties at (706) 843-1990 if you need fire damage restoration. We will send out a team as quickly as possible for emergency service, and we are available 24/7.

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