The Dangers of DIY Fire Damage Restoration

4/2/2023 (Permalink)

Attempting to use the tools at your own disposal are dangerous for large-scale cleanup efforts.

Capable of quickly spreading and causing structural damage, fire can be dangerous. When it occurs in your home or business, you are left with damage to property and lives. Even if firefighters put out the fire, the damages still remain. It's best to let the professional take care of the restoration. Here's everything that can go wrong with DIY fire damage restoration:

You May Cause Further Damage

Approaching your property after a fire, it is possible that you may see no structural damage. However, this doesn't mean the damage isn't present. It could be hidden under layers of soot and smoke. Removing these items yourself can cause further damage to the property or create an unsafe environment for those living in the home.

For example, if your kitchen caught on fire and burned down, some rooms in the house will likely remain unscathed. To ensure that all necessary steps have been taken to protect your home, you should board up the unburnt portion, cover broken windows and doors with plywood or other material, turn off water meters on that side of your house, and check for any damage to roofing or flooring due to smoke. A fire can be such an overwhelming and stressful experience for homeowners you may forget and overlook certain precautions. It's crucial to call in experts who know how to mitigate the damage further.

You May Overlook Certain Fire Restoration Practices

Complete restoration of a fire-damaged space requires more than a good scrub. You'll need to employ specific strategies and components unique to the fire restoration process.

For example, smoke and soot are typical by-products of fire damage. Vacuuming can help remove these, but this is simply a surface-level approach. You'll also need to go deeper and clean the air ducts and ventilation systems. There's also the need to remove any residual smoke odor. If left unchecked, both can cause extensive damage to wires and other materials in your home.

You May Create a Dangerous Environment

Fire damage is also a health hazard. You can't just clean up the mess and move on with life. Getting rid of any lingering smoke particles or soot that could trigger respiratory issues or other health problems later on down the road is imperative.

You Could Throw Away Salvageable Items

Go through your things without anyone else's input. Especially if that person is not a professional organizer or someone who can objectively judge whether something should be saved or thrown away—you may decide to get rid of furniture and other household items when it would have been better to repair them.

You should always have a professional inspect your items before making any decisions about whether or not to discard them. A pro can estimate the furniture's worth, how much it would cost to refurbish, and whether it's even worth your time and effort.

You May Be Liable for Damage

You must prove that such a thing occurred to get reimbursement for any losses or damage. Before you start a clean-up or remove any hazardous materials from your property, it is essential to have proof that the products were causing problems.

However, creating a list of your losses after such a traumatic incident can be an exhausting task. You may forget to document critical details, which can result in an inability to claim compensation for your losses.

Why Should You Hire Experts?

The damage caused by fire creates a large and complicated project. Working with professionals ensures that no detail is overlooked and every issue is addressed. Fire damage clean-up and restoration experts have the training, equipment, and experience necessary to clean up the fire's devastation so your home or business looks like it did before or even better.

SERVPRO of South and Northwest Grand Rapids knows fire damage. We have training and expertise in fire damage restoration, so when you call us after a fire, we'll know exactly how to handle your needs. Call us at (616) 662-9700 with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your property or if you would like more information about our services.